Bunny Blog

New mittens

2012-02-14T15:44:00.000-08:00

What winter (such that it is) would be complete if I didn't knit a pair of black English Angora mittens? Love, love, love the color black in angora. Never shows the dirt. Fiber donated by Sweet Pea.

I didn't really like how I spun this hank of yarn as I think it was the first one I plied on my majicraft wheel before I realized I had to reverse the tension. It's funny how it doesn't really matter, though, once you knit the yarn.

3 weeks old

2012-02-12T05:55:00.000-08:00

4 hungry buns on a Sunday morning:)

Donny's yarn

2012-02-08T16:37:00.000-08:00

Finally finished spinning Donny's show coat. I spun 325 yards of sport weight/worsted weight from his show coat. The picture doesn't do it justice, it is a buttery off-white. Delicious!

Buns 2 weeks old

2012-02-06T12:03:00.000-08:00

Last Friday the buns opened their eyes. A shot of the four of them exploring their new world.

Rabbit manure

2012-02-03T10:56:00.000-08:00

If there is one thing rabbits are good at it is producing plenty of droppings. I received a request from someone looking to fuel their garden with rabbit droppings for which I was happy to accomodate them. As much as I would like to garden in the summer time my work schedule is way too busy so I was very happy to share. Perhaps I will get to taste the fruits of her labor, looking forward to it!

Garbage bags full of bunny power.

RED baby booties

2012-02-02T16:52:00.000-08:00

Several weeks ago someone requested a pair of red angora baby booties to give to an Asian co-worker expecting a baby. Red symbolizes good luck in China. I sent the first pair which the buyer was happy with but he wanted to know if I could step it up a notch and make RED baby booties.

These certainly are red. This baby is going to have some lucky feet!

Black Foot

2012-01-30T18:05:00.000-08:00

Sadly, our little chocolate tort bun, Black Foot, didn't make it. He/she was born with 2 black (appearing necrotic) back feet. We were relieved to see them regain normal color, however, it became apparent that he was paralyzed in the rear. Due to a feeding injury unrelated to his situation I had to have him humanely euthanized today.

RIP Black Foot.

A hot, little mess...

2012-01-28T12:11:00.000-08:00

"Oops, I think I drank too much!"

Fat and happy

2012-01-27T05:31:00.000-08:00

5 days old and well fed:)

New Beginnings

2012-01-25T15:45:00.000-08:00

This past Sunday Big Times Delilah gave birth to 5 healthy buns. It is looking like I am starting off the new year with 2 REW's, 2 chocolate torts, and 1 black tort if my eyes don't deceive me. I look forward to watching them grow and develop:)

Poncho

2012-01-24T16:45:00.000-08:00

Big Times Kennel lost a very dear friend yesterday. Poncho was the greeter at the kennel and after a several month battle with kidney failure his body succumbed to the disease. He will be missed by the clients and especially those of us in the office.
He was gifted to us several years ago by a customer in poor health. It took him several months to feel comfortable in the kennel, he often hid under the sink or behind the furnace but eventually he assumed the job of chief dog behavior modifier and people greeter. He learned to accept my hugs and kisses for it was a small price to pay for the copious amounts of food he ate, in his prime he was 19 lbs. I will miss his unique way of cuddling with his head buried in my lap, it made me feel appreciated. I would like to think he liked me best but it was probably my consistent, timely way of opening a can of cat food that appealed to him most.
And lastly, may we never know when it is time to leave the bathroom for Poncho would scratch at the door the second you closed it as if to say, "Hey! What are you doing in my water bowl?"

I'll miss you terribly, Poncho:(

Zelda spins a yarn

2012-01-08T12:29:00.000-08:00

Once upon a time I had long, lovely locks...

But I grew tired of the daily grooming. So here I sit wondering- just what happened to my gorgeous fiber? I don't *think* it's out there.

Ah, HERE it is! 330 yards of the best I have to offer. Be patient, I will make you more...

A nice memorial

2011-12-27T16:03:00.000-08:00

My friend Julie gifted me with this lovely necklace she made to honor the memory of my dog Bill. I was very touched by her thoughtfulness. I am not familiar with the method that she used and am most impressed with the quality.

What a lovely way to remember a wonderful dog. Thank you, Julie...

Fingerless gloves

2011-12-18T16:24:00.000-08:00

It's about that time of year for my hands to freeze, even in the house. I made these fingerless gloves out of some left over hot pink dyed angora. I morphed a couple of patterns (not that it requires much detailing) and looked at some other mitts on the internet and came up with these. Now my hands will be a little less chilly!

Bill 10/17/2001-12/13/2011

2011-12-13T17:50:00.000-08:00

"He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion." - Anonymous

My awesome boy, Bill passed away today. Bill had many health problems over the years but always seemed to overcome them in true Bill fashion. Three years ago he developed a mystery vertebrae problem that slowly led to him being paralyzed in the rear. We made adjustments to our lives and Bill had 3 more quality years of life despite his disability. Perhaps in an effort to spare my own feelings I chose not to euthanize him although I would never suggest this was the path for everyone to take, it takes a lot of commitment to care for a paralyzed dog. Bill was blessed with a sweet temperment and a forgiving nature and for that his sometimes-impatient-mother will always feel blessed to have loved him.

A bunny funny

2011-12-04T10:07:00.000-08:00

Found in the Sunday paper Parade magazine section.

How am I doing?

2011-11-27T09:04:00.000-08:00

The bad news is OSU lost Saturday but the good news is I sat and made a bunch more of these polymer clay EA figurines during the game. Hopefully, each one is better than the last. They can be made into either pins or magnets. I prefer the magnets as I can enjoy them every time I look at the refrigerator.

