Soccer Dad

Peter rabbit redux

I was minding my own business, barbecuing dinner when I noticed a rabbit approaching the garden. (In abode d'Soccer Dad, a garden consists of 2 tomato plants and one zucchini plant.)

With the meat cooking, I turned to the rabbit, fork in hand and he ran away. Do you think he recalled the famous words of Mrs. Rabbit to Peter (pdf),

"NOW, my dears," said old Mrs. Rabbit one morning, "you may go into the fields or down the lane, but don't go into Mr. McGregor's garden: your Father had an accident there; he was put in a pie by Mrs. McGregor."

It wasn't like I was going to put him into a pie. Or even barbecue him. Rabbits aren't kosher. Still I suspect that when an herbivore confronts a carnivore with food preparation gear, it must be very intimidating.

It's not that I don't have quarrels with rabbits and squirrels. We actually grew several tomatoes. But most of them appeared to have been carried off by adorable little rodents so I brought the last remaining one in to ripen even though it was (and remains) bright green.

We had more success with zucchinis. Except at the beginning we noticed several of the blooms on the ground. Apparently other rodents were nipping the zucchinis in the bud.

(Have you ever seen zucchini flowers. They are quite beautiful.)

But then tonight I opened the front door and noticed a small creature dart accross the porch. I checked where I saw it go and, there it was, this tiny adorable little bunny. I botched a picture of the bunny on the porch, but caught a picture of him in a copse of grass.

As much as I'm annoyed that bandits that have been stealing our vegetables, I really wished this baby well. I really hope that he avoids the fox that's been seen in the neighborhood.

Technorati tags: Rabbits, Zucchini, photography.