The Qi Papers

They Might Be Dragons

2012-01-22T20:06:00.001-08:00

Dragon card from the year 2000 (watercolor and colored pencil)

For a several years I have done a card or print of the Chinese Zodiac animal representing that particular year. It's been 13 years now, with a few gaps. My very first was a year of the rabbit card. That design can still be had, the original cards having undergone surgery to remove their year and get a strong and artistically enhanced backing. The second year was a Dragon year. I never was very happy with the outcome. Dragons are tricky, partly because they're been done and done and done. Which is not to say there are not some very nice dragons to seen and had, but it's hard not to feel inhibited by everyone else's vision of this mythical and magical beast. It should be noted that there are two sorts of dragons, Western or European, and Asian. Western dragons are usually bad tempered hoarders, grumpy because they've ruined the Feng Shui of their caverns with too much treasure, and gotten a quantity of the stuff stuck between their belly scales. Asian dragons, which are the ones I am concerned with, are good and wonderful, if a bit showy and occasionally full of themselves, but then who can blame them; they've got it going on more than any other creature, probably because they are made of bits and bobs of other creatures. Dragons have the body of snake, scales of a carp, head of camel, mane of the lion, horns of a deer, eyes of a demon or rabbit, paws of a tiger, talons of an eagle, whiskers of a catfish, and the ears of a cow. Twelve years ago I tried very hard to be correct as to the ingredients of the dragon, but it felt contrived. This year, feeling blank and already defeated, I went out into nature to look for a dragon or two. Since the element of this year's dragon is water, the sea beckoned. There is a fine seaside walk at Wilder Ranch State Park. Since there is little or no supervision one can get quite close to the edge of the overlooking cliffs. It seems a very long way down to the water, especially, if, like me, you are afraid of heights. It's not a mental thing at all, being a afraid of heights, it's just plain physical. A feeling grabs you in the tailbone and tells you you are about to die. Although I knew I was not close to falling I felt like I was. I wondered if there was not something about the combination of water and height that might induce a person to jump, an irresistible siren call to the sea. Edging as close to the edge as I dared, much closer than I was comfortable with, I peered out and watched, watched the water, swishing, splashing, pulling back, diving under and leaping up again. I took many photos, hoping for any sort of dragonish breakthrough. My fear never receded, but I was at least not seized by the uncontrollable desire to jump to my death.

Pacific Ocean at Wilder Ranch State Park, Santa Cruz, CA

I returned home, exhilarated by my outdoor near death experience. Because I had a deadline, I hastily got to work and flung ink at paper resulting in some crazy inky dragons. They had some interesting bits, so in the spirit of dragon construction I took a brush stroke here and blob there, pasted, re-drew, cut and pasted again, until something Dragon happened.

Crazy Inky Dragon

Another Crazy Inky Dragon

Water Dragon is unlike my usual work, if placed in a continuum it would seem out of place. Perhaps future art historians will declare it a forgery, or evidence of mental decline. Since I started printing I've wanted to show more paper, I wanted to get looser and simpler, but somehow I couldn't let go of color, of trying to be complex, until now. It is ironic, and therefore perhaps fitting, that the most complex and changeable of the animals, should turn out to be the simplest.

Water Dragon for 2012

If you go looking for a Water Dragon at my ETSY SHOP remember they are all a little different and there are three kinds of paper, so take your time. If your walls are too crowded to add a full sized dragon (his paper size is 13 x 10 inches in most cases), buy some little dragon postcards and send them out to seek their fortunes. If you want to wear a Water Dragon you can do that too by going HERE. To find out more about what the Dragon year may have in store for you, click HERE.

MAY YOUR YEAR OF THE DRAGON

BE TRULY AUSPICIOUS.

It's CrAzY

2012-01-18T07:46:00.000-08:00

CLICK

HERE

to find out more about

SOPA/PIPA

which

goes

too

far

CLICK

HERE

sign

petition

stop

it.

Independent

Artists

Selling

work

on-line

thank

you.

Changes

2012-01-14T14:24:00.001-08:00

I am trying again to make my bunnies happier than they are. Sydney has been chasing Harriet frequently, and pulling her fur, and chasing her away from food. Harriet has been completely good natured about it, but in general she is the bun odd out, except for the occasional grooming session by Tyler; she is alone in a group of three. For months Amelia and Sydney have been the only ones boxing through the fence, Harriet has given up violence for a more spiritual path, it would seem. If Harriet and Amelia could bond there would be less lonely buns about. Three bathtub dates were uneventful and I graduated them to a 4 x 4 pen in computer/gamer den.

Amelia tries to get some attention, maybe she try the other end?

Ah, that's better, they are both requesting grooming, who will be the groomer?

In an effort to create more bonding through safe stress, I pulled both big girls into my lap. They stayed for quite a while, Amelia popping up and out first for a snack. Harriet stayed for many more minutes, a warm pool of soft agouti fur.

Parsley is an excellent dating snack.

Advanced Techniques

2012-01-01T19:25:00.000-08:00

Amelia would like to use this post to demonstrate astral projection using a rock. There has been much conjecture about the rabbits an their rocks. It has become quite evident the uses are multiple. Astral projection using a rock is fairly advanced and should only be attempted in the safety of your own home.

Amelia: First find a rock that wants to be your friend. After asking permission, place your front paws on your rock. Clear your mind and imagine your body is perfectly clear. I like to do alternate nostril breathing, but it's not critically important. Visualize your destination.

Amelia: Once you feel very certain in your mind regarding your destination, once you can almost feel it, taste it, smell it; lean forward until your ears are parallel with the ground. If you have prepared correctly you'll fly through the astral dimension to your destination.

Amelia: You can stay at your original destination or tour around. When you are ready to come home, just touch your back feet to the rock. It's easy and fun, once you get the hang of it.

Shadowy Bunny

2011-12-26T20:16:00.001-08:00

I sent this in to Disapproving Rabbits, but I guess it was not disapproving enough. Readers might need to see it, so here is Tyler looking like, well, looking like this.