Why, yes. That is the ever elusive pink tort. I could give you the genetic breakdown on how to get it but I don't want to divulge ALL my secrets;) Middle row is REW's and the browns are either black tort or chocolate tort, you can't really see the noses in this picture.

I was aiming for more grey than silver but it's kind of jazzy, don't you think?

Zelda's new hairdo

2011-11-24T10:09:00.000-08:00

Alas, all good things must come to an end:( It is always with great anxiety that I make the first cut on a show coat. In fact, I will put it off for DAYS as it is hard to say good-bye to something that took months to nurture, but in order to have good spinning fiber you have to know when to say when.

"How do I look? Is this my best side?"

What EA picture of mine would be complete without Morty in it? Sorry kids, broken EA were not approved this year:(

It appears Zelda is looking for the way out.

She will have to settle for window shopping.

Looks like Morty informed her if you sit here long enough the door will magically open. It does for him, anyhow.

An easy-care English Angora

2011-11-15T15:51:00.000-08:00

A girl can dream, can't she? This is a pin of a very low maintenence English Angora that Betty gave me. She acquired it from a fellow rabbit loving person who shall remain a mystery as the name of the person can't be recalled. It measures and inch and a quarter wide by three-fourths and inch high. I think it is absolutely adorable and I may try my hand at dublicating it.

A well traveled rabbit

2011-11-13T16:50:00.000-08:00

Zelda has logged on a few frequent flyer miles in her time. When she was just a wee junior she was invited on a trip to NYC to appear on The Today Show with Betty Chu and director Amy Do of the movie Rabbit Fever. Unfortunately, Japan suffered a devastating earthquake and tsunami that same morning, preempting their appearance. It looks like the rabbits still enjoyed their trip and the finer things NYC had to offer.

Zelda looks to Lilliana for some reassurance. She's bigger, surely SHE knows what to do!

Amy Do and her traveling companion getting in a little rabbit time.

Looks like Zelda picked her spot. Good night, everybody!

Chu's Zelda

2011-11-07T17:12:00.000-08:00

Meet Zelda. She is the daughter of Big Times Jamey born in my rabbitry who went out to California to live with my friend Betty so he could make more black rabbits. Black is my favorite natural color of angora as it requires no dying so I was thrilled to be getting a black rabbit in return.

8 weeks old.

Just turning senior.

Working show girl persuing her career in California.

A lovely lady contemplating her future in Ohio:)

Convention 2011

2011-10-31T05:37:00.000-07:00

Every year there is a rabbit convention somewhere in the United States where thousands of rabbits converge to compete in the ultimate rabbit show. Usually I do not attend as it requires 5 days in which your rabbits must remain cooped, I find it hard to stay in one place that long! The people that do it year after year are true rabbit warriors so my hat is off to them for getting there by whatever means necessary. Fortunately, this year it was in Indianapolis, Indiana which was a short 2 and a half hours away from home so I entered Donny and made plans to meet up with my friend Betty. Betty flies in from California with all her rabbits so that is no easy task.

Wow! What a rabbit. This is Betty and a Lilianna.

Donny checking out his temporary home. I could not get him to sit still as he investigated all the new smells.

A backside view of the judging area. The place was just filled with people.

Judge Cliff going over the white rabbits. Lots of fiber on that table!

There were so many beautiful rabbits, it was nice to walk up and down the isle and see all the competition. The spinner in me envisions lots of hanks of yarn!

More angora baby booties

2011-10-26T11:45:00.000-07:00

I just finished these oh-so-tiny angora baby booties, I can't imagine feet tiny enough to fit in them! I think they will go nicely with the matinee coat.

Portsmouth RBA show

2011-10-22T17:32:00.000-07:00

John and I spent a great day attending the Portmouth RBA show in Piketon, Ohio. I couldn't believe how packed it was considering this is the week before the convention. Aside from the thick fog on the way to the show, it really was a perfect fall day for the buns to be out. The show crew ran a great show and seemed to keep all the judges busy all day long. Job well done!
We did not leave the show disappointed as Marie acquired her elusive third leg. It can be hard in a rarer breed like English Angoras since there isn't much competition out there. Donny also did well with 2 best opposite sex of breed awards.
Side note, I think my camera died:( I used John's which I also think needs to be put to rest, perhaps there is a camera shopping trip in the near future.

If you get to the show REEELLY early, this is what you will see.

A blur of Donny and Marie after going best of breed and best opposite sex of breed with judge Jacinta.

Judge Joe checking out Donny.

Judge Joe checking out Marie.

Donny guarding his and Marie's trophies of the day. Very nice awards, Portmouth RBA!

Matinee Coat

2011-10-20T14:24:00.000-07:00

A finished project! I have been working on this baby sweater for way longer than I want to admit but I can finally consider it a finished project. This adorable little sweater is from a Debbie Bliss baby pattern book called a matinee coat made out of baby cashmerino. I have knitted it for a friend due in December. I can't wait to see the baby in it!

This is the photo found in the knitting pattern book by Debbie Bliss, "Baby Cashmerino."

Donny and Marie all grown up

2011-10-16T12:57:00.000-07:00

4 shows in one day!

2011-10-02T16:53:00.000-07:00

This past Saturday we had the opportunity to attend a quadruple show in Marietta, Ohio. How can you pass up such an opportunity even if it is 3 and a half hours away? John and I left the night before and spent the night at the Magnusen Inn where we were enthusiastically greeted by a gang of cats. Too bad I didn't get a picture of it but apparently the cats have trained the hotel guests to feed them and we were no exception. We were strong armed into sharing chicken nuggets and french fries. I could see that this is a frequent occurance as all the cats looked well fed. Now someone needs to work on getting them all spayed and neutered.
The show was well attended with 23 English angoras. I am happy to report that Donny acquired 3 legs, 2 of which were for best of breed. Marie also did quite well taking 2 best of varieties and 1 best opposite sex of breed. She acquired 2 legs towards her grand champion title. Unfortunately, we lost a fifth white rabbit for the last show otherwise she would have had the elusive third leg.

