Run Rabbit, Run

Another regular visitor to the garden is the rabbit (and probably a lot more than just one.) We have had an ongoing battle, the rabbit and I, over just what it’s allowed to eat in the garden. There have been times when it has overstepped the mark and eaten my prized lily shoots and other tender morsels that have been lovingly coaxed into growing in the flower beds, at which time it has been given its marching orders in no uncertain terms. But, by and large, we have come to an understanding. The rabbit can eat all the weeds and bird seed that it can find and I have undertaken not to give it the order of the boot. And so, for the most part, we live in peaceful coexistence.

Whenever I see the rabbits chasing around the garden, I always think of that song, made famous by the entertainers Flanagan and Allen, Run Rabbit, Run. It’s one of those tunes that, once you get it in your head, you can’t get rid of it, much like the rabbits.

On the farm, ev’ry Friday
On the farm, it’s rabbit pie day
So ev’ry Friday that ever comes along
I get up early and sing this little song.

Run rabbit, run rabbit, run, run, run.
Run rabbit, run rabbit, run, run, run.
Bang, bang, bang, bang goes the farmer’s gun.
Run rabbit, run rabbit, run, run, run.

Run rabbit, run rabbit, run, run, run.
Don’t give the farmer his fun, fun, fun.
He’ll get by without his rabbit pie
So run rabbit, run rabbit, run, run, run.

Many years ago, when I was just a young child, we would visit my grandparents who managed a working men’s club down in Kent. Every once in a while, one of the local farmers would bring in a pheasant or rabbit for the family’s table. My grandmother, despite being a Londoner born and bred, was quite a dab hand at plucking a bird or skinning a rabbit, and in those days I watched the process with child-like curiosity. We never saw many rabbits in Tottenham so I hadn’t yet formed any attachment to them. Nowadays, the idea of relieving the bunny of its outer garments would be unthinkable. Unless, of course, it decides to eat those lilies.

Winding Down

Things are winding down now in our garden and this is when most of the hard work begins. There are still a few flowers about, although most of the plants and shrubs have been trimmed, thinned or eliminated altogether depending on how well they’ve done this year.

The rabbits have stuffed themselves to bursting point on whatever they could get hold of, including the bird seed and my best lilies.

The birds are on the move and making their way south so we are seeing some different species from the usual sparrows.  This one showed up last week. It was fairly small with a distinctive yellow rump. Not sure what it is so if anyone has any ideas I’d be happy to hear from you.

The cosmos and marigold flowers are particularly colorful right now and are attracting the last few butterflies. There are still a lot of bees buzzing about too, which leads me to an ideal opportunity to give my grandson’s podcast God of Honeybees a plug. The latest episode is about the study of consciousness. Interesting stuff so I hope you’ll give it a listen.

Weekly Photo Challenge – Ooh, Shiny!

Did I ever tell you the story about this rabbit that I knew?  Well there was this rabbit and one day he decided that he was going to………….oh look, isn’t that a heron over there!

Beautiful birds!  It reminds me of the time I saw one when I was staying in……………Oh for goodness sake? What a racket! You can’t hear yourself think!  Here’s another plane coming in for a landing!

Anyway, what was I saying?  Oh yes, about that rabbit……………..look at those butterflies.  I’ll just see if I can get a picture now the breeze has dropped.

So this rabbit………….watch out! Don’t step on that frog. Wow! That was a close thing!

Now where was I? Oh yes. The rabbit decides that he’s going to…………….I thought I could hear a church bell ringing!  Yes, over there.

Perhaps we could just go in and have a look…………..no, wait a minute. Let’s see those horses in the field over there.

So, getting back to the story about this rabbit…………….I wonder what these flowers are called.

Well, this rabbit takes a chance and hops across……………….ooh, shiny!

It doesn’t take much to distract me.  For more on the Weekly Photo Challenge at The Daily Post go to Ooh, Shiny!

April Showers Bring………

………more showers but also May flowers.  Despite moaning about the miserable weather we’ve experienced so far this spring in the Chicago area, I have to admit that our garden has never looked so lush and vibrant.  Many of the plants that I thought might not do as well this year, for one reason or another, have really pulled out all the stops, especially the iris.

The peonies never disappoint and somehow the frequent downpours of rain only seem to make them smell all the sweeter.

 

In fact, everything in the garden is thriving, from tulips to allium and the Japanese anemone.  A feast for all the senses and a promise of things to come in the summer.

And always lurking in the background, my arch nemesis, the rabbit, looking the picture of innocence.  One false move, rabbit, and you’re for the high jump!

Consolation

Because of ongoing health problems I missed seeing some of my most favorite things this spring including the daffodils at Morton Arboretum, tulips at Cantigny, spring blossoms at the Chicago Botanic Gardens and the lilacs in Lombard. However, the flowers in our garden provided some consolation. They seem to manage pretty well without too much help from me and hopefully I can get out there before the weeds take over. We’ve had a lot of rain recently and when the sun finally did put in an appearance I managed to get a few shots of some familiar faces.

A colorful display of tulips and some mud-spattered daffodils as well as a few  other springtime flowers helped to brighten the day.

 

A white-crowned sparrow and my arch-nemesis the rabbit also paid us a visit.

Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge – Eyes

The topic for Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge this week is Eyes so, without further ado, here are a few examples of eyes that looked out at me from my photo files.

These eyes may look sleepy, but they don’t miss a thing; a lion at Brookfield Zoo.

Ooooh bunny! What big eyes you’ve got! All the better to find the tastiest snacks available in the garden, my dear.

An emu, giving me the eye at the Indianapolis Zoo.

The very prominent eyes of a frog basking in the sun at the Arboretum in Dubuque, Iowa.

An anxious moment as granddaughter applies a little makeup around the eyes.

For more on Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge go to https://ceenphotography.com/2016/09/13/cees-fun-foto-challenge-eyes/

Back to Life

Despite a gloomy start to Spring, the weather has improved considerably this past week, and things are finally coming back to life in the garden.  In fact, life has moved at such a pace recently that the daffodils came and went before we had time to really appreciate them. The tulips, however, are just starting to show what they can do.

I spotted my arch-nemesis, the rabbit, outside the kitchen window the other day.  He was evidently working on the assumption that if he couldn’t see me, I couldn’t see him. Not so, my furry friend!  I’ve got my eye on you!  (note to self; get out there and spray coyote widdle on the lilies.)

At least the azalea and tulipa tarda seem to be safe from this marauding muncher. Lilies appear to be his favorite snack which is why they get my special attention at this time of year.

In all the years that we’ve lived here, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a chipmunk in our garden. Plenty of other things have paid us a visit; ground squirrels, raccoons, skunks, possums, squirrels and rabbits to name but a few, but never a chipmunk, until now.  He may just be passing through, so I made sure to get quite a few shots of him for the picture files.

Ducks have always been regular diners here and they showed up the other day to see what was on offer. They polished off all the bird seed that was on the ground and a few crusts of bread then waddled away to see what the neighbors were serving.