Tyler

Hermes Finds a Home

2011-12-18T16:13:00.000-08:00

Early on Hermes proved an interesting

photography subject.

Six months ago I took in a rabbit for Rabbit Haven with the understanding it would only be for a day or two, maybe three. The little half grown Rex had just been neutered and was sore and scared. He had been caught pilfering some one's garden. That was the story, why such a scoundrel would be given over to the Haven with a special towel and a name is odd. His name was Torrie. We re-named him Hermes, his gold ears looked like the wings on Hermes' helmet and his white slender athletic limbs lent him the air of Greek statue.

He began to enjoy being held and tooth purred

soon after being picked up

His first adoption show was a disaster, he cowered in the corner entire time and if someone did pick him up he stiffened up and tried to crawl away over their shoulder. It was clear that socialization was called for. I moved him into the kitchen and picked him up and held him two or three times a day. Often we would watch Hell's Kitchen or Master Chef on my laptop, excellent for desensitization and I picked up cooking tips from time to time. He was consulted often, healthy treats and pets abounded. My son also took to picking Hermes up and sitting with him. He knew his name and his nicknames, Little Guy, The Hermermermers, and if he was in his box house, on hearing his name shot out like a cartoon clock cuckoo.

Hermes enjoyed his time outside

in the Blueberry Bunny Park.

He saw the household through the deaths of my father and then my brother, through memorials and reunions. We considered him family. Whenever he went to adoptions shows something happened that threw him off his game. I took extra measures to keep him happy at shows. I brought him to the show myself, rather than accepting a ride for him with other bunnies, and held him until he was relaxed. I outfitted his pen with his little mat from home. Improvement was evident. Still the right person was not showing up. I learned of a product called Happy Pet from a woman who boarded her rabbit with us. Formulated from flower and gemstone essences it helps animals feel calm and uplifted. I put drops in Hermes' water dish and sprayed him with it. I sprayed his pen at the adoption shows too. He responded well to it and his shows improved more. Still he was dogged by bad luck. Even if he was calm and beautiful, no one wanted a white rabbit or the rabbit next door to him was very showy, so everyone was fixated on that rabbit. One time the rabbit next door, a Dutchie female, jumped into his pen and attacked him; not a good time for him. During the big Aptos rescue those rabbits were given priority and Hermes stayed home. I had bad ideas about keeping him and trying to bond him in with my four, wicked day dreams of an impractical person.

He knew his destiny lay beyond the fence.

Far away in a county called Marin a Dutch female pined, saddened by the death of her mate three months prior. Using her not insignificant powers of persuasion she got her human to drive to the Rabbit Haven adoption show in Santa Cruz, she knew her prince was there. She had heard via the Daily Dutch News that there was a handsome white Rex who wasn't not much of a fighter, but had the golden ears of enumerable rabbit legends. At the show her human brought her boy bun after boy bun, she rejected each one. Couldn't the fool see that these were not the golden eared one? finally there was but one male rabbit left, Hermes. He saw her in all her black and white glory and immediately feel in love. Once the Dutchie was convinced that he was indeed her destiny, she too was happier than happy. Of course, I cried my eyes out, silly impractical heart will miss him, even if the brain says it is better this way.

Pictures and Text

2011-12-12T15:57:00.000-08:00

If real life pictures of a spay procedure are likely to upset you and your family, please go no further than this photo of a big, very big California girl bun in post-op recovery with a Rabbit Haven volunteer. You can read more about the Spay-A-Thon HERE. There is a slide show as part of the article, I took the photos even though the credit says Rabbit Haven, these things happen.

For those of you who will read on here is the story. You will recall that there was a huge rescue in our area, Aptos to be precise, 114 rabbits all of which were not spayed or neutered. Over the course of the days many were in San Jose and Palo Alto, driven over by intrepid and dedicated volunteers. One of our local vets on hearing of the rescue asked what she could do and the Spay-A-Thon was born. Just to be clear there were also neuters being performed but somehow a Neut-A-Thon doesn't have a ring to it at all. Three rabbit vets, Drs. Hawklyn, Stern and Sollenberger along with vet techs volunteered their time and expertise at the Santa Cruz Animal Shelter on 12/4/11, where two of the rooms were turned into a surgery. Rabbit Haven volunteers took care of the rabbits after their operations. Anesthetized rabbits can not be put back in a cage until they are awake enough to hop or they can hurt themselves trying.

Rabbits are anesthetized using a gas and mask, they are also attached to a heart monitor. The gas smells funny to them, but only briefly.

The abdomen is shaved clean and carefully sterilised.

Everything is kept very sterile. The incision for a spay can very tiny, leaving a barely visible scar and lessening pain and healing time.

Bunnies are kept warm and comfortable while they wake up. The females received subQ fluids to help with their recovery. To aid with waking the bunnies need to be stimulated, touched and petted on their ears and face, they need to be more upright than not.

Why do rabbits need to be spayed and neutered? I'm so glad someone asked that question. The answers are multiple. The first answer is that rabbits have an exetremely rapid rate of reproduction. The gestation time is about a month and a female rabbit can get pregnant immediately after giving birth. Sexual maturity and ability to breed occurs between 3 and 8 months. Doing the the multiplication on this problem yields that a female rabbit and her offspring could, theoretically, produce 50,653 rabbits in three years and 69 million in five years and a whopping 64 billion in seven years. In the wild this degree of fecundity makes sense, rabbits being breakfast, lunch and dinner to so many other guests in nature's restaurant, but for the domestic rabbit and it's caregivers it does not. Even if a rabbit is an only rabbit spaying will keep the animal from developing uterine cancer, very common in un-spayed lagomorph females. Neutering a male helps with box training and reduces/eliminates spraying. Although one would think that personality of males would be significantly changed by removing the testes from the hormonal picture, I can attest the Tyler, though not a humper, is very protective of his girl friends and competitive when it comes to other males. He has tried to take on a male rabbit 4 times his size, luckily there was a fence between them.