Marie getting the once over from judge Glenn.

Donny is the rabbit on the left competing with the tort doe for BOB.

Nope, no webbing here.

Judge Stacey gets her turn to check out Donny.

Marie meets Stacey.

Stacey decides she likes Donny best. He wins best of breed and Marie takes best opposite sex of breed in this show.

New Room

2011-09-21T13:28:00.001-07:00

I have finally found the time to take the most recent pictures of the new rabbit room. The dimensions are 14x17, it has 3 windows, two doors, a patio, a heater/AC unit, and 28! plug outlets. I told John I could string Christmas lights in there with all that electrical work. Hopefully I will be moving the rabbits in there in the next couple of weeks after the last finishing touches are completed. It will be quite a transition for the rabbits but I think it will be more comfortable since I can adjust the temperature specifically for them.

The addition is to the right. Looks like we need to repaint the rest of the building!

A view from the back door.

A very convenient patio for cleaning rabbit trays.

Oh boy...

2011-09-15T17:48:00.000-07:00

It's been eons since I have updated my blog. It has been a crazy, busy summer which leaves me little time to do much more than the basics: work, sleep, work, and sleep. The kennel addition is coming along and should be done within the next two weeks. One of the builders broke his leg which resulted in 15 screws to mend the nasty break, therefore, things have been moving at a slower pace. I am glad to report he didn't do it on the job as I would have felt aweful. I will post pictures of the progress once I take more recent ones.

In the meantime, look what I did today! This beauty is a Komondor owned by a long time client. It takes YEARS to shape these dread locks and Jill works very hard at it. This big boy is Reign and he is 7 years old male. He is an AKC champion and it has come time to make life a little more comfortable for him and easier for his owner so Jill asked me if I would do the honor and take off a few inches. I have so dreamed of this moment! I am in total awe of her ability to maintain this hardo but at the same time my itchy dog groomer fingers want to just shave him! Alas, I will have to defer my dream of shaving. It was quite difficult to make the first cut for Jill as you can't go back once you cut. Just like an angora show coat!

Jill and I plannng our course of action.

Yikes! The first cut!

Granted, not my best work but Reign had a hard time standing for long periods of time. We did cut 5 lbs of locks which made both the dog and owner happier.

Building update

2011-08-16T18:02:00.000-07:00

This project is moving along rather quickly. The walls are now up and the roof is in place. Can't wait to fill it up!

Progress...

2011-08-07T10:17:00.000-07:00

Yeah! A slab and a doorway. Now all I need are 3 more walls and a roof.

John and the part-time-lawn-care-kid (DJ for short) drove all the way out to Indiana to pick up these new rabbit cages. What a couple of great guys!

Morty, the foreman, is checking things out.

A meeting of the minds. Bob the builder (no kidding! That's his name) and John look like they are having a serious discussion. Most likely they are talking about the weather;)

Awww..

2011-07-30T13:32:00.000-07:00

What's cuter than a bunny rabbit? A KID with a bunny rabbit!

Ground breaking

2011-07-27T11:21:00.000-07:00

We decided it was time to add a space specifically for the rabbits as we were outgrowing the present room they are housed it. We were fortunate to find a reliable builder in Pro Com Builders of Dayton, Ohio and the work is now underway. This room will be attached to the dog grooming room in our kennel office. Call me a spoiled brat but I don't think I have what it takes to maintain a proper barn atmosphere (read: I HATE the cold, no running water, sweltering heat, flies, frozen crocks, etc. etc.) and in lieu of all those vacations that I never took over the years I get a room with all the amenities a rabbit lady could ask for. It will be an inconvenience for a few short weeks which may include a stoppage in dog grooming (oh darn) but it will be worth it in the end.

My new bathroom! Just kidding, I knew it was going to happen when they dropped this off for the workers. Never been so happy to see a Port-o-potty.

Day one included a jack hammer and a bobcat. Remember Timmy the toad who hangs out in the drainage ditch? Well, he disappeared several weeks ago but was found living in the plastic tube that was dug out (in the middle of the picture.) Sorry Timmy, we have eminent domain:(

Gray catbird

2011-07-01T15:47:00.000-07:00

Ever heard of one of those? Me either but we are pretty sure that this is a nest of them. The lawn care kid was trimming the bushes and accidentally chopped off the branch these guys were resting on. He gingerly put it back in the bush and all was well.

Here is a picture of one of them leaving the nest. John went out to check on them and got an earful from the parents. How very interesting to get a different type of bird!

Groom Expo

2011-06-25T18:00:00.000-07:00

We were so fortunate to have a groom expo in Wilmington, Ohio this weekend which was about 20 minutes from my house. Think kid in a candy store for this dog groomer! Usually, I have to mail order all my supplies which entails a lot of handling and shipping costs so I was quite thrilled with the savings.
John secured a great deal on a new blower, saving us more than $50, who doesn't love a good deal? I got a brand new pair of 10" shears with hot pink finger pads which I am sure will make all the difference in the world on my grooms, I can hardly wait for work on Monday, haha!
And for all you Hello Kitty freaks out there I got a set of 10 Hello Kitty bows for Miss Roxie. She loves them. Sort of.

"Lovely. Just lovely."

What Roxie REALLY thinks of the bow.

"There. I fixed it."

Since this is suppose to be a bunny blog I should ad a bunny picture every now and then. Here is Marie checking out her new blower. She is sure to hate it as much as the last. But it is purple so that has to be worth SOMETHING.

