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Charming & Romantic Window Boxes
There are always flowers for those who want to see them~Henri Matisse. Nothing says happy like a cascade of colorful flowers spilling from a window box! While walking around one of my favorite places, Carmel-by-the-Sea, I noticed that many of the homes have window boxes. They add so much loveliness to already charming homes. I find so much gardening inspiration just by observing the beautiful gardens others have created, and the imaginative touches they have used.
Window boxes come in all sizes and may be made of wood, copper, wrought iron, etc. They create a “living wall” and can beautifully accentuate your home. It is easy to see how much beauty a window box adds to a home–just imagine this dwelling without it?
For those with small yards or none at all, window boxes and planters offer a great option to add romance and charm with flowers.
Sun and shade requirements will determine what flowers to plant in your window box. Popular flowers for window boxes include geraniums, begonias, verbena, pansies, petunias, trailing fuchsias, salvia, impatiens, ivy, vinca vine, sweet potato vine, and lobelia.
Often, incorporating colors from the rest of the yard or garden, including trees & shrubs, can help tie everything together.
Multiple window boxes look best when the same types of flowers groups are repeated in each. Simple arrangements have a more organized and cohesive vibe.
Window boxes filled with beautiful flowers brighten your home and are easy to care for. Just make sure they have proper drainage and water them according to their needs. It’s also a good idea to provide fertilizer regularly to help boost blooms.
Your imagination is the limit. Never be afraid to experiment; you may make a mistake now and then in gardening, but you will learn from your experiences.
For more information on gardens in Carmel-by-the-Sea, see my Magical & Enchanting Gardens of Carmel-by-the-Sea. Thank you for visiting my blog! Wishing you peace, love, happiness, & beautiful vistas.
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Quarantine in Captivating Carmel-by-the-Sea
Even though the quarantine has disrupted many travel plans, I feel so blessed to live in this area. I hope that everyone has a chance someday to visit Carmel-by-the-Sea, located in central coastal California, and witness first hand this captivating and charming town. I have previously written other blog posts about Carmel-by-the-Sea, including Gardens of Carmel-by-the-Sea, Garden Gate Inspiration from Carmel-by-the-Sea, and Fairy Tale Cottages in Carmel-by-the-Sea. Even though shops and art galleries are still closed, many of the amazing restaurants here are open with take out and social distanced al fresco dining. And fortunately, the pandemic can’t hamper one of the most fun things to do here, just walk around. You will feel like you are in a fairy tale, because this little seaside town just happens to be home to some of the loveliest cottages and gardens in the area.
It all started in the early 1900s, when Hugh Comstock built the town’s first fairy tale cottage for his wife, Mayotta. The homes he built featured steep roofs, arched windows and doors, and rustic stone chimneys. His cottages have been duplicated over the years, and have inspired generations of delightful homes, so that walking through many of the side streets you may imagine you are no longer in America, but rather, in a charming English village.
The gardens in Carmel-by-the-Sea are simply the icing on the cake. From fetching window boxes, to picket fences, to lovely archways and stone walls, there is an eye-catching assortment of detail. Colorful flowers paint the landscape around these storybook homes with a beautiful palette of colors and textures.
Quarantine or not, it is clear that many people here are passionate about gardening and put a great deal of time and love into their gardens. I would like to personally thank them for all the inspiration and cheerfulness they provide to us passers-by!
A quirky thing about Carmel-by-the-Sea is that all the homes have names instead of house numbers. Most of the home names are pretty or cute, but I like the name I saw on one the best of all: “Nobody’s Perfect”!
This home is called “Irish Rose”. The latest addition to Carmel-by-the-Sea, on 6th Avenue & Mission, this Instagrammable wall mural was being completed while my friend Amy @seasaltandcypress and I were dining al fresco at nearby Grasings. Opinion has been mixed, folks either love it or hate it. I love it!
Someday, I hope the word quarantine will be obsolete. I hope that we all have discovered what is most important in life. I hope that we have learned to slow down and appreciate the beauty around us. I hope we never again take anything for granted and have learned to be grateful for all good things. If you do someday visit Carmel-by-the-Sea, dear friend, here is my parting advice. The best way to end the day is to take a leisurely stroll down to the beach and enjoy the soothing lull of the ocean waves and the color-drenched sunset. Because in Carmel-by-the-Sea, fairy tales really do come true.
Thank you for visiting my blog! Wishing you peace, love, happiness, & beautiful vistas.
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Spring Fling in Monterey County
Blossom by blossom the spring begins.~Algernon Charles Swinburne. It’s always beautiful when spring comes to Monterey County. The dry gray hills are suddenly a rich, velvety green, and trees and flowers start to bud and blossom. Seasonal creeks begin to fill the air with the sound of water rushing over and spilling through rocks, and suddenly, quail families and white tailed bunnies make their appearance.