There are 8 rabbits left from the Aptos rescue that need homes, if you can help please contact the Rabbit Haven. They must be out of the shelter by the 18th or they are in danger of being euthanized.

Pictorial

2011-12-07T19:14:00.001-08:00

Toto's Story

2011-12-01T17:28:00.001-08:00

The Bun Zen Center helped out the Rabbit Haven with community surrender a couple weeks ago; a community surrender is a rabbit that was adopted through the Rabbit Haven and for one reason or another the people could no longer care for the rabbit. Toto, a silky black Angora, was adopted two years ago unfortunately his person got cancer and is currently undergoing chemo for the second time. A friend of Toto's person saw that she could not take care of Toto and took him away, then he realized that he could not take care of him due to the travel requirements of a new job. Toto and his gear was transferred to one night at a nearby Denny's parking lot. It's better to have a neutral meeting ground, past experience shows if regular people know where rabbit people live the rabbit people can receive a whole lot of unwanted rabbits. When I picked up Toto I couldn't see into his carrier, it was very small, all I saw was his black face looking out through the grid. The surrendering human said that he had a few mats. At the Rabbit Haven we literally had to pull the bunny out of the carrier he was so stuffed in and he didn't have a few mats he was a mat. His back was one huge mat about a foot long, eight inches wide and three inches thick, he had a mat under his chin like a giant felt dewlap. His rear end and butt were completely matted over. First we took him into tub to clean the underneath mat and make an opening so his poop would not be trapped in the matting. Amazingly the matting on his stomach was minimal and his genitals were free as well. Clippers where useless, scissors were very slow. I suggested we use an Xacto knife, this was rejected as first but in desperation tentatively tried and it worked the best. With huge mats like this one has to be careful because the skin can get pulled up into the matting. Careful work is required, checking by pinching to be sure that there is no skin in the mat where one intends to cut. I don't recommend using an Xacto as a grooming tool unless you have an extreme situation. Toto was very patient as the mats were coming off, his skin under the mats was sensitive, the mats pull the hair, so I gave him a day to recover between grooming sessions. The second day I got the turtle shell off, it took two or three hours, and there were still some mats, but he could move better and when I put him outside to stretch he hopped, raced and binkied. Angora rabbits, as you may know or have guessed require special maintenance grooming so Toto's new home had to be with groomers. Fate smiled on Toto, Rabbit Haven found just such a family for him and he is settled in his new home. Three cheers for a story that has a happy ending.

This shows the dewlap mat and his back,
you can see his nails were terribly long as well.

His butt mat before washing and trimming, his tail was caught up in the mat.

This was the progress of two people working for three hours the night he arrived.
You can see the thickness of the back mat, AKA the turtle shell, .

After hours of cutting and opening the mats, combing and clipping
he looks like a rabbit!

We finally managed to free his tail.

Toto enjoying a day in the sun at
the Ben Zen Center's Blueberry Bunny Park.

The Rest of the Story

2011-11-23T21:07:00.000-08:00

Rex rabbit, extra soft fur, on yellow towel

in Santa Cruz Animal Shelter

The rabbits in the previous post, True Story, have become the property of Santa Cruz Animal Care and Control, that's good for the rabbits they don't have to go back to the breeder. The rabbits are are currently the Santa Cruz and Watsonville Shelters however the Rabbit Haven is completely responsible for care, feeding, rescue, foster and adoption. The rabbits in the shelters only have until December 17th to get out of the shelters; at this point there are about 75. On the 17th of December the shelters will euthanize any remaining rabbits; Out of the frying pan and into the gas chamber. These rabbits need to get out ASAP. If you can rescue a rescued rabbit by adopting one or two or more, to be kept indoors, you will save a bunny's life. Contact Heather at the Rabbit Haven if you can open your home and heart to one (or more) of these rabbits; 831-600-7479 or director@therabbithaven.org Make the call and get a rabbit the same day !!

Another Rex, love his spots!, he was out in a pen

when I was there and having a really good time.

One of five adorable babies, this one is loving hay.

This guy may be small, but, I have the feeling,

he is big on personality.

A True Story

2011-11-09T19:59:00.000-08:00

Once upon time in a nearby neighborhood, Aptos, in California, there was a man who bred rabbits. At first he didn't have very many rabbits and he took fairly good care of them. He found that it was terribly easy to have more and more rabbits and he could sell them to pet stores as pets and he could sell them to pet stores as snake food. He had lots and lots of rabbits, of course he couldn't keep them in his house, only crazy people do that, so he kept them outside, after all they are animals. One day a nosy, nosy man who just could not mind his own business was doing his job and saw the rabbit breeder's set up. It was Extreme Makeover from an opposite and evil universe. Some rabbits were swimming in 6 inches of water and some had 6 inches of feces piled in their cages. Instead of proper water bottles or cute dishes with Peter Rabbit designs on them to drink from the rabbits had mason jars of water. Yes, you already realize the problem, a rabbit can only drink from the top, once the water level is decreased by a a couple inches they can't reach it. Many were pregnant, wounded, or emaciated. However none needed to by euthanized. The county had been monitoring the breeding facility for years, it was zoned for 65 rabbits, but, oops, there were 114, so it was shut down and the rabbits were taken to two nearby shelters where the good people doing a difficult job did the best they could. The Rabbit Haven, the local rabbit rescue organization, has been helping by bringing in supplies and doing the cleaning, feeding, grooming, nail clipping and general love and attention. None of these rabbits has had a moment of kindness or care in their lives. Rabbit Haven is working hard to get them into foster homes because the shelters will begin to euthanize when they are full, it's just the way it is. The rabbits are also adoptable. Anyone anywhere in the world can help these bunnies with a donation to the Rabbit Haven, click HERE and find the donation link in the article. You can read the Sentinel version of the breeder raid HERE.