Beautiful girls

2011-06-15T17:15:00.000-07:00

I received some pictures from my friend Betty of two beautiful girls. These are Jamey's daughters.

Baby chocolate.

Baby black.

More recent picture just turning senior.

Chocolate girl again.

Convention hopefuls? You bet! Hopefully, the black will be moving out east permanently after convention;)

Persistent toad

2011-06-12T08:34:00.000-07:00

Every summer we get a couple of toads at the kennel usually spending most of their time in the drainage ditch between the inside and the outside of the kennel runs. This year we have 2 very persistent toads living on either side of the kennel. They invite themselves IN the kennel. Thursday morning I went into the back of the kennel to let the dogs out and there sat one of the toads in the middle of the kennel. Mostly they like to sit on the edge of the doggy doors in the run with the dogs. For some reason the dogs don't acknowledge them but it sure startles me when I open a door and there sits a toad.

Morty goes to the vets

2011-05-24T11:29:00.000-07:00

Morty just found out he was going to get shots.

There is safety in numbers. " Maybe Dr. Joe will give the rabbit my shots."

"This must be some sort of joke, I don't DO rabbits."

"No worries, I'm just along for moral support."

Upper Valley Fiberfestival

2011-05-21T16:55:00.000-07:00

Today John and I went to the Upper Valley Fiberfestival in Troy, Ohio. What fun! Here are some great finds.

Me and my new baby alpaca blanket fleece that I got for a great deal.

Don't you just want to jump right in?

The theme seemed to be 'green' and this product certainly was green. It is silk waste from weaving mills in India. Not sure what I am going to do with it but what a great idea.

This is Paper Alice, John an I were thoroughly fascinated by her 'green' product. She makes paper out of junk mail and fast food bags. Check her out at paperalice.com

This goreous piece of paper was made out of a McDonald's bag, an old envelope, a dandilion, a green clover, and various other recycled materials. Very cool.

Here comes John. He is VERY, VERY excited to be at the fiberfestival. Really, he is:)

"Is it my turn yet?"

2011-05-20T17:00:00.000-07:00

This is a video of me trying to groom the little buck and Morty doing his best to make the moment about him. EVERY turn is Morty's turn, according to him. He likes the bunnies very much but he likes them best when they are in their cages.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0p22PAQk50

The big haircut

2011-05-15T16:28:00.000-07:00

The time had come for Delilah to get her haircut after nearly 15 months of growth. It is always so hard to make that first cut as there is no turning back! You groomed and groomed and grew the coat like a flower, it seems like a tragedy that you have to cut it off.

Fortunately, something beautiful can be made from all that hard work. I have no color in mind just yet to dye this hank of Delilah, I think I will let it sit for a while and decide later.

Not my favorite thing

2011-05-05T16:17:00.000-07:00

John went into his toolshed this afternoon and found this residing in his toolbox.

I am not a fan of mice but she is sort of cute. I can't believe I got as close as I did as I had visions of her jumping out at me! It's simply not true that a mouse is more afraid of me than I am of it.

Here are her 3 little babies. I would say torts for sure.

And here lies Poncho, the NON working office cat. He is aware of the situation as I carried him up to the toolshed to take a look. I am sure he is just thinking on it.

Jamey, full circle

2011-05-01T09:02:00.000-07:00

Remember this little guy?

Well, he moved to California and became a star on the show table earning 46 grand champion legs.

But there comes a time in all angora's lives when they have to be cut down. And if your good, you will get this in the mail:

And if you are REALLY good you take that mountain of fiber and turn it into this:

So far I have 160 yards of prime fiber spun. I think I will get about 140 more yards plus an additional 80 or so from brushings. Betty was careful to save every last bit with a total weight of 7 and 3/4 ounces.

The skein on the right is Jamey, the one on the left is Sweetpea. I couldn't imagine there would be such a difference between the same breed of animal and the same color, but there is. Without saying anything too disparaging about Sweetpea, she is not the quality of animal that Jamey is. However, I have coveted her fiber for the last 7 years as I am partial to black English Angora. Then I got a dose of Jamey... He has such a lovely sheen and a more lively coat which may be in part to him being younger as well. In the grand scheme of things, you would not be able to tell the difference between the two if you were wearing either one. It's just a difference this fiber freak has noticed:)

Baby booties

2011-04-17T15:51:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure when I found the time to make these but I actually finished a project this week. The kennel is over run with spring break dogs so all it seems I do is feed and bathe dogs. But as a friend of mine says, "The busier you are, the more you get done."

Still growing...

2011-03-28T16:07:00.000-07:00

6 weeks old

2011-03-27T15:54:00.000-07:00

Since the weather was so nice I took the buns out for pictures. They are six weeks old today. It looks like the buck is a black tort which compliments his ruby eyed white sister quite nicely.

We're big kids now

2011-03-18T17:45:00.000-07:00

The buns are growing so fast, they will be 5 weeks old Sunday. They try to act like big rabbits now.

A new hank

2011-03-15T15:44:00.000-07:00

I had this hank of 200 yards of angora just waiting for me to be inspired to dye it. Pink came to mind, as it usually does. What can I say, the color makes me happy.

Rupunzel, Rupunzel, let down your hair...

2011-03-10T17:58:00.000-08:00

The backside of Delilah. Just as pretty as the front!

Action!

2011-03-07T17:14:00.000-08:00

The bunnies in action. Check out the shadowy figure in the background at the 1min 47sec mark. I believe he licked his lips!

Happy Birthday!

2011-03-05T08:14:00.000-08:00

It's a little belated as time seems to get away from me but Delilah and Jamey celebrated their 1 year birthday March 1. I was blessed with 2 fantastic rabbits that did not disappoint. Delilah has earned 3 Best in Show, a best 4 class and is still in competitive coat. Jamie is living the high life in California and has gone on to be a model for a sci-fi mystery novel, has earned over 30 show legs, and he, too, is still in competitive coat.