On my farm, I start to see small wild jonquils and pink shooting stars dancing over the hills. And seemingly overnight, my rosemary shrubs become covered with fat lavender flowers.
The roads are suddenly framed by pink and white blossoms.
Frogs begin their mating chorus from the creeks, and sometimes I find a lone vagabond toad wandering about the farm or in my flowerbeds. This one reminds me of “Hoppy Toad”, the top hat wearing character in the Raggedy Ann books I read as a child.
Lacy fern fronds begin to unfurl from the canyon walls, and trilliums start to cover the forest floors.
My half Angora, half Nigerian goats begin to shed their long fur, and start to look like they have dreadlocks!
Spring makes me feel hopeful. A friend of mine put it very succinctly. She explained that despite everything going on in the world, life continues to renew itself. She further added, “Rebirth and life anew is always so hopeful because it means we have a chance to make changes, and hope that things will get better.”
L. M. Montgomery confirms, “That is one good thing about this world…There are always sure to be more springs.”
I can’t think of anything lovelier than watching horses graze peacefully near my home. Green grass, trees dripping with flowers, fresh air and sunshine are what spring is all about.
Those of us living in Monterey County have so much to be grateful for. For those of you living in colder climates where spring seems like a distant dream, heed the words of Anita Krizzan: Spring will come and so will happiness. Hold on.
Thank you for visiting my blog. Wishing you peace, love, happiness, and beautiful vistas!
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Puppy Love! Favorite Dog Quotes
Puppy love is blatantly apparent everywhere in the Monterey area. Back in the Midwest, where I am from originally, dogs are treated like, well, dogs. You see them in dog parks, or walking on trails with their humans, or occasionally you will see a service dog in a traditionally “humans only” place. In Monterey County, dogs are treated a little differently. When I first moved here, I remember walking through the Whole Foods Store in Monterey and being shocked when suddenly a Pomeranian poked its head out of a handbag held by the lady standing in front of me. Far from being excluded from human gathering places, dogs are instead embraced and treated like family.
From Doris Day’s Cypress Inn in Carmel-by-the-Sea to Wine Tasting Rooms in Carmel Valley Village, to beaches, stores, and more, dogs are EVERYWHERE here. Stores place dog water bowls outside their doors for parched pooches. There is even a psychologist in Carmel for those dogs who need canine counseling. If you come to Monterey County, you will soon grow accustomed to, and enjoy encountering a bevy of breeds and their owners in nearly every setting.
I will never forget that day. I was ten years old, and I had brought a puppy home. My father was telling me that I could not keep the puppy. I grew up in a home where dogs were not wanted. I cried, and cried, and cried. My heart was shattered. Flash forward twenty plus years, and as an adult, I had a new puppy, a beautiful Scottish terrier named Ally. Then I added a West Highland terrier named Emma.
My son Nick with Ally and Emma. Ally & Emma drove with me across six states to our new home in California. They were able to see the ocean and play on the beach. They were able to run around on the farm and play with all the other animals. I am glad they lived out their lives to ages 13 and 14 and were able to experience a beautiful climate where they could be outdoors year round.
Ally & Emma at the beach in Carmel for the very first time! I then adopted a German Shepherd puppy named Sasha.
Sasha became my best friend and enjoyed her job guarding the farm and antagonizing the goats and chickens.
Because dogs are so beloved I thought it would be fun to put some dog quotes together for my blog. I hope you enjoy them.
“A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than he loves himself.”~Josh Billings
Puppy kisses with my son’s dog “Swisher”. 
“Home is where the dog runs to greet you.”~Unknown
“A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than he loves himself.”~Josh Billings
“There is nothing truer in this world than the love of a good dog.”~Will Rogers
“Dogs have a way of finding the people who need them, and filling an emptiness we didn’t ever know we had.” ~Thom Jones
I am going to end this with a beautiful quote that my friend provided. “I will never move and not take you with me. I will never put you in a shelter and leave. I will never let you starve. I will never let you hurt. I will never desert you when you get old, nor will I leave you when you go blind. If that time comes, I will be there to hold you. Because I love you, and you are FAMILY.” ~unknown. This, dear hearts, is true puppy love.
I hope you enjoyed my dog quotes. Wishing you peace, love, happiness, & warm puppy snuggles.
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The Bluebird of Happiness, Nature’s Inspiration
As I walked with my dog, Sasha, down the road near our home deep in a California canyon, I spotted a bluebird. He was almost impossible not to see, with his brilliant blue back, and flame orange belly. As we continued to walk forward, he flitted from fencepost to fencepost, as if guiding us along. I knew it was a male, as female bluebirds have duller colors than males, much like many other birds. I felt a sense of exhilaration and happiness, just seeing this beautiful bird.
Why does the bluebird bring us such joy? It has been known as the bluebird of happiness for thousands of years around the world, beginning in China, where it was seen as immortal, a protector, and a symbol of the sun. Native Americans revered the bluebird. Navajos saw it as a spirit in animal form and the Iroquois believed the bluebird’s song would chase away the spirit of winter. In Russian fairy tales, the bluebird represented hope. In 1908, a play named “The Blue Bird” by Maurice Maeterlinck depicted two children in search of the Bluebird of Happiness. This play was adapted into an opera, several films and a children’s novel.
Historically, the bluebird has appeared in everything from artwork to advertisements. 
Bluebirds are often known as the harbinger of spring. Early American pioneers called them “blue robins” because of their bright orange breast and iridescent blue back and tail. Bluebirds are also hailed by gardeners because of their appetite for plant damaging insect pests.
In 1934, around the time my grandmother was being courted by my grandfather, the song “Bluebird of Happiness” was recorded. Composed by Sandor Harmati with words by Edward Heyman, by 1945 it had become a world wide hit.
My Grandmother and Grandfather, circa 1934. 
“So be like I, hold your head up high, till you find a bluebird of happiness. You will find greater peace of mind knowing there’s a bluebird of happiness. And when he sings to you, though you’re deep in blue, you will see a ray of light creep through. And so remember this, life is no abyss, somewhere there’s a bluebird of happiness.”
Many other bluebird songs followed, including Judy Garland’s “Hello, Bluebird” and Paul McCartney’s “Bluebird”. And who can forget the iconic song from the Wizard of Oz, “Over the Rainbow”, where “bluebirds fly…if happy little bluebirds fly beyond the rainbow, why, oh why can’t I?”
Judy Garland memorialized the bluebird for all time in her classic song from “Wizard of Oz”. The bluebird is the state bird of Missouri, and did you know that in the United States, there is even a National Bluebird of Happiness Day? It falls on September 24.
Bluebird days are used to describe a sunny day following a storm. In the ski and snowboard world, bluebird days refer to days with sunshine, good visibility, and fresh snow.
Bluebirds are loved for their beauty, family devotion, and delightful song. If you would like to learn more about bluebirds, see national bluebird society.
All good things must come to an end. Much to my dismay, our bluebird guide eventually flew away, but he left me feeling very happy. Seeing him made me feel that Spring is on the way! I hope that like me, you find inspiration from the bluebird. Wishing you peace, love, joy, and beautiful vistas.
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Eight Fall Fun Activities in Monterey County
Every leaf speaks bliss to me, fluttering from the autumn tree.~Emily Bronte 
Why is fall so enchanting? Witnessing the transformation of foliage from green to a bright kaleidoscope of reds, oranges and golden yellows is beautiful and inspiring. It reminds us of the importance of letting go of the old and embracing the new. The cooling temperatures encourage us to slow down and snuggle up under an afghan or quilt with a hot cup of tea or cocoa and a good book, or light candles and sit in front of a crackling fireplace. Conversely, the crisp autumn air may also encourage us to spend more time outdoors and is the perfect time to visit the apple orchard, the pumpkin patch, or have a picnic outdoors.
Fall is also a time for seasonal favorites. Who doesn’t look forward to all the yumalicious fall drinks, such as pumpkin lattes and apple cider? Fall is a comfy, cozy season of layering sweaters and soft flannel shirts and warm nourishing foods. Fall is also the gateway to creative and fun holidays such as Halloween and Thanksgiving. Monterey County has many fun activities this time of year. Here is a list of some of my favorite things to do in Monterey County in the fall.
1. Visit a pumpkin patch, such as Borchard Farms or Earthbound Organics Farm Stand.
A mountain of pumpkins awaits at Earthbound Farms on Carmel Valley Road. 
Fall fun feels at Borchard Farms near Castroville. 
2. Visit an apple orchard such as Gizdich Ranch and enjoy fresh apple cider and homemade pie.
3. Bring a picnic and a bottle of wine to the ocean’s edge in Carmel-by-the-Sea and have a bonfire on the beach.
4. Attend the annual MEarth Glass Pumpkin Festival in Carmel Valley.
5. Sit in a rocking chairs next to the crackling fireplace at Asilomar Lodge. Originally called Monterey Peninsula’s “Refuge by the Sea,” Asilomar is located on 107 acres of state beach and conference grounds in Pacific Grove. Asilomar was designed by renowned architect Julia Morgan between 1913 and 1928. Thirteen of her original structures remain today and represent her largest collection of Arts & Crafts style architecture in one location.
6. Snuggle under a blanket with