The one where the rabbit attacks me

Write about the rabbit. Write about it on your blog.”

I have to admit, it’s always rather nice when one of my children tells me what to write, and how can I resist. Not that they read this space very often. After all, they’ve lived it. They were there. Why would they read it? Still. It’s inspiring when they do insist I include something. Although the rabbit tale will need to wait its turn.

Children home

Our week has been fairly quiet. I’ve had a couple of work deadlines which have meant long hours. The children have been good. They’ve busied themselves and left me to concentrate. I work from home and  I’m used to being on my own, apart from the hound. Couple of times this week, I’ve been so immersed in work that I’ve forgotten they were around.  For a split second, I’ve heard the fridge door open and caught my breath. I know by September, I’ll be used to it and miss the signs of life elsewhere in the house.

Poppy heads

I have set up a couple of book challenges for them, which they have started. We’ve also had a “tidy your room” challenge, which they all managed to complete. The idea is to do up their bedrooms, this holiday. We spent last weekend looking at new furniture for their rooms. Lots of measuring and remeasuring. I think we have a plan now.

We did go down to Wells on the bus today. View is always better on the bus. Uniforms and stationery picked up, as well as books. We’ve had a couple of trips to Bath, in the evenings. Just for the change of scene, if nothing else.

I made time, one evening, to work on my latest craft project. It is nearly complete. Involves old maps and denim. Hopefully, I’ll squeeze in some time, over the weekend, to finish it.

A teen in the 80s

We’ve been watching Stranger Things on Netflix. One advantage to being way behind everyone else’s viewing, is that you can watch the three series back to back.

I’m loving the 80s vibe. It’s like revisiting my teen years, but with rose tinted glasses firmly perched on my nose, this time. Obviously, there were no monsters, like theirs, in the 80s, that I remember. Or girls with superpowers, but the rest seems familiar.

It reminds me of saving my quarters to buy cans of Dr Pepper at the American laundrette. Reading the teen magazines, passed on by our American neighbours, and picking up US fashion tips. I read American books. They were the only English language books available. I had to wait until my later teens for American sit-coms, as we didn’t have a TV for three years.

Looking back it was slightly strange. My teen years were very international, with a capital “I”. (I once went round the Vatican with a school party of French children. That was a confusing day.) I still find myself checking if something is a British thing or not, with Mr TTC. Anyway, for once, I understand the subtle cultural references. It makes a nice change.

In the garden

In the garden, everything is growing fast. We are buying less fresh-produce, as the garden is producing enough. My cucamelons are coming on. They are still tiny, but their markings are definitely water melon.  The unicorn peppers are big. I’m just waiting for them to turn red. The first courgettes are ready to eat, so zucchini fritters are on the menu this weekend. The popcorn has grown tall and I can’t wait to see how the cobs turn out.

Up in the kitchen garden, the sweetcorn is a mixed bag. I grew two types and one is stretching tall, while the other is definitely vertically challenged (no rabbit damage either). I’m more than wondering what is going on with them. The peas and beans, on the other hand, are climbing the poles and producing the goods.

Now comes the part about the rabbit.

This year, regular readers will know, our garden has been invaded by rabbits. They wander around my kitchen garden, going up and down the rows. Round the outside, but as far as I can see, they leave my plants alone. At first, I scared them away. Recently, I’ve spent too much time watching their funny antics. Especially as the new baby rabbits are out and about. They scoot around. Flick in the air, if a bird flutters too near. Generally act like young things, and it is amusing.

Baby rabbit in the gardenThey are cute.

The other evening, I went out to shut up the hen house. For company, I took Hero the hound with me. It was a lovely evening, and I really wasn’t concentrating. Once, I got up to the hen house and realised I was within metres of a baby rabbit, which seemed unaware of me. I stopped still and watched it grooming, totally forgetting that Hero was with me. It took him a split second to pick up on my sudden stop. He figured out where I was looking and masterfully circled around to the other side, to take a look. The classic pincher manoeuvre.