Delilah wins her first Best in Open show.

Delilah wins Best in Specialty show.

Delilah goes on to win another Best in Open show.

Jamie enjoying the life in California.

Jamie selling the novel Midnight Crystal.

16 days old

2011-03-01T17:00:00.000-08:00

Now we have ears to go with our open eyes.

Fuzzy bunny butts!

"Hold on, I got an itch."

13 days old

2011-02-26T13:49:00.000-08:00

"I see," said the little bunny! Both now have their eyes open. If I haven't mentioned it already, this is a blue tort. Not sure of the sexes just yet.

Now we are up to two hand's full. Growing is a tiring business.

I can't ever seem to get a good picture of the REW. He/she moves fast for a little fatty.

I finally got a grip on the little bugger.

10 days old

2011-02-23T15:18:00.001-08:00

2011-02-19T17:01:00.000-08:00

"No pictures, please! I am feeling rather bloated."

Nap time

2011-02-18T17:43:00.000-08:00

Couldn't you just eat 'em up?

Welcome!

2011-02-15T15:52:00.000-08:00

After several months of trying for buns we finally got these two delightful, fat buns born on Valentine's day. Aren't they precious?

I especially like this photo, a nice fat milk belly. My favorite thing:)

Anyone who says rabbits multiply like crazy never tried breeding them. It took 3 pregnant does, 2 failed breedings, and possibly a little fairy dust and you end up with 2. 2 is a good number for me and if one ends up being a buck and the other a doe, than the objective was met.

Long Beach

2011-01-31T15:54:00.000-08:00

Alas, I am not in Long Beach nor did I go. But in light of the upcoming ice storm I thought it would be nice to reminisce about a warmer place. Early in December John was invited to the AKC Agility Invitational as his dog Laura was one of the top agility Bouviers in the country. They took a flight out and thoroughly enjoyed themselves and the weather as all I ever heard when he called home was, "The weather is so nice here!" What a great way to end a great year. John and Laura both deserved it.
They qualified 4 times with one clean run. Here is a video of the clean run:

Awesome action shots, Great Dane Photos.

Best friends:)

A Mystery

2011-01-28T16:15:00.000-08:00

No, not the book but there is a mystery surrounding it. A couple of days ago I received this book in the mail but I didn't order it. Did someone want me to read it? Could the key to my future lie within? OK maybe not that but it IS intriguing and now I am compelled to read it! I am about 40 pages into it, so far so good, and English Angoras make an appearance! Thank you to the very clever and thoughtful person who sent it. I like your style!

What a job!

2011-01-18T16:05:00.000-08:00

If someone told me years ago I would get paid to play with cats for a living I would say, "Are you kidding me?!" We got this sweet little fellow in today and I immediately forgot everything else on my to-do list.

"Are you my new masseuse? There's this spot on the top of my head..."

"No, wait... Try here..."

"Hold on. A little to the left..."

"Ah, that's it. There... I think you got it:)"

A Best in Show

2010-12-31T19:45:00.000-08:00

I know, I know, it's been ages since last we spoke but no news is good news... But this news is even BETTER! Today at the New Year's Eve show held in Wilmington, Ohio Delilah got a best in show. It was such a nice surprise as you always dream about the big win but it seems so elusive most of the time. The show started around noon and ended shortly after 6PM. Those are some great show hours as you get to sleep in and get home at a decent hour. The weather was beyond great at temps near 60 degrees. Geez, someone pinch me- all this sounds too good to be true. Here are some pictures just so you know I wasn't dreaming.

"Hey! Don't forget about me, K?" Delilah waiting to be judged for best 4 class. No room left on the table!

Delilah after getting the once-over by Judge Mike A.

Judge Kevin deciding between the Californian and Delilah for Best in Show.

Delilah sitting pretty waiting for her turn.

Two happy rabbit owners.

Another good reason to go to the show: meeting up with good rabbit friends Annette and Lisa.

First Snow

2010-12-05T05:37:00.000-08:00

It seems we are having a year of weather extremes. First, a very hot summer which was unbearable now extremely cold temperatures that have arrived early this year along with the snow. We got about 2 inches yesterday and thankfully it didn't stick to the driveway. Maybe it was retaining the heat from the 61 degrees we had several days before! I will just be thankful I didn't have to go out and plow. Here are some pictures of Angus and Wesson enjoying the first significant snowfall. At least someone was looking forward to it.

Angus pondering the origins of snowflakes.

Wesson playing with a frozen toy.

Angus can't catch the little red head.

"Wanna make a snowman?"

A blog entry about an article featuring a blog

2010-11-09T10:36:00.000-08:00

Well, that was a mouth full. My friend Betty is at the rabbit convention in Minnesota and this article was written about the experience featured on her blog.

http://www.examiner.com/pets-in-oakland/the-fun-never-ends-2010-blogging-the-87th-arba-convention-review

You've got to love technology, information travels at the speed of light!

Pretty....

2010-11-08T10:32:00.000-08:00

Now that summer is a thing of the past I have more time to play with my fiber. Here are three recent completed hanks. The one on the left is Too Sexy's fiber which almost met an untimely end when Wesson decided to take it outside. I found it a day later full of leaves and rained upon but it was salvageable. The other two hanks have been dyed with commercial dye. I like the natural color fibers like tort and black as dying fiber always makes me anxious. What if I don't like the color after all that time I spent spinning it? These two turned out lovely, though.

A message from Sweet Pea

2010-10-17T10:30:00.000-07:00

"I am NOT cranky. Now get out."

