the swiftness: November 2012

Monday, November 05, 2012

a Burial for a Wild Rabbit

All photos above by Otto

It wasn't the first dead wild creature in our backyard. There is a hunter, possibly a well-fed but bored cat, and it caught a rabbit this time. The kids were curious to see so still a rabbit, though Leo quickly covered its head with dirt as the bloody empty eye sockets were pretty disturbing. We buried it in the low spot where it lay.

Juniper was happy to help with a shovel, but when it was time to go, she started to cry. She wanted the bunny to come with us, to not stay under the ground. I led her away, floundering at how to Explain It All, babbling about abstract things. And Juniper being two, continued to cry.

Since I had to put the shovels in the garage before we could go inside, I asked Leo stay with Juniper and to tell her something that would make her happy. Putting his arms around her, Leo said,

"I think that there are more bunnies. A mama and babies, hiding in the woods." Juniper stopped crying at the thought of more bunnies. She looked toward the trees. I suggested we go inside and draw those bunnies so that Juniper could see them.

I tried to draw a rabbit and realized I didn't really know what they look like so gathered up several illustrated books about rabbits. Leo, once again ready where I was not, simply drew her a picture.