"This is a man with a gun..."(*)

The week after babysitting the bunnies, they were old enough to leave their mamma.  Karren was offering them for free to anyone with a hutch and proper supplies.  Chicken coop ... check.   Rampant weeds, i.e. food ... check.   Irresistible lop-eared baby bunny love ... check.  It was meant to be.

But when Sydney asked if we could adopt one, I hmm'd and hawed ... stewing (mmm!)... over the matter.

One mustn't let on that rabbits can be had for the asking.  Rookie mistake.  Next thing you know, the young childrens will be disappointed because you aren't eager about opening up a Home for Misplaced Snakes.  The wise parent must play their cards just right and make it seem like they are granting the wish only after serious, prolonged deliberation. We're not opening a PetSmart, here.

After an appropriate time delay (approx. three minutes), we told the kids they could adopt one of the bunnies. They all wanted "The Runt" -- which they pronounced, "The Rent."  Also known as Julia.

Although, we don't know Julia's gender.  She could be a Julian.

The kids worked hard to update the chicken coop's interior design. They wanted to make it spiffy for Julia.  Besides painting, they installed a working hammock (an old bird house), baskets, a welcome mat of edible greens, a ramp, cinderblock cubbies to hide in, granite countertops and stainless steel appliances.  Julia(n) would not be wanting for anything in the luxury apartment category.

The coop, that is -- hutch -- is in the back corner of the yard, behind the hot tub gazebo.  What was once an unused and neglected section of the yard, is now visited multiple times a day.   The edible landscaping (i.e. weeds) is receding into the distance as the kids forage for treats for Julia.

The kids check on her in the morning and first thing home from school.  A  kid will jump up after dinner and say, "I'm going to check on Julia."  Then the others will pipe up, "Me, too" and follow.  The house is much more peaceful.

Generally speaking.  Except for this one time, Julia had been with us all of 12 hours when Sydney came running, hysterical, into the house.  "Julia's missing!"

Julia in her hammock before she ate all the greenery ... and executed her escape plan.

  It turns out bunnies possess the same ability of red blood cells:  diapedesis.  It's the fancy way to describe how a RBC can squeeze through a capillary wall.  It was described to me in college as amazing as if a human being squoze under a door (it was a biology class, not English).  Julia looks larger than the spacing of the chicken wire.  But do not be fooled.  Diapedesis, kids.

Hey, Miles! Get back to work!!

Anyway, back to the story.

So we trooped out to investigate, and found Julia calmly munching on grass.


We watched her for awhile, mesmerized, before scooping her up.  Being tame, she was easily fooled.

And that is the end of the story for today.  Stay tuned for more rabbit tales  (or foots. ... hey, ... that stew ...)....

The Foreman.

The mini foreman.

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