Junk yarn

2010-10-14T09:07:00.000-07:00

Well, not exactly 'junk' yarn but this is an 88 yard hank of seconds I have clipped from Sweatpea, my black English Angora. She is from lesser quality stock than the rest of my herd of rabbits but she produces the most lovely colored fiber. It is a real pain in the butt to maintain on her but the efforts are well worth it after it is spun up. She has always been quite a cranky rabbit so I really have to work for it!

Wool-o-Rama win

2010-10-10T08:49:00.000-07:00

John and I traveled up to Painesville, Ohio for a chance to show angoras FOUR times in one venue. Whew, that sounds exhausting just SAYING it! The weather was great as was the actual set-up. There was plenty of space and a flea market going on right next store for those who had a moment to go check it out. It was well worth the 4 hour drive and if I have anything show-worthy we will do it again next year.
Delilah won 3 best of breeds and went on to win the specialty show
Wool-o-Rama comprised of Jersey Woolie, Fuzzy Lop, Satin Angora, French Angora and English Angora. The 4 hour drive home wasn't too bad considering John got pulled over for speeding, luckily he got off with a warning!

Judge Jacinta going over Delilah for best in specialty show.

Delilah and her big win. A stuffed bunny of her very own and a rather large ceramic oven ware bowl. I've GOT to come up with something to make in it!

We drove up the night before and visit my parents. My mother decided she would like to wear Delilah for a hat!

Mandie in her second coat

2010-10-07T16:55:00.000-07:00

She's still a beauty.

Even Morty thinks so:)

I have a thing for hats....

2010-10-02T14:26:00.000-07:00

lately. I am not a hat wearing person as I seem to have enough hair on my head to do the job but I can't stop knitting hats. I think I have it down to a science and can finish one in a couple of hours if the yarn is thick enough. Here is a group picture of my latest creations.

I also want to include this picture which is a future hat. I could never have enough pink yarn;)

3 Tort Skeins

2010-09-25T15:49:00.000-07:00

I have 3 tort rabbits. Too Sexy is a chocolate tort and Mandie and Bunzilla are black torts. It is interesting to see how the colors appear in these skeins.

Too Sexy's fiber is a buttery yellow on the left. Mandie has a bluish tint to her's and Bunzilla, although a black tort, has his mother Too Sexy's color in his fiber. These are their primary coats and the yardage is from 150 to 180 yards. I like my yarn a little thicker so it is more of a worsted weight.

Best 4 Class!

2010-09-19T10:05:00.000-07:00

We had another great rabbit outing at the Lima Rabbit Breeder's Association show yesterday. Delilah won Best 4 Class in show A. Think runner up to Miss America or the second best rabbit in the building in layman's terms. The show started at 1PM which is an odd time for a rabbit show and finally ended close to 9PM. I feel very good about this win since there was a Dutch rabbit specialty going on so there were some contenders there.

Bob Swartz judging breed in Show A.

Stacy Easton judging breed in show B.

The show secretary recording best 4 class winner.

Judge Kevin Bogan posing with a tired rabbit and a happy rabbit owner:)

Laura has a party invite

2010-09-15T16:23:00.000-07:00

Remember Laura, our Bouvier, who loves the bunnies? Well, she got a party invitation of a life time for her other hobby, Agility. John and I were quite surprised to get a letter in the mail from AKC that looked like this:

John has always strived to achieve this goal but hadn't given it much thought this year. He is quite excited to be recognized for his hard work. Yea John and Laura!

Laura-loo has come a long way from this,

To this!

Philena Doolittle Sampler

2010-09-12T17:08:00.000-07:00

I read in our local newspaper that there would be an open house in an historical house today featuring a 187 year old sampler stitched by a then 14 year old Philena Doolittle. We have lived in Centerville (possibly Washington Township, I haven't quite worked that one out as, these things go in more rural areas) for 13 years and I thought I should learn something about this city. Having done some cross stitch in the past I was curious to see such an old piece of work. Below is the sampler.

This is the article that I read in the paper that peaked my curiosity:

What a great find for Centerville to reclaim a a piece of the past fashioned by such a young girl.

Gold Star Pedigree

2010-09-11T17:55:00.000-07:00

This is what I strive for in my rabbits. A gold star pedigree means that everything in the pedigree is registered and granded. I buy excellent quality rabbits and try to maintain the high standards they came with. This is not an easy thing to do as even with the best laid plans, rabbits do not always cooperate. Congrats to Bunzilla for you are now certifiably AWESOME!

A visitor

2010-09-10T09:41:00.000-07:00

I had an old college friend stop in to visit us yesterday and he was just amazed by the rabbits. He wanted to take a picture with Delilah who looks like she doesn't know quite what to make of him!

Tony is a funny, funny friend and could almost make a rabbit laugh:)

More pictures from Auglaize Co. RBA show

2010-09-07T16:07:00.000-07:00

Judge Kevin going over a static-ee Delilah

Look! I'm the writer. This is almost as anxiety provoking for me as it is to show. Don't want to screw that job up.

Judge Donyelle deciding, deciding, deciding.

Best 6 class winner.

Registrar Richard is tattooing my now BIS winner. Poor guy had to wait until the very end to finish the registration. I hate tattooing, it looks like I want to grab her and run!

BEST IN SHOW!

2010-09-05T15:27:00.000-07:00

Gosh, how I love to say those words! Especially when it pertains to one of my rabbits. John and I went to the Auglaize County RBA show and what a lovely day it was. Besides being perfect weather, the stars, the sun, and the moon were aligned and Delilah hopped away with the big win. We were the last of a handful of breeds to be called to the table which was fine since I was waiting for the raffle winners to be announced. Happy to report John won a candle and a halloween desk ornament although the rubber backed carpet went to another fortunate gambler.

Judge Donyelle judged Best 4 class.

Judge Ron R. judged best 6 class then best in show.