Tyler will be donating all the dandelions he cannot eat.

Portrait Session

2011-11-03T08:14:00.000-07:00

I was next door the other day to take some pictures of new arrivals at the Rabbit Haven.

There were 6 babies, a Dutch and Lion Head Mix. They will be truly magical when their manes come in. You can't see in this picture but of the golden babies, one is a Harlequin and two are gold with classic white Dutch markings.

This is the mum, the breeder, yes,the whole family was a breeder rescue intervention operation, cut her mane and she pulled out a lot of her own hair for the nest. She is lovely bun, I can't wait to see her true do.

This is dad, I have never seen such a kinetic rabbit, he was playing with his ball and digging and generally being Mr. Entertainment the whole time. Most of the pictures were way too blurry!!

This is a mini Hotot girl, we are waiting for her to grow, but......This photo will probably not the one used to promote her, there is way too much disapproval. I usually disapprove of toys in pictures and sometimes of the stuffed bunnies (we'll get into that at another time) but the strangeness, cuteness and disapproval going on here convinced me to post it.

Here's another look from Miss Mini Hotot.

Hopefully all these rabbits will find their forever homes soon, you can visit The Rabbit Haven by hopping down THIS RABBIT HOLE.

Costumes

2011-10-30T19:06:00.001-07:00

All the rabbits are working on their costumes, which of course have to be homemade using the materials at hand.

Tyler is thinking of going as a Dead Bunny, definitely very scary.

Harriet thought it would look cool and scary and kinda, I dunno, steampunkish if it looked like she was pierced with a cardboard tube.

Work in progress for that one.

Amelia would like to go as that popular Santa Cruz attraction The Mystery Spot, where gravity seems to defy the laws of physics.

Possibly a little too conceptual....

Sydney and Hermes are still working up some ideas.

Everybun Must Get Stoned

2011-10-25T21:07:00.001-07:00

Do forgive the poor quality of these photos, but at least they do illustrate the point.

Sydney demos another therapeutic placement of the magical healing stones; this balances two sides of the body, the Yin and Yang.

Harriet shows how to gently rest one's dewlap on a stone to cool the upper jiao (upper part of the body in Chinese Med lingo) for better meditation practice, the second lower stone serves to root the treatment in the middle jiao (stomach).

The frog is not technically a stone, but Amelia is very close to her frog and seems to derive something from that proximity.

Also, an interesting aside, that might help other buns. I have been in contact with Basil's human, you remember Basil, the Flemish Giant? anyway she established by trial and error that Basil was allergic to hay (to be more precise the DUST on the hay) and it was manifesting and sometimes runny eye and sometimes slight reddish around his sweet, sweet eyes. She now takes his hay outside and sort tosses it in a colander before feeding and that seems to take care of the problem. How cool is that?

By Request

2011-10-17T20:59:00.001-07:00

We had a request for more Spots, this is what they were doing today.

Sydney had a two rock sort of a day.

Tyler examined the bunny proofing of the ethernet cable.

And, to his great disappointment found it quite sufficient.

Today Around Here

2011-10-14T20:38:00.001-07:00

Sydney is making use of the small stool.

Harriet communes with an effigy.

Let's not forget that it's Tocktober.

The Alien Has Landed

2011-10-11T20:47:00.000-07:00

Amelia and the Bunny Bank

More Little Friends

2011-10-07T13:45:00.001-07:00

We have two new guests at the Bun Zen Center, just until Monday, which is probably about as long as their completely devoted humans can stand to be away from them. The Bunnies are Ruddy and Buddy.

Ruddy foreground, Buddy behind.

Ruddy enjoys the penthouse view, which Buddy prefers a quieter space.

Quiet until the paparazzi arrive.

Ruddy; the helicopter view.

DS saw this cuteness and captured it forever.

Happy weekend.

VBB

2011-10-01T21:55:00.000-07:00

VERY BIG BUNNY

We have a new guest at the Ben Zen Center, Basil (pronounced Bah-Zel, if you please), he is a GIANT Flemish. Such a big and lovely bun, he is too.

Note the noble profile.

He is so special that the bunny sized Tibetan prayer flags jumped out at me in the garage, and so his pen is adorned like no other.

Happy International Rabbit Day

2011-09-25T21:58:00.001-07:00

A rabbit is a world.

Lion Heads

2011-09-23T21:42:00.001-07:00

Jhampa and his sister Seraphina are lion head babies, adoptable through The Rabbit Haven. Categorised as triple lion heads they have side and top mane and a skirt. They are also our neighbors. The pumpkin was grown in the backyard in the "Do Nothing Garden" it is one of 15 Hokkaidos.

Here you can see his skirt growing out.

I took pictures of them less than a week ago and they didn't have their manes, fur grows so fast!

"Excuse me I think this may be my best side"

She will be even more amazing when she grows up, if you can believe it.

Still a little shy.

Harvest

2011-09-14T13:03:00.001-07:00

Despite being pretty much ignored all summer a few things grew to maturity in the Do Nothing Garden.

Tyler examines the onion harvest.

Harriet offers a second opinion.

Arrangement in Blue

2011-09-08T20:51:00.000-07:00

There is always a time just after cleaning when all seems serene and peaceful. Just after this photo was taken I went outside to shake towels and dump litter boxes. On my return I found multiple fur bits in all over Amelia's pen and the bun herself under my desk, obviously freaked. I had opened the side of her pen so she could go outside and closed off access to the outside for the other rabbits. It would appear somebun squeezed under the opened door that served to block the "alley". I have no idea who invaded, but all the fur tufts were white. Either Amelia was the only one who lost fur or it was one of the Spots, if that is the case I'd have to put my money on Sydney, since Tyler had spent a few hours yesterday on Amelia's side with no signs of aggression or irritability. Of course the bottom line is that all buns are OK.

Update: Amelia has a little wound above her left eye.