At this point, the baby rabbit picked up that she wasn’t alone anymore, and ducked under the near by fence to safety. Unknown to me, there was another baby between Hero and me. It must have taken one look at this great, big, grey monster and run. Straight into me. In a manoeuvre, that I can only liken to someone sliding over the bonnet of a car, it hit my clog with a thwack and slid over my footwear on its back. Starsky and Hutch or the Dukes of Hazard could not have executed it better. For a wonderful split second, everything went into slow motion and I was looking down, straight into the eyes of a bewildered and slightly panicked, little rabbit. Then it landed on its paws again, bounded away and disappeared under the shed. The attack was over.

I’m glad to confirm, that my clog survived the impact and Hero did not join in the chase.

(Probably didn’t help that I’d just watched an episode of Stranger Things.)

Agapanthus

Last news. My agapanthus has finally opened. Honestly, it’s a good job I didn’t hold my breath. The flower has taken weeks to open. Rivalling the slowest show on Earth, but absolutely worth it.

That is my week. Slow, but with scatterings of the unusual. In honour of the amusement provided by the rabbits this week, I’m choosing “rabbit” as my word of the week. Joining in with the lovely Anne’s Word of the Week linky.

Word of the Week linky

16 comments

  1. I love that you have baby rabbits in your garden. We had a pet rabbit once and we kept it outside in it’s hutch, but it had a really nice grassy run which was fenced to keep him safe from preditors. Then one winter it was snowing really bad and I felt bad for Percy (The rabbit) so I brought him inside and made him a nice ‘bed’ in the bathroom. Unfortunately, when I went in the bathroom the following day, Percy was not entirely happy with my ‘rescue’ plan and attacked me, covering me with scratches when I tried to pick him up to put him back outside. Boy, rabbits claws are sharp!
    Your new craft project sounds really interesting, I’m so intrigued now. And your agapanthus looks beautiful, worth the wait I think. I was looking for something new to watch last night and almost went for Stranger things, but decided on Umbrella Academy instead.
    #wotw

    1. Oh poor Percy. It doesn’t sound like a good experience for either of you. Very happy to have very little contact with these wild rabbits. Nice from a distance. Hope to finish my craft project today. Not heard of Umbrella Academy. I’ll have to look it up.

  2. You say your week was fairly quiet but it sounds like an eventful one to me, reading challenges, rabbit adventures, and bus trips. I always love reading about your week, it sounds like your kitchen garden is thriving this year which is brilliant. Your posts always make me want to try something creative so thank you for the inspiration x

    1. Glad to spread the inspiration. I really haven’t had enough craft time this week. It’s my me-time. Intrigued to see what craft you are going to do.

  3. It is strange having the kids home, all day. I keep forgetting they are here too. lol
    Your latest craft with the maps sound interesting!
    hehehe! What a funny encounter with the rabbit. That did make me chuckle. x

  4. This has given me a good giggle! Poor you and poor rabbit! I’m interested to see what your craft projects turns into. And Stranger things is great isn’t it? I loved comparing room decor, to my childhood bedroom. #MMBC

  5. Hi Cheryl, I love working from home, I find there are far fewer distractions here than in the office and I’m sure I give my boss a headache when I’m there! The cucamelons seem like an interesting fruit to grow. I wonder if they’d do okay here? Our courgettes have long come to an end, August is far too hot for most things. Is the popcorn corn proper corn for popping (if you know what I mean)? I imagined all dry corn kernels popped… The story about the rabbits was very cute and your dog is a good one, even though we kept free-roaming bunnies with the dogs years ago, I wouldn’t trust the ones we have now. Zola is an out and out hunter which is a good thing, she keeps the rat population down outside, but seems to ignore the cute little mice (not) that patrol the floors at night.

    xx

    1. The cucamelons are a new one for me. They do grow outside, but I’ve no idea how they would fair in a hot climate. The popcorn is another first for me. Looks like they need to dry and then you can put the whole cob in the microwave to pop them. I bet Zola thinks she’s off duty and one of the other dogs can deal with it!

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