Winning is fun:)

A good read

2010-09-04T12:06:00.000-07:00

Looks like Jamey got his copy of Midnight Crystal in the mail today!

More hats

2010-09-02T12:02:00.000-07:00

Things must be slowing down at work as I have completed 4 (four!) hats in the last couple of weeks. I have a lot of odds and ends left over from other projects in my angora yarn stash and it seems a perfect amount to mix a couple for a hat.

Kool-Aid dyed men's cap.

Lower half is pink lemonade Kool-Aid dyed and top half is natural black angora.

Jamey is a STAR!

2010-08-30T18:47:00.000-07:00

Jamey, the black bun bred by me who now resides in California with Betty, is a STAR! He is one of the heroes in the new book Midnight Crystal by Jayne Castle being released tomorrow. Check out the clip below. He moved to California and became a star, as it should be!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O__wLoX27xY

Happy Birthday, Mom!

2010-08-29T14:10:00.000-07:00

John and I took a trip up to Cleveland to celebrate my mom's 69th birthday. It was a lot of fun to see family that I haven't seen in years. As my mother was recently diagnosed with breast cancer she wanted to go BIG for her party. Parties are exhausting but it was worth the trip.

My mom modeling 2 chemo caps I made for her. I didn't get a very good picture of either one but the light pink is an eyelet pattern. It was a huge hit even with the teenage nieces as they said they wanted one too.

The way they were

2010-08-22T09:57:00.000-07:00

I decided to take some recent pictures of Delilah and thought it would be nice to do a 'then and now' blog entry. Hard to believe they were so tiny! Betty sent me a recent picture of Jamie, he already has enough legs to be a grand champion. I just need one

more for Delilah.

It's been a while...

2010-08-11T16:59:00.000-07:00

It has been a long, hot summer with not much bunny stuff to blog about. We haven't been to a show since June and glad for it as the temps have been mostly in the 90's. You can't do ANYTHING in that kind of heat! I am so over it, fall couldn't get here quick enough. Business at the kennel has been good which is another reason I haven't had any time to blog. I have been trying to avoid the office lady as much as possible as she always has a list of phone calls I need to return. I run from hiding spot to hiding spot but eventually she catches me. Must chat with her about doing less of her job. Haha.
We had another unfortunate passing, our guinea pig Copper died last week:( Copper was going on 7 years old and was a delightful pet to own. She was a rescued guinea pig that had actually been set free outside and recaptured a couple of days later. We enjoyed her noises and antics and will miss her.

I haven't had much time to spin but have managed to cut down some rabbits. Bunzilla is no longer in show coat and is enjoying the short hair do. I will post 'after' pictures of him in a future blog.

On a more recent note, John and I went to the annual boy scout's tent garage sale tonight. They always have a huge turn out and it's fun to go pick through the goods. I came away with a Dave Barry book and this heating pad that I knew a certain cat would like.

Yes, I realize there is a heat advisory today at 90 plus degrees but a cat wants what a cat wants. And for a dollar, how could I deny her? Trouble was very sick a couple of weeks ago and we weren't sure if she was going to make so it was my pleasure to make her happy.

Abby

2010-07-02T18:57:00.000-07:00

7/28/97 to 7/2/10

We were blessed to spend 10 wonderful years with you. You kept us entertained, you were funny and frustrating, and certainly a woman of your own destiny. There will never be another Abby.

2010-06-30T17:46:00.000-07:00

It was a hot one but we made it to the Miami County Rabbit Advisors double show in Piqua this past weekend. June has been an awfully hot and humid month and this day was not kind to the humans or rabbits despite the fact this was an evening show. In show A and show B Big Times Bunzilla took BOB and Big Times Delilah took BOSB. I was surprised there was such a good showing of English Angoras with about 25 present.

Judge Stacy going over Bunzilla.

I like it when we get Stacy as the judge, she comes with her own writer! It's her mom and she keeps things rolling.

Judge Kevin going over Delilah.

Bunzilla getting the once over.

I am happy (and hot) that both my rabbits got 'legs'. Delilah is still a junior and acquired 2 legs so we look forward to the fall for that last senior leg.

Hey There Delilah

2010-06-20T09:51:00.000-07:00

"Hey there Delilah what's it like in New York City

I'm a thousand miles away

But girl tonight you looks so pretty, yes you do

Times Square can't shine as bright as you, I swear it's true."

I love that song by the Plain White T's so much so that I named my most recent white bun after it. I also like to listen to Delilah After Dark which is a radio show of love songs that comes on in the evening. Also featured in this collage is the black buck that went out to California to live with Betty. Betty takes awesome pictures, mine are a work in progress, but she did tip me off to a free photo collage offer at Walgreen's so I took advantage of it and got this lovely 8x10. For FREE!!

Before, during, and after

2010-06-16T17:07:00.000-07:00

The time has come for Mandie to part with her beautiful show coat. It causes me some anxiety to make the first cut since I labor over keeping her groomed for so long. But then I think about what a nice pair of mittens her fiber might make and that inspires me to get the job done.

Shearing the belly. Doesn't everybody have a cat to help them do this? Morty would rather I put the scissors down and pet him.

Yikes! Naked bunny.

Ooooh.. Doesn't it make your mouth water all that angora? There was approximately 4 oz of prime fiber.

Viola! Like magic I have it spun up in this semi worsted weight hank.

Goose update

2010-06-04T17:00:00.000-07:00

After I posted the last post, John spoke to the volunteers at the Brukner Center and they asked him if he would like to come and get the goose and release it back in the area since it may have a mate around here. We scoped out the area and were surprised to see that several of the man made ponds put up fencing and wires to keep geese and ducks out of the ponds. We never noticed that before. How unfriendly:( What's a pond without a goose or duck?