Fail

2011-09-03T21:13:00.001-07:00

Hermes the foster has been to four adoption shows and met two lady buns and come home from each one having refused to engage or has acted too terrified to move. In my kitchen he is a happy fellow, a snuggle bun, beauteous and sweet....

Labor Day Guests

2011-09-02T19:13:00.000-07:00

Labor Day Weekend will see 9 rabbits at the Bun Zen Center; 4 guests, 1 foster, 4 permanent residents. Our newest guests are Gracie and Ted from Sunnyvale, they took advantage of the the Center's bunportation offer of pick up for $20.

Gracie was happy to find they had been assigned a room with a view.

Just to be on the safe side Ted brought his own facilities.

Bear and Lolita were excited by their new neighbors, they are excited by pretty much anything. Bear came with some antibiotics to finish up. I don't know what they put in them, but he goes nuts. He jumps up for the syringe and grabs it in his teeth and I shoot it bit by bit into his mouth. It's all over in seconds though. The stuff is bright orange and it doesn't say what kind of antibiotic it is on the bottle, but it sure is bunny friendly...

All photos 09/02/2011

Bunny Buttons

2011-08-31T20:23:00.001-07:00

These are my dad's old cardigans repossessed (washed and dried warm to shrink) and reincardiganated with Czech glass rabbit buttons. Sorry the close up of the buttons off the internet is sooooo tiny.....

A Pair

2011-08-26T21:40:00.001-07:00

We have a pair of new guests at the Bun Zen Center; Bear and Lolita, a newly bonded couple.

Lolita

Lolita and Bear

Bear by himself.

Hermes The Foster

2011-08-21T22:35:00.001-07:00

Hermes is having his bed time snuggle,

he is going to make someone a wonderful forever bun.

New Hay

2011-08-19T20:28:00.000-07:00

Our new hay is very light and fluffy, Amelia can bury herself in it to the point where you'd think there wasn't a rabbit there. That doesn't make a very good picture, so here she is emerging.

Spuds and Humphrey

2011-08-14T17:59:00.001-07:00

Spuds and Humphrey have been guests a the Bun Zen Center for the past 10 days. Spuds was found this year wandering the streets of LA. He joined Humphrey who had been rescued in years previous from a group of college students who seemed to be starving him. Higher education doesn't take all at once, I guess. Or maybe it just doesn't make a person kinder. It was hoped that I would be able to bond the boys, they were neutered in order to aid this mission a couple days before they began their time here. Some progress was made, though not as much as hoped, the time being a fractured one for myself. The boys do have a good potential since there was no fighting, given a little time I think they will make a handsome couple indeed!

Spuds

Humphrey

Spuds

Humphrey

Spuds and Humphrey

Humphrey and Spuds

Of Rabbit Lives and Loves

2011-08-09T19:52:00.001-07:00

Hermes, very, very comfortable........

Humphrey and Spuds in a bonding session, did I mention that their human wanted them bonded? OK I did suggest it, it seemed like a natural thing to happen away from home and all. The session went quite well, the DS helped with supervision and petting.

Rare

2011-08-08T21:31:00.000-07:00

It is pretty rare I should think, except in places where there is extreme political unrest, ethnic cleansing or a deadly epidemic that two members of a family would pass within a month or each other. The Grim Reaper has had a field day with the California Molls and on Saturday my eldest older brother Nick died. I adored him beyond words......

Also in the news, Hermes is still with us, having been to two adoption shows he still cowers in the corner. In the kitchen he flops and bops and when I pick him up he tooth purrs....

We have two guests at The Bun Zen Center; Humphrey and Spuds......

Humphrey checks out the facilities.

Spuds makes sure the pen is long enough to properly relax.

I Said...

2011-08-03T20:51:00.001-07:00

I said I couldn't take fosters, I said I wouldn't take fosters, I said this because I know in my heart I would want to keep the foster, now there is a little Rex boy living in the kitchen waiting for his forever home.

This is Hermes.

Oh did I say I've taken out the kitchen table and chairs to make room for him? no, problem, really, I'll just sit on this footstool and use this teeny folding table for my computer.

No, no we don't need a table to eat off of, no, not at all. Rabbits are more important, after all humans survived for millions of years without kitchen tables, they are hardly a necessity for survival.

Apologies for spotty posting, I've been rather distracted and busy with some family matters. See HERE.

One of Our Guests

2011-07-27T22:45:00.001-07:00

One of

our guests

is getting

very, very

fuzzy.

Bun Rockin'

2011-07-23T21:58:00.001-07:00

Sydney and The Rock 7/23/11

Henry and Onyx Part II

2011-07-21T19:49:00.000-07:00

Our guests at the Bun Zen Center will be returning to their home tomorrow. We will miss them, having got used to their sweet excessively cute presences. We refer to them collectively as "The Precisouses"

Henry

Onyx

Henry and Onyx

Henry

Henry and Onyx

7/21/11

Gathering 'Round

2011-07-20T21:56:00.000-07:00

Tyler, Sydney, The Rock 7/20/2011

Typical Really

2011-07-14T22:51:00.001-07:00

Tyler on Bastille Day 2011

Vive la France

Vive la Revolution!!!!

Breakfast

2011-07-13T19:49:00.001-07:00

Lest Henry and Onyx complain too bitterly about being left behind while their peeps were partying out of the country, The Bun Zen Center is trying to keep morale high with tasty salads; Farmer's Market organic greens supplemented with garden produce.

Here is a one of the fancier offerings: radicchio, parsley, cilantro, mint, kale, mallow flower, nasturtium leaf and flower, borage leaf and flower.

Henry picks a Mallow flower.

Henry noms the Mallow flower.

In case you were wondering I do have written permission to use Henry and Onyx's images in this blog.....

Henry and Onyx

2011-07-12T18:17:00.001-07:00

Guests at The Bun Zen Center 7/12/11

Neighbors

2011-07-11T21:32:00.000-07:00

7/11/11

Amelia Today

2011-07-10T19:11:00.001-07:00

Today Amelia went out in the Garden.

