Rabbit, rabbit, rabbit...

As is the norm these days, I had no idea what to blip today but had a wee notion to play with my macro lens.  

It was raining, so whatever I photographed had to come indoors to me, so thought I'd check the bluebell patch to see if there were any in bloom.  A quick glance out the window and the bluebells were forgotten when I spotted this little cutie sitting nibbling on the leaves.

I have such a soft spot for rabbits.  

My very first pet was a rabbit who went by the name of Blossom.  My Auntie Maisie chose the name and I didn't really like it but I was only 6 years old and didn't want to upset her by saying so, so the name stayed.  

Blossom turned out to be a rather large and slightly aggressive rabbit who did not like to be petted.  When a friend of my mum's visited from out of town with her son DM who was a couple of years older than me, we were astounded when he spoke to Blossom and she came bounding over to him and pushed her nose through the wire on her hutch to reach his finger ( I had learned not to stick my finger through the mesh!)  He asked for and I gave him permission to take her out of her hutch, and she followed him around the garden. When he sat down with his legs stretched out in front of him, she hopped onto his lap and stayed there, complete putty in his hands, till he stood up to leave over an hour later!

Apparently he cried all the way home in the car at having to leave her and pined all the next week.  Blossom also became quiet and lethargic, not even a dandelion could put the spring back in her step.  

Ten days later, whilst having dinner, my mum asked me if I would be willing to give Blossom to him, and I agreed.  Even at my tender age I could see they were made for each other.

DM and his mum duly returned and Blossom and all her paraphernalia were loaded into her car, Blossom sitting upright on DM's lap, her little nose twitching like crazy as they drove away.  

I cried a little once she was gone, but DM kept his word and I got weekly updates as to how she was getting on (well for a few weeks anyway) including the fact she was wearing a tiny collar and lead and he was talking her for daily walks along the lane by their house.

Blossom lived happily for another 6 years, and when she passed away, DM, now aged 14, was utterly devastated.  

A couple of years after Blossom, I got another rabbit.  A little white fluff-ball with pink ears.  I called her Pinky after the Fonz's girlfriend Pinky Tuscadero in Happy Days :-))  She was a real sweetie and exactly the kind of rabbit I wanted.  Loved to be petted, hopped around the house and the garden quite happily, and came back when called.  

I have a particularly fond memory of sitting on a blanket in the back garden one summer's afternoon, having a picnic and Pinky hopping around me then jumping in and stealing a jaffa cake!  Thereafter a jaffa cake became her weekly treat.

I know I had her for at least two years as there's a photograph of Agnes and I with her in my back garden circa 1978, but the strange thing is, I can't remember what happened to her.  I have racked my brain for the last hour and I have absolutely no recollection of how our time together ended!  That's weird as I generally have a good memory of the past.  

I am hoping she died of natural causes and my memory blank isn't due to some trauma of seeing her stolen by foxes!  Sadly, unless I have a lightbulb moment I have no hope of finding out, as anyone able to tell me is no longer with us.

Isn't it funny how the brief sighting of this little bunny has led me to spend a lovely afternoon remembering people, places and incidents long forgotten?

More pics of her / him in extras  :-))