We settled on a lovely natural pond behind a church that welcomes all people and birds. I like their way of thinking.

The goose rehabilitation enclosure.

Brukner Center worker properly subduing the goose by tucking his head under his wing. Worked like a charm.

John and his goose. Didn't he do a good job of tucking the head under the wing?

The goose had no problem finding the water.

Slightly confused goose made friends with the ducks first.

Ahh... This seems right now. He is the third in line. Have a nice life, Goose!!

Brukner Nature Center

2010-06-02T11:44:00.000-07:00

Last week John and I found an injured goose on the side of the road and after many phone calls we finally found a wildlife rehabilitation center that would take him in. Fortunately, with the help of the good people at Brukner Nature Center the goose made it and was released on the grounds. Check them out at http://www.bruknernaturecenter.com/

We decided to go back for a visit this past weekend and see what they had to offer and really enjoyed our visit. They have a collection of wild birds, a fox, and a bobcat that can't be released due to injuries.

This fox was quite rough looking.

The bobcat was my favorite. He did a lot of 'marking' while we were visiting.

We made a donation and became members for the year as this place really serves a good purpose.

A Bird Bath

2010-05-16T11:50:00.000-07:00

John and I bought our backyard bird friends a little gift. We love to bird watch at our feeders so we thought it was only appropriate to offer them a place to bathe. Or let the dogs get a drink of water:)

It has a nifty little water circulator in the center that is powered by 2 D cell batteries so no electrical cords to mess with. No takers just yet, but I'll keep you posted.

I'm movin' on...

2010-05-03T16:10:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was the Ohio State Rabbit Breeders show in Columbus. This was also the show I was meeting someone who was going to take the black bun back to California. Lucky for us the timing worked out great and he hitched a ride with some fuzzy lops to go live with his new mom in San Francisco. Here I am getting all my squeezes in before his departure.

And here he is after a smooth flight. Amazing how well animals travel.

As for the actual show, I wasn't thrilled. It seems they forget about the angora exhibitors and it takes a little prodding from us to get the ball rolling. You kind of feel like a second class citizen. Unfortunately I didn't even get to go check out the alpaca show going on at the same location as I didn't want to miss the call for showing. However, John did and he took this awesome picture of a Suri alpaca. He's so regal!

And a couple more parting shots of the super cute bun:>)

Football

2010-04-24T16:33:00.000-07:00

It can seem like an unendingly long time for football fans from the end of one season until the beginning of the next. This week was especially good for John and I as the NFL draft came and went and then there was the OSU spring football game today in Columbus. I have not been to an OSU football game since the late '80's and John has never been to one, although he knows more about the buckeyes than me. We were both thrilled to be in the stands taking it all in. The weather was great with very little rain and mostly overcast skies despite the possibilities of thunderstorms. We love our buckeyes!!

She blooms

2010-04-17T16:48:00.000-07:00

I just love this time of spring for all the flowering trees. Remember last year's birthday gift that John got me in the form of a crab apple tree? Well, she is even more lovely with age. She is in full bloom. I wish I could say my azalea bush was doing as well but those are so hard to grow.

Kentucky State Rabbit Breeders Association show

2010-04-12T10:52:00.000-07:00

Yesterday John and I took a road trip down to Louisville, KY for the Kentucky SRBA double show. Our efforts were worth it as Mandie took Best of Breed in show A and Bunzilla took Best Oppostie Sex of breed in show A and B. Bunzilla now has enough legs to be a grand champion. I was beginning to get worried as there never seems to be enough bucks entered for a leg but this show did not disappoint with 31 English Angoras entered.

The first photo is of judge Glenn Carr going over Mandie and Bunzilla.

Unfortunately, the drive home got a little slow in parts! LOL

Happy Easter

2010-04-03T18:49:00.000-07:00

The buns and I are hoping everyone has a wonderful Easter. We plan to eat well and enjoy the unseasonably warm weather.

New office worker

2010-03-27T16:07:00.000-07:00

As is customary, we try to make good use of the new buns in the office. Here, the black bun is acquainting himself with the reservation pads.

Pen, check. Cell phone, check. Grooming appointment book, check.

Notice the snarky customer in the top of the picture.

This job is not without it's perils.

His sister skipped orientation. She eats too much and needed to sleep it off.

A show and John's birthday

2010-03-22T08:22:00.000-07:00

John, the rabbits and I spent the day yesterday at a rabbit show. We had awesome weather despite the forcast calling for snow earlier in the week. The 2 hour drive was well worth it as Bunzilla took best of breed over the girls in show A. He is pictured here first just hanging out waiting to be judged for best 4 class. Although he didn't get it, he did get an honorable mention. Not too bad for a 4 month old buck!

This is Mandie looking her finest. She won best of breed in show B and went on to win best 4 class. Yeah, Mandie!!

Here he is! The birthday boy digging into his awesome cake! It's great to celebrate another year of good living. This was the best part of the day:)

Just a visit

2010-03-16T11:00:00.000-07:00

Bunzilla was on his way for a beauty treatment and he stopped off to see his good friend Morty. Got to love friendly cats and curious buns:)

"Wassup, Morty?"

What I WILL eat and what I WON'T eat

2010-03-14T10:48:00.000-07:00

A note from Mandie:

To whom it may concern,

I will not eat carrots, broccoli, or craisins (as noted in the picture.) However, I will eat lots of whole wheat bread, oats, and pellets. Please make a note of that.

Sincerely,

Mandie

So much for a healthy eating lifestyle for this carbohydrate loving former California girl. She's embracing a midwest type of diet.

"What is this in my bowl?"

"You may give these to Bunzilla."

12 days old

2010-03-12T15:33:00.000-08:00

I had hoped today would be the day that the buns opened their eyes but they decided not to. Anyways, Here they are, cute as can be:)