Although it may have been a bit bright for a pink eyed rabbit,

she seemed to have a pretty good time.

She is the first of the 4Buns to be allowed into the garden,

and she behaved very well indeed.

No Mess Hay Rack

2011-07-09T20:42:00.000-07:00

OK, not exactly no mess, but certainly minimal. Awhile back I got three of these from our friends at The Rabbit Haven and they do work remarkably well. Hinged on the bottoms the front wire is bent to fit the sides of the box and is velcroed to the back. There are holes cut in the grid for feeding. When un-velcroed the top swings out and forward for easy hay stuffing. Anything that makes cleaning easier and keeps hay from causing GI stasis in my vacuum gets the maximum number of stars.

7/9/11

A Day of Sequential Odd Numbers......

It's A

2011-07-07T19:52:00.000-07:00

It's a sticky situation.

7/7/11

Paparazzi For Hire

2011-07-05T18:54:00.001-07:00

An afternoon surrendered to rabbits.

The Lion Head Diva Girl

is not just

a pretty face.

Also she has a sister

who likes to dance.

Harriet's Turn on the 4th of July

2011-07-04T15:58:00.000-07:00

She may not have a white cottony tail like somebuns, her's is soft gray on the bottom and jet black on top ( top not shown).

She is fast, never been caught by Sydney, who tries every morning before breakfast as a training exercise.

As a dark agouti her fur is incredibly soft, it's like petting a baby chick, don't be fooled she's serious business.....she survived in an urban setting for a minimum of 3 weeks during the rainy season.

I May Look

2011-07-03T19:14:00.000-07:00

7/3/2011

I may look cute and so innocent,

but really all I think about

is SEX

This Chupa, he was surrendered by his family because they were deported back to Taiwan. He is staying with us until his snip-snip on Tuesday, then he will go into foster care. He is convinced I am a member of his species, I am flattered, sort of, but he won't eat my salads! "What's all this dang hippy food? give me my pellets woman!"

Update: last night he ate all his salad, I served it separated on a big plate. I guess he doesn't like his food touching.

Time Lapse

2011-06-29T20:26:00.001-07:00

Tyler 1

Red Clover 0

6/29/2011

In the Alley

2011-06-28T17:26:00.001-07:00

6/28/2011

The alley used to be the No-Go-Zone but it became too much trouble to keep Amelia out of it. She can be so insistent when it comes to her rights. As long as the Buddha is properly positioned to keep the fence in place it the alley is a fine place to hang out, take a nap, chat with friends and box with opponents.

Views

2011-06-27T21:34:00.000-07:00

TOP

FRONT

BACK

IF YOU WERE A BEE....

6/27/2011

My Rock

2011-06-26T21:14:00.001-07:00

Today is June twenty sixth two thousand and eleven

Baby Lion Heads Growing Up

2011-06-24T19:08:00.000-07:00

Today, 6/24/2011, nothing went as planned so when I was asked, for the third time, to take photos of the baby lion heads I said "Now, I'll do it now". You can see them just a few days old HERE. They are still growing, but you can see some different personalities emerging from the primordial cuteness of extreme babyness. I was also asked to come up with some short, unisex names that were not too weird. "Are Tibetan words too weird?" "No, that's not too weird." So I leafed through my Tibetan dictionary and choose some words that wouldn't be too hard to pronounce.....

Mospa-adore

Snobo-blue

Zerbu-clove

Kaba- Coffee

Campa-dance

Kurma-dandelion

Dadpa-faith

Yinmin-truth

Goba-imagine

Norbu-jewel

Bapo-magician

Padma-lotus

Ribon-hare

We'll wait and see which, if any, are used!

This last bunny is a ringer, he's an adopted orphan.

All these bunnies will be adoptable though Rabbit Haven.

Guest

2011-06-23T22:37:00.001-07:00

A Happy Camper 6/23/2011

Night Time is Nice

2011-06-22T22:32:00.000-07:00

Tyler 6/22/11

Red Rover

2011-06-21T21:26:00.000-07:00

Red rover, red rover,

send the red clover over.

In the garden there is quite a quantity of red clover growing, indeed thriving.

The rabbits find it quite delicious, and would eat more than a moderate amount if given the chance.

It's called red clover because it has stunning red blooms, which you can almost see here.

Nom, nom, nom, gone in a thrice.

June 21st, 2011

Summer Solstice

Mid Summer's Night Flop

2011-06-20T21:27:00.001-07:00

Harriet and Tyler 6/20/2011

Important

2011-06-19T21:11:00.000-07:00

Breakfast is an important meal.

Eat your greens.

Nom them well.

Be grateful for what you have.

6/19/2011

Amelia Three Ways

2011-06-18T21:17:00.000-07:00

Amelia

June

Eighteenth

Two Thousand & Eleven

Recharging

2011-06-17T21:50:00.001-07:00

Today 6/17/2011 was going to be Amelia day, but the camera batteries gave out. I did get this one picture. The batteries will be recharged for tomorrow.

Twilight Dinner

2011-06-16T21:45:00.000-07:00

Nothing to do with the rather popular book and everything to do with time and space.

6/16/2011

On this Day

2011-06-15T20:12:00.001-07:00

On this day of June fifteenth two thousand and ELEVEN......

This face loves

apple stix from Potentially Nervous.

This face went to the vet and was told her eye was PERFECTLY HEALED and that she was beautiful.

Today is June 14th 2011

2011-06-14T19:51:00.000-07:00

"Today is June fourteenth

two thousand and eleven

and these are my mittens."

Apologies for missing some posts there has been much driving and crisis dealing and like, but all the bunnies are just fine, so that's OK.

Spots 6/11/11

2011-06-11T08:15:00.001-07:00

SPOTS

SPOTS, THE SET

Night and Day

2011-06-09T09:31:00.001-07:00

Tyler P.M. 6/8/2011

Tyler A.M. 6/9/2011

Together

2011-06-07T21:17:00.000-07:00

Just to catch you up of things, Sydney's eye seems to be healing quite well, we hope there will be no complications or weirdnesses. The sketchbook I did for the Sketchbook Project 2011 has been digitized at the Brooklyn Art Library and you can see it HERE without going to Brooklyn.

