Little Clovie Boy

Bird's Eye View-Jersey Wooly Rabbit

I like taking pictures looking down on animals, or of people and animals with their backs to you, unaware of your presence, deep in thought or conversation. Me, just observing a private moment.

This colored pencil 4" x 4" miniature, Bird's Eye View-Jersey Wooly Rabbit, took second place in the second annual Small Works, Big Presents juried show sponsored by the White River Valley Museum in Auburn last Fall. The jurors commented, "A common subject portrayed from an interesting angle, expert pencil work, color balance as well as a good framing choice make this sophisticatedly cute Jersey Rabbit a top award winner.  The uncommon angle abstracts the artwork, causing the viewer take a closer look and study the small details of this small artwork.  In a society that values big, this small work shows that good things do come in small packages."

Fur Maze

Forgive me, I know this looks a little creepy but I was intrigued by the design that was appearing on Clovis' chest as his fur grew back in after surgery.  Sort of like a fur maze. 

Surgery

A year ago Dr. Heather found a lump on Clovis' chest.  It was about the size of walnut.  She tried to get some fluid out to analyze it but couldn't.  We kept an eye on it for awhile then decided to have her remove it. 

He was pretty sleepy when I brought him home after surgery but after that first night I was surprised how well he recovered. Our biggest issue was keeping him from licking the wound.  I wasn't sure if he could reach it or not but he was really trying relentlessly.  I fretted over it.  Dr. Heather said one of those plastic cones wouldn't work because he wouldn't be able eat with it on, and he could chew up an Elizabethan collar which is, I guess, made of fabric.  She suggested an inflatable collar.  So I went out and bought one.  It was heavy and pretty big for his skinny little neck. Forget that! Then I tried stuffing a piece of panty hose with cotton balls and putting that around his neck. (Remember now, this is a rabbit that doesn't want to be held so you can imagine the struggle I had getting anything around his neck. Similar to a ring toss game...) The panty hose idea lasted about one minute.

My last effort was a bandana I made from fleece.  It worked! For about an hour.  Oh, what the H E double hockey sticks. I gave up and just let him lick it. 

The lump, fortunately, turned out to be just a fatty tumor and his wound healed perfectly.

Portrait of Minnow

Would you like a portrait of your pet? Contact me via my Etsy site, http://www.suejandre.etsy.com/

Please include the words, pet portrait, in the subject line.

Bunkmates

I'm feeling a bit guilty about how I described Minnie.  She does have a sweet side. I am reminded of her interaction with our other family pets. Our daughters' hamster, Charles, for example.  She used to lay beside his cage at night calmly watching his little activities.  She was content to watch our goldfish, Ed, whose bowl was her preferred source of drinking water.  We never feared for his safety. (Ed lived to be at least 12 years old, can you believe it?)

And she doesn't observe Clovis as though he might be her next meal.  We have his room fenced off and she'll come sit next to the fence and watch him.  If he comes close she'll look away.  I think she thinks if she can't see him, he doesn't see her.  If he turns his back to her, she'll reach through the fence and bat him with her paw. Of course he ignores her and runs off. The other night, after I put him to bed in his cage, I found her bedded down too atop his cage. Two little bunkmates.

Devil Cat

This is our cat, Minnow. She's an indoor cat. Sometimes we call her Devil Cat because when she gets freaked out it's pretty scary. I mean, look at her. There's some attitude there. Fire in her eyes. If she gets a whiff of an animal outside and we hear hissing and growling, it's a call to arms. We grab the nearest spray bottle (We keep these scattered around just in case we need to defend ourselves; a good squirt of water will keep her at bay.) and hightail it in the opposite direction. 

So, I hear that cats and rabbits can co-habitate, however, I am not brave enough to see if Minnow and Clovis can get along. I think she's actually afraid of him and if he made any kind of aggressive move she'd go berserk. Best to avoid that situation...

Since Minnow was here first, she rules the roost.  But every other day or so we fence off a safe zone so Clovis can have some fun. He heads upstairs to his favorite spot and hangs out for a while.  Then he'll kick up his heels, do some binking and run the length of the house like all get out. So fast! We always make a big deal of it when he does, a couple of whoo hoos and some applause. He's happy.

Meticulous Groomer- Award Winner!!

Update:

Meticulous Groomer won a sponsor award, one of 12 awards given. I found out late last night. I was ecstatic! It gave me goosebumps and I nearly cried.

I entered two miniatures in the 18th Annual Juried International Miniature Show at the Parklane Gallery in Kirkland, and was fortunate to have both accepted.  This is Clovis grooming himself, something he does so well, a 4" x 4" in colored pencil. My other entry posted below, Side by Side, is also colored pencil and measures 1 1/4" x 2 1/4".

There are 408 miniatures in this show.  I've included a link to the gallery if you are interested in seeing them.  The intricacy is amazing in some of these tiny works of art, many probably smaller than this one of Clovis. My two entries can be seen in thumbnail panel 18.

http://www.parklanegallery.com/miniatures2010/index.htm

or http://www.parklanegallery.com/

Side by Side

Holding

WE DO NOT LIKE TO BE HELD. I was quite disappointed to discover this. I really wanted a soft little bunny to hold and cuddle.  I have endured many rabbit toenail wounds in an effort to tame this little guy.  He will squirm his way out, scramble up to my shoulder and leap off, or do a 180 and run down my leg.  Early on, this was especially challenging when we needed to go see Dr. Heather or administer medication but now we make it work.  It took some strategy to figure out how to catch him.  I have to close his cage and remove anything he can hide under.  Then there's a bit of a chase until I can corral him in a corner and pick him up, give him a few kisses on his head and put him in his carrier.  A bunny burrito with a towel works good for meds. I have been fortunate to have had a few times that he has remained in my arms for a minute or two.  These are precious moments for me.