Sunday, February 13, 2011

My Valentine

What do rabbit breeders buy their wives for Valentine's Day?? BUNNIES, of course!!!
 The quest for these buns has a really long story to them, but it ends really sweetly.

Every person that raises and shows rabbits loves their breed.  When my boys were first starting out, they visited a rabbitry and the sweet lady there was telling us her story about the first time she saw "her" breed of rabbit. "My heart flip flopped just a little bit and I thought they were the most beautiful thing my eyes had ever seen." she told them. Yeah..that about sums it up.

I first ran across English Lops on the internet way before we had ever thought about showing or raising rabbits. My heart flopped and I fell in love.  Played with the idea of owning one SOMEDAY, but they are really rare in our area.  My boys fell harder into breeding and showing, and my husband found "his" breed, and I played with my little Hotot's. But I'd always look around at shows for the Lops I longed for...but never seeing any.  I looked into having them shipped in from out of state, but that costs around $300  and while I REALLY wanted one, I wasn't quite ready to spend that sort of money.(And NEVER would have been!)

So this past year I decided that I WOULD have one and started seriously hunting.  We were at a show in June and one of our judges walked by and he had an amazing tattoo of an English Lop on his calf. We chatted a little bit, mostly about the tattoo.  I sent him a message later on Facebook, asking if he had any for sale.  He replied back and told me that he was sorry, but he had JUST sold out his Lops....=(.....to a breeder in Kansas!!! Wait...WHAT???  So he told me the name and lo and behold they were sold to a lady we know and see at almost every show!!!! 

My very sweet husband called her up, and yes, she had his rabbits, but she wasn't sure what she wanted to get rid of or even what she had because she hadn't really had a chance to go through them yet.  I was bummed, but was hopeful I'd at least be give then chance to get one very soon.

This past week Dan calls from work.
"I'm gonna be gone for a day this weekend"
"Oh really? What for?"
"To go get your dang rabbits"
"What rabbits?"
"The rabbits from M.  She just called and has a breeding pair for you."
"*Insert dramatic intake of breath and intense girly squealing here* OHMYGOSH OHMYGOSH!!"
"I think you might have just ruptured my eardrum."
"Sorry!"

So my superman took off to go pick up MY dream bunnies.  The breeder lives in Abilene, and the buns were given to friends of ours at a show we didn't get to attend, and they brought them to their house in Haysville and kept them overnight for us.  Rabbit friends ROCK!!

And a husband who take a day out of his quiet weekend just to go get buns to make his wife smile rocks even more! ;-)
 The bunner in the picture I've named Murray.  The doe is really upset right now, so I didn't pull her out for a picture. She doesn't have a name YET! (Any ideas??)  The buck is a lovebug, and will lay his head on your shoulder. I'm head over heels in love with them and a 3 year hunt has ended. Flop Flop goes my heart.

7 comments:

Melanie said...

OK. .so those rabbits ARE really cute!! I love, love LOVE the ears!! And I think you should name her Anne. .get it. .Anne. .Murray??? HAHAHAHAHA!! Wait. .am I showing my age?? Do YOU even know who she is?? (Now I feel like Dale. .who is ALWAYS doing that to me. .I don't know any of the songs or singers that he does!!)

Unknown said...

Just found your blog. Didn't know those were going to you. Chelesa was with us this weekend when she brought them home. Glad you like them. Missed you guys this weekend. No Youth Havanas shown.

Tonia said...

Ahhhh he is so sweet!! Congrats on the "dang" rabbits.Lol
You sound like Kara my daughter that has the Dwarf Hotot's when she saw them at the fair. She comes running back to me "Mommma Its those rabbits with the Black around their eyes and they are for SALE!!" This is my kid who Rarely gets excited about anything and she was fairly jumping out of her skin over Cotton her little buck!!lol
We made an observation the other day that most doe rabbits seem to be a little more fiesty and the boys the love bugs??? Our little Holland lop buck is sweet as can be.
Cant wait to see pics of the babies!

Becky said...

Hey Nancy! Glad you found me!! We were really bummed we didn't get to go, but both of us had missed lots of work the past few weeks due to sickness/weather. (Is it spring yet?) I can't believe there were no youth Havanas. =(
I was so happy Chelesa said she'd take them to Haysville for us! I love them, and can't wait to see if I can get anything in the nestbox!!

Becky said...

Yes, Tonia, we think that too!! The bucks are usually just furry balls of mush!!
Where are you all at again? Missouri?

Sara said...

OH Miss Becky, how I wish you could have heard "Cranberry" describe these new bunnies to me today after school. She kept going on and on about their ears. I am going to have to lay down the law though and say that you are not allowed to send any home with her...no matter how hard she pleads!!

Rhonda said...

How awesome for you! That was really nice of your husband! I had to laugh over that phone conversation. :) Enjoy them - that buck is GORGEOUS!