6/7/2011 the usual suspects

6/6/11 3 out of 4 by the DS

2011-06-06T23:03:00.000-07:00

top to bottom Amelia, Tyler, Harriet 6/6/2011

Obscured

2011-06-05T22:54:00.001-07:00

Tyler 6/5/2011

Acquisition

2011-06-04T20:22:00.000-07:00

Tibetan hand carved in Jade about 1.75 inches in diameter

from Rykas Beads, an Etsy Shop.

Two Days

2011-06-03T22:18:00.001-07:00

Tyler and Sydney 6/2/2011

Harriet 6/3/2011

Mitta-mitta-mitta-mit

This

2011-06-01T22:16:00.001-07:00

This is a rabbit drinking water charged with a Tibetan Mantra.

And it is also Harriet on the first of June two thousand and eleven.

vibes

2011-05-31T21:44:00.001-07:00

Amelia 05/31/11 thanks to DS.

BunAssistant

2011-05-28T21:48:00.001-07:00

First thanks to everyone for comments, I love getting them and reading them. Although it would appear I am not getting around the blogosphere much these days, actually I'm still visiting, it's just been a bit crazy and, frankly, just going to bunny blogs makes it almost better. This long weekend I'm at a seminar, so my able assistant, the DS, is on rabbit and photo duty. Here's today's pic, Tyler either showing his curves or pantomiming "A Twist of Fate".

05/28/2011

Evolution

2011-05-27T21:05:00.000-07:00

All animals develop and adapt in a variety of ways to continue their particular species. Some animals are fast, some are fierce, some have special housing that keeps them safe. Rabbits are really good at breeding, somewhere back in time the Great Big DNA Rabbit said "If everyone wants to eat us, we'll show them, we will breed so fast that they'll choke if try to eat us all, so ha, ha, ha" or something like that. And so rabbits can produce a new litter every 28 days.

The charming family you see here was born to a mother who was still nursing three week old kits. The father, who had been neutered three weeks before, jumped into the mom's play pen for literally one minute. Female rabbits are "Inspired Ovulators"; all they need is to be around a male and their eggs are ready for action. Lucky for these little bundles of bunniness they will be adopted quickly; handled from birth and cuter than buttons they will make someone wonderful companions for 12 to 15 years.

All photos 05/27/2011

Rabbit Awareness Week

2011-05-26T17:25:00.000-07:00

RAW is a week long educational event put together by the RSPCA in the UK. One of their people sent me a personal Email commending the cuteness of this blog and asking to share their video. See it HERE. Although rabbits are very cute one mustn't forget they are animals and categorically, if you take them to the vet, exotic ones. Certainly their vet bills can be very exotic. Although often thought of in conjunction with children, rabbits and children are a bad mix, unless supervised by a responsible rabbit savvy adult. What follows is a cautionary tale and is not for the faint of heart.

Once upon a time before the 4Buns, when there was just one big grey rabbit, this writer and her son and the rabbit moved to a too small studio in the back yard of a rabbit keeping family. The rabbits were not house rabbits, but they were well kept and got to hop on the lawn on a fine day. The family had two children a boy and a girl. The girl was about 5 and liked rabbits very much. One day a rabbit hopped into the yard. It was caught and lots of signs went up all over the neighborhood. No one claimed the rabbit and it lived for a time in the big house. But they grew a bit tired of an indoor not very box trained rabbit. Feeling responsible for the animal that came across our path I took the stranger in, had her vetted (over $200 with tests) and bonded her, more or less, to my Bandit, who I was concerned might be getting lonely during the day. The girl still wanted to visit Biscuit, for that was the name of the stranger rabbit, and we allowed visitations on the lawn run. One day Biscuit was suddenly a head tilt bunny. A vet visit and antibiotics that didn't seem to help a lot. She got a little better, and a couple months later fully recovered when she had lots of room to roam in a new place.

The story continues. One of the other bunnies at the house with the too small studio developed quite severe head tilt. Investigation revealed that it was from an injury incurred when the little girl let go of the bunny from too great a height and the bunny landed more or less on it's head. I have no doubt this is what happened to Biscuit. The girl didn't know. Maybe she thought bunnies are like cats who really can be released from a ways up (within reason). She was a nice little girl but her parents should have supervised and given good instruction on bunny handling. This sad tale has a sad ending, but your story can have a better one. If you are considering falling down the rabbit hole do some research first, if you decide being a rabbit's slave is still the lifestyle to which you aspire, adopt a rabbit or two from a rescue organization and start each day thinking how you can be a better person by making your rabbit's life the very best it can be.

All photos taken 05/26/2011 and I think you know by now

which bunny is which, or is that whom?

Activities 5/25/2011

2011-05-25T21:22:00.000-07:00

resting

drinking

accusing

Everybody 5/24/11

2011-05-24T22:06:00.000-07:00

Everybody

must get

stoned

Happy Birthday, Bob Dylan

Forward

2011-05-23T19:28:00.001-07:00

Harriet 05/23/2011

Together

2011-05-22T20:34:00.001-07:00

Tyler and Amelia 5/22/11

May twenty first two thousand and eleven

2011-05-21T20:51:00.000-07:00

The Spots at play.

Sydney pretends to be raptured.

The unbearable lightness of bunnies.

5/20/2011 in the morning

2011-05-20T07:00:00.000-07:00

Amelia looks for petting every morning.

Amelia 05/20/2011

5/19/2011 at Night

2011-05-20T06:58:00.000-07:00

Sydney 50/19/2011

towel

2011-05-18T22:08:00.001-07:00

Thanks for all the encouraging words everyone! This morning, 05/18/2011 Amelia did some cute things with a towel.

