Radar Love (The Return of Binky Bunzini!)

Last summer, our yard was hot and thick with rabbits. We had Binky Bunzini, adored matriarch of the wild bunny bunch. And her friends Stripe and Spot, who *ahem* it turns out might have been a bit MORE than friends.

Our lives were lit up each day with the joy of rabbit shenanigans. But then suddenly, at the end of summer, they went away. We were practically bun-less. It was a bunny drought, to be sure. But we never knew the details: where'd they go, and why?

It was a very difficult time for my husband, who has become something of a bunny whisperer. You know the kind. They walk out into the yard and the bunnies just . . . show up.

Well, imagine his delight a few weeks ago when we started to see signs of bunnies again. Yes, we'd spotted bunny tracks in the snow - with an impressive 17 and a half foot leap between footprints - but we were afraid even to hope.

But then, when we got our first real snow, and the mercury dropped into the deep freeze, Binky Bunzini came home! You may remember Binky - he (or possibly she; we never know these things until later) is one of the offspring of our dear friend Mini Bunzini.

A quick recap. I first spotted the Micro Buns (as we called them) on my husband's birthday last June; they binkied themselves silly upon my first view of them, and so it was that Binky Bunzini earned his name. (See the extra photos on my husband's birthday for my first look at him).

And then he showed up again in the following Blips:
Binky Bunzini
The Last of the Bunhicans
Trust, Take Two
On the Naming of Rabbits

My husband feeds the birds and rabbits in our yard. Each day, multiple times per day, he chops up peanuts and puts them out for the birds. If there is a bunny around, he takes out a small offering of carrot slices, chopped peanuts, and whatever else might seem tempting to a bun. (He also admitted that he sings to them. Songs about "hoppin' down the bunny trail." Can you imagine?)

And so after the last snow, when the temperatures dropped, my husband discovered the rabbit we believe to be Binky Bunzini hanging out by his food bowl (a blue frisbee in the yard), looking wishful. And so it was that the bunny feedings resumed. And rabbit joy reigned once again!

In this particular photo, you can see that Binky is using his well-trained ears as a special GPS device for tracking my husband around the yard. Yes, those radar ears have the accuracy of a high-precision instrument! You got some bunny snacks? Put 'em down right here!

The soundtrack to accompany this photo of bunny radar love: Golden Earring, with Radar Love.

P.S. The shot above was MY favorite from the bunch. :-) My husband's favorite photo of Binky is included in the extras.