Thursday, July 24, 2008

A Hint of Knitting Content, also ....

I promised you a dramatic story, which happened in my garden. So here it is. I was out the other day, in the backyard, when I saw, that one of my flower beds needed weeding. The stars, sun, and the moon were aligned right, so I grabbed the yard waste container, and rolled it up to my high bed, and started weeding. (just kidding, I just felt like it). The dogs were out with me, of course, but since they had just had their breakfast, I just let them do whatever they wanted.
Sam wanted to play with me, that's why he was standing right next to me, yapping, and yabbing until his spittle flew (foaming mouth etc.). I ignored him, which is not easy. I wanted to be done with the weeding before the sun came out behind the clouds. Biko was grazing along the fence line. I could see her out of the corner of my eyes.

A little while later, I was making good progress, I noticed, that the yapping had stopped beside me. You know how it is: NO sound, and NO sign of the two meant trouble! (like little kids). I turned around and yelled for them. I couldn't see all places of our backyard, they could be anywhere, and my all time favorite fear, one of the gates could be open, and they could be GONE!
I started to the most likely escape route, when Sam came towards me, ears back, the guiltiest face I've ever seen on him. Something was tangling in his mouth, and it was squealing! Of course I knew right away, what he's got there. I told him he was a bad boy as he came up to me, and put down ever so gently what was in his mouth. It was a baby bunny, naked, helpless, blind - screaming murder!
Meanwhile I could see Biko still digging at the nest they found in one of my other flower beds. I yelled at her to stop at once, and she too, looked very guilty, jumped aside, and looked at me, as if I had ruined her day.
I took a towel, picked up the still screaming baby bunny, looked it over, didn't see any wounds, to my relieve, and went to the nest. Biko had done a good job in digging it out. There was dried grass everywhere, and the hole in the ground was bare. I pushed back the bedding, put the baby bunny on it, it was still protesting loudly, and put some bedding over it.

For the next couple of days, I looked at the nest, but did not disturb it, to see if there was movement of any sign of life. I saw big fat flies, and thought the worst, but then there was a faint movement under the grass. So, now I took some pictures (over several days), and when I saw them on my computer, I was baffled! There was obviously more than one bunny in there! But how? I did not see another baby bunny, when I put the nest back together, but there must have been a second one somewhere. They are the same size.click to see big

Anyhow, now I'm not sure, if there are two or even three bunnies in there. They must be the toughest bunnies on the block to live through this. They grow so much every day, they huddle together. At first their heads wobbled, but now they are stronger, they have fur, the ears are grown. I'm guarding them, looking after them every day. The dogs watch me, because as soon as I let my guard down, and turn around, they start to creep up in the nest's direction. It's a magnetic point for them.
I can only shake my head in mother bunny's choice of where to place her nest. It's in one of my flower beds, right beside the house , right beside the wooden steps, which lead down from where we go outside, several times a day, WITH TWO DOGS! What was she thinking?

This story as a happy ending too, for now. We use another door to get outside right now, but it's not as convenient as the other.

click to see big
Since this IS a knitting blog, here's the knitting content:
Hetty from the Netherlands sent me this picture. These Ladies are learning how to knit toe-up socks using my Smoking Hot Socks pattern! :o) I hope it went well, ladies! And many greetings to you! :o)

21 comments:

shannon said...

but sam brought you a bunny, gently!! ;) although i am sure if you were not watching them, the dogs (in true dog fashion) wouldn't hesitate to do nasty things....we won't discuss those things.

it's almost like the dogs wanted you to know the bunnies are there.

i just love your two four legged kids!

Kirsten said...

I love your bunny story! They are so sweet!

How wonderful to have a photo of a group learning from one of your patterns!

Dreams of Yarn said...

Awwwww, poor wee bunnies :) good thing they have you watching out for them

Angelika said...

What a cute story. I hope the bunnies will make it ok and they'll move into an area with less dogs. :)

La Cabeza Grande said...

It's so sweet, the way Sam retrieved the bunny and laid it down gently, as you asked.

I look forward to more bunny tales in the next few days.

sgeddes said...

I'm glad the bunnies were unharmed uin the writing of this post. I'm sure they are now frightened of dogs though. I think I see three bunnies in there. Did you ever get a count?

How neat is that - a whole group knitting your pattern!

DAWN said...

That is a crazy mama bunny but she must have tremendous faith in you to take care. Amazing photos!

Anonymous said...

Bunny mummies. I'm so happy to hear that the babies are doing well! And that the dogs did not commit baby bunny murder or flee the yard.

Don't the stars, sun & moon have to be aligned to weed? That's my story.

Your Smoking Hot Socks are a great way to learn toe up - that's how I learned! Which reminds me, I don't think I ever posted the ones I finally made. The yarn decision was just SO difficult. Because I am a ditherer.

Kris B said...

Maybe the mom bunny thought the two big white dogs would keep her little ones safe. Glad that they are ok.

That is a great picture of knitters using one of your sock patterns.

TracyKM said...

Awwww!! A bunny was one of the first signs of 'wildlife' when we moved into this house....as we watched our golden retriever suddenly bolt up the middle of the road! The neighbour told me it used to live under her deck until her dogs ate the baby bunnies :( and now it lives under our front pine. But we've never seen babies :( The kids love it, my rose bush; not so much!

Debi said...

Wow! That's a real tribute to how well you've trained them that they didn't eat the bunnies and be done with it!

Great story Monika!

lexa said...

Aww, bunnies! Looking forward to updates on them.

Anonymous said...

What a story! You are right about the bunnymother: not a great place to make a nest.

Kind of Hetty to send you this picture.

Anonymous said...

wow! i love bunnies. this is a great story.
how do i get your patterns? would love to have ashes, smokin hot sox, and the cherry shawl
thansk, latifa

T-Mom said...

Cool! Last year I had a nest of baby bunnies in the raised bed along the driveway--right along the fence of the dog pen, right beside the gate. Taenzer was so focused on her ball she never noticed, but Timber zeroed right in; I'd never have seen it if he hadn't wanted to poke his nose in there. Mommy bunnies aren't so bright about where they put their nests, are they? I was sure they'd been drowned out at least once, but they all survived and ventured outinto the world. It's exciting to watch them grow up, isn't it?

hakucho said...

The poor little bunnies, but my goodness they sure are resilient :)
I had a cat growing up that would bring us baby bunnies a gifts...right inside the house....

Cloudberry said...

It must be fun to be able to watch the bunnies grow from day to day!

Have a great weekend!

Violiknit said...

Oh, what a great story! I also think the mom bunny was crazy to make the nest in such a spot. Oh, well. Great photo of the knitting group learning toe-up with your Smoking Hot Socks pattern!

Anonymous said...

That's good that the dogs didn't hurt the bunnies. They're looking cute. Has the Mom been coming back to take care of them then?

Mr Puffy's Knitting Blog: said...

What a precious story.

Alex (our GS) once caught a bunny and when it squeeled he was so shocked he opened his mouth and out it hopped.

Love the picture of the ladies knitting your sock pattern - very cool!

Firefly Nights said...

I'm so glad you were able to save the little bunnies. Our Roscoe fancies himself a mighty hunter and we didn't know it but there was a bunny nest under the bush by our front door. Roscoe apparently snacked on them for a couple of days before we found out about it, and by then it was too late. Can't understand why the dumb bunny made its nest right next to the porch where two Jack Russells come bounding out of the house.