3:19 P.M. DST

2011-05-17T16:55:00.000-07:00

At 3:19 p.m. today everybun was self installed in a structure and participating brain wave synchronization and harmonization, that is to say napping.

All photos taken on 05/17/2011 at 3:19 p.m. DST

Buns from top to bottom are Amelia, Harriet, Sydney, Tyler.

Watch The Spots

2011-05-16T20:18:00.001-07:00

Watching the Spots watching the light change and fade. It is raining.

They are almost motionless for half an hour, maybe more.

Sydney is the first to break the trance, making a bee, uh, bun line to the hay box.

Tyler stays for many minutes after, his spot perfectly warmed.

All photos 05/16/2011

Twice

2011-05-15T21:57:00.000-07:00

UP CLOSE

Sydney 05/15/2011

AND PERSONAL

Sydney 05/15/2011

Company

2011-05-14T23:16:00.001-07:00

Tyler keeping DS company 05/14/2011

Double Up

2011-05-13T20:50:00.000-07:00

Blogger was unavailable yesterday, I hope no one or bun was harmed by their lack of Bun-A-Day.

When you are a Spot your shadow is your sibling.

Sydney and Tyler 05/13/2011

Harriet enjoys going out on the patio in the evening.

Harriet 05/12/2011

I finished the first 12 prints for the Baren Forum Tsunami Relief Project.

Doing small batches works best for me, eventually I will have 31 reasonably OK ones.

Detail of the print, the Crane cries a bloody tear.

We are finding out that everything is worse than we have been told,

how much worse is still not clear.

The Request

2011-05-11T21:07:00.000-07:00

To make a little more room on my desk for printing I put the bunny bank on the floor. Often a few minutes after I sit down to work Amelia will hop over and bump my ankle with her nose, requesting, please, a petting. My wooly socked ankle is the grey thing in the lower right corner.

Always willing to inspect anything, here Amelia makes sure the papers I have stashed under the desk are in good order.

I'm sure Amelia doesn't recognizes the bunny bank as a bunny,

but perhaps they can become friends anyway.

All photos Amelia 05/11/2011

Spotted

2011-05-10T22:34:00.001-07:00

The Spots 05/10/2011

Monday Bunday

2011-05-09T20:43:00.000-07:00

Tyler models one of the new rugs.

Tyler 05/09/2011

A proof of Tsunami Relief project print. It's not perfect, never will be, there's still little tweaking here and there, but this is the basic color scheme. I'll start editioning soon.

Not a very good photo of the print, but you get the idea.

Happy Mitochondria Day

2011-05-08T21:24:00.000-07:00

Mitochondria the power house of the cell, the organelle without which the cell, the organism, could not function has it's own separate DNA, somewhat like a bacteria AND is inherited from the maternal partner; that is to say from your mom. IQ as well is inherited matrilineally.

Sydney examines one of four throw rugs I bought in an effort to save the installed rug. She has suddenly decided it is so fun to the pull out the yarn pieces.

Sydney 05/08/2011

She gives a massive foot flick

Sydney 05/08/2011

I'm searching for colors for the print; green, blue, orange, auditioning tomorrow.

Ways

2011-05-07T23:06:00.000-07:00

Outside

Tyler 05/07/2011

Inside

Harriet 05/07/2011

Inside Inside

Amelia 05/07/2011

PS new rubbing of Moku Hanga for Inspired by Japan:Tsunami Relief Project

Not the real colors, added block and some other elements as well.

May 6th

2011-05-06T22:11:00.000-07:00

Amelia 05/06/2011

Cinco de Mayo

2011-05-05T22:27:00.000-07:00

Tyler 05/05/2011

Sometimes

2011-05-04T21:29:00.001-07:00

Sometimes,

suddenly,

everything changes.

Sydney 05/04/2011

Under Foot

2011-05-03T21:25:00.001-07:00

One must never forget to look down around rabbits.

Amelia (top and bottom) 05/03/2011

Sleeping

2011-05-02T22:24:00.001-07:00

A very important part of a rabbit's life is sleep, they sleep, nap and dream during much of afternoon. Waking if necessary. Rabbits are diurnal, meaning they are most active in the mornings and evenings. At this warren there can be activities in the very wee hours, but never without a nap break or at least a deep meditation. If humans spent more time sleeping and dreaming the world would be in a lot less trouble than it is.

Amelia (top and bottom) 05/02/2011

Tsunami Relief Print Progress

2011-05-01T18:41:00.000-07:00

Sydney 05/01/2011 wishes everyone a happy happy May Day,

may all the workers of the world unite as they jump the Beltane fire.

Colored pencil rubbing of the woodblocks (these are NOT the colors I'm going to use in the print) of print for Tsunami Relief Project, see blocks below.

The paper size for this project was a given 15 by 10 inches, which is bit bigger than I am truly comfortable with, but I think I can get used to it, I'll practice with some lower grade paper. Practice is a magical thing, even if you think you aren't making any progress suddenly one day you are doing it, or at least have improved. The driveway at my house requires backing straight out carefully for about six car lengths. When I first moved in I had a terrible time keeping straight and had to re-calibrate, as it were, once or twice with every backing. Now I don't think twice about it. This project requires an edition of at least 31, which is feeling like a lot. On the other hand, in comparison to getting the raging reactors under control, it seems like a small thing indeed. Although the Fukushima Nuclear Plant has dropped out of mainstream news it is still a huge problem and continues to emit radiation and radioactive isotopes into the environment. As of 4/28 the situation according to the International Atomic Energy Agency was still serious. It is hard to tell extent of the contamination, there are many opinions so it is difficult to decide whom to trust. Bad news is not always true and visa versa, but I am sure that the cry of mayday, mayday, is not out of place.

Waiting for A Train

2011-04-30T22:23:00.000-07:00

Tyler and Sydney 04/30/2011

Wind

2011-04-29T22:09:00.001-07:00

Fore to background:Tyler, Sydney, Harriet 04/29/2011