Baby bunny freezes beneath apple tree.
Last night my mom called from the patio: “Kathy! The baby bunnies are playing in the apple orchard! Why don’t you try to take a picture?”
I (inwardly) rolled my eyes and thought, “Yeah, right. Sure I could get a picture of a baby bunny. Sure.”
“OK, Mom!” I called from the bedroom, “will get my shoes on and head right out.”
Photographer is two inches away from baby bunny.
I walked out to the orchard. Yep, there were two baby bunnies. Ohmygoodness, aren’t they cute? I walked toward them. One took off running helter-skelter under a pine tree.
The other bunny froze.
Sat absolutely still.
Ohmygoodness! I walked toward the bunny. It did not move. Walked closer. No movement. It remained frozen in place.
Until I was two inches from the baby rabbit. No kidding.
Mama rabbit gives us the Eye.
The baby bunny was maybe three to four inches long. Maybe a week old. Who knows how old a baby rabbit might be? It let me photograph it from several angles without even blinking its eye. Until, finally, away it scampered!
I stopped holding my breath. It was a miracle indeed. A baby bunny had allowed me to come within two inches. This was as good–or better–than a curled up baby fawn.
Pile of baseball gloves over by the school
I wondered about petting the bunny but opted against it. What if its mama rejected it? Haven’t you heard rumors of animal rejections after touching a wild animal? Better to leave it wild and free and untainted by human scent. To tame an impulse to touch. I touched the baby rabbit in my heart: that was good enough.
OK, let’s move on to this morning. My friend, Pattijo, and I had a breakfast date at 9 a.m. I’ve known PJ since 4th grade (if not sooner). I opted to walk to her house this morning, maybe a mile away. Passed by the Yale Schools. Don’t you love the picture of all those baseball gloves lying in a pile? The Yale school kids have only three more half days before summer vacation.
My friend Pattijo's sweet dogs
Pattijo and I drank coffee first. Then ate Kashi cereal with raspberries and blueberries. We talked non-stop for two hours. Caught up on our lives. Aren’t her dogs cute? They are about five years old. One is named Daisy and the other is named….oh dear. I’ve forgotten. But they are both sweet and adorable and licky.
My friend Pattijo
Pattijo pointed out a path through their back field where I might walk home. Upon arrival back at the house, Mom and I decided to return to Port Huron to shop and eat lunch. We stopped at the Port Huron mall once again. I looked at the merry-go-round at the center of the Food Court and decided a photograph was a Must.
Mom took off shopping and I stood entranced at the merry-go-round snapping photos of the bright and cheerful horses. Don’t they remind you of magic somehow? Of magic possibility?
And soon the merry-go-round took off, singing itself round and round, faster and faster, with small children clinging to the horses, enthralled.
Merry-go-round at the mall in Port Huron
The merry-go-round began to spin. I wildly snapped photos when suddenly a stern-faced operator barked at me.
“Hey! You! Do you have someone on the merry-go-round?”
“Um, no,” I replied, I’m just…taking…pictures.”
“You’re not allowed!” she frowned. “Stop! You can’t take any pictures!”
Merry-go-round horse up close...just before I got in trouble.
I walked over to her.
“Oh, I’m sorry,” I said, “I was just taking pictures of the merry-go-round. I took a few pictures before it started moving. I’ll come back later.”
She then smiled, appeased.
“That’s OK, sweetheart,” she said. “We just can’t have people taking pictures of the kids.”
“That’s fine,” I replied. “I’ll come back later.”
Of course, I didn’t come back. The lady was just protecting the kids–that’s understandable. She didn’t understand that I wanted to see how the merry-go-round would look at 400 ISO versus 3200 ISO. She just wanted the kids to be unmolested.
And having had kids, and wanted to protect them from strangers, I do understand.
Bunnies and kids. We have to protect the little ones, don’t we?
Yes, it’s best not to touch the little ones – but bunnies don’t care if you take pics (Lucinda confirms this…). Sometimes, when I’m taking pics of my Grandchildren in public places, other kids want in on the photo shoot. There was an era when this would have been OK – however, not in this day and age.
Oh, my, Kathy….such memories of Dad and Mother putting me on the
merr-go-round at an amusement park close by…….again and again…
and yet again.. “Just one more ride, PLEASE!”
Such wonderful warm memories!!!!
Thanks, and thanks again….
Now about the baby rabbits…..When I was a teenager I babysat for
a couple of little boys who would chase with snakes, etc…..but they
did find a baby rabbit once, and brought into their home….the rabbit
became litter trained and lived a long long life inside …… Just how
the rabbit survived the two little boys, I am not sure, but it did!!!!
Fountainpen
The bunnies are beyond precious. I’m sure the one who allowed photos felt the transmuted “petting.” PJ and her pups look so fun! I love merry-go-rounds – still fun to ride. Oddly, though, the horses’ faces have always given me the willies. Something garish and sinister about them … hmmm – captured well in your last shot, I might add. LOL …. Great work, as usual!
Yes bunnies and kids… we do have to protect the little ones Kathy. I have been reading about your visit even though I have missed a few days commenting. Outstanding bunny photo – way to go Kathy!
Miss Kenzie just viewed these pictures with me…..”Awwww, baby bunnies!” were her exact words. Thanx!
Kathy, the bunnies are PERFECT!! It is hard, isn’t it….not to touch. This instinct is so strong. I almost have to tie my hands behind my back at times! I love the image of you “touching in your heart”…will try to remember this. G’day to you.
Wow, Kathy! I had an experience with baby bunnies this spring too! They were one of my very first blog posts: http://karmardav.wordpress.com/2010/04/08/baby-bunny-watch-week-1/
They are so cute. The dogs are adorable too!
Oh Kathy
Just when i think you have topped your self with pictures and a story your creative juices go even higher!
The bunnies are great, I love the pink ears. They just wanted to make themselves known and you were there at the right time.
I adore the excitement that you portray with your mom too,
Keep on travelin….
Kim
It’s that baby thing again – baby anything, nothing can be more adorable. Thank you for sharing the pictures of the bunnies.
But how sad we have to worry about taking pictures of kids that aren’t ours. A bunch of us were talking yesterday about the things we used to do with impunity when we were kids, and how much kids now are missing because they can’t. I don’t think video games can replace a bike ride in the country with a friend.
Love the baby bunny.
Aaaaw, bunnies are inherently cute. This brave bunny was there just for you. Then you showed us your bravery by posting the image of the merry go round even after you were chastised. At least that’s what I was thinking until I read that the guardian of the m.g.r qualified her objection.
How thrilling that the baby bunny allowed you to get so close! I am sorry to say that I have never touched a bunny rabbit before. How sad is that, huh? We didn’t have petting zoos growing up, and by the time they came around, I was too old to climb into the cage with the bunnies, and to play with them. Really sad. 😦
The merry go round incident – sheesh… I would’ve felt soooo embarrassed to be reprimanded like that. Good on you for going over to her and explaining what you were doing.
Like you, I would’ve only been interested in seeing what kinds of shots I could take, and what would happen if I changed a setting, and whether it was better to use a flash, or or whether I needed to adjust the white balance, or whatever. It’s really a pity that we have to be sooo careful with our cameras nowadays.
Kids and animals are just such a joy to photograph (if you’re allowed to, that is!), because they’re right here, present in the moment, not worrying about later or fretting about what happened earlier.
It didn’t use to be such a scary and threatening world, did it, Kathy?
Kathy – Your bunny photos bowled me over; fantastic! And I love the merry-go-round photos too — especially the close up one of the horse’s face. You can just SEE she knew you were about to get in trouble — look at the alarm in her eyes. And her mouth is open. Perhaps she was about to tell you something …
Perfect little baby rabbit! Aren’t you glad you listened to your mother???
Baseball gloves and merry-go-found horse are fantastic, also. You are becoming a very visual person and will have to adjust your self-image accordingly!
Yeah….what p.j. said! 🙂
Kathy,
Wonderful photographs of baby bunny! How sweet!
PJ’s puppy’s are sweet too.
I love the journey you take us on, following you through your day, with words and picture, it is like being there or at least pages in your journal.
Yes there is there can become a big situation with Photographing children, and I know from my experience from photographing in the mall, that the mall is private property. I was good the attendant was on her toes.
The photograph of the pile of baseball gloves is inspired… It proves to me that you a photographer… every sight is a subject!
I am Love, Jeff
I agree, the bunnies are cute, the merry-go-round is beautiful, but the glove picture is inspired!
I’ve handled baby bunnies with leather gloves, not so much not to leave a scent but to avoid getting bitten. They’d often jump out of their nest in the rosebushes when I’d be mowing the grass nearby. So cute.
It troubles me that such a sweet creature is at the bottom of the food chain.
Dear friends, thank you, thank you, thank you for all the wonderful comments! Just got back home an hour ago…half-way unpacked. Had to see what’s new on the computer! You all enrich my life so much. You don’t know how much. OK, you will know how much soon.
Precious little bunny! Amazing pictures! Glad you listened to your mom!
Moms always know best! (Is that in your quote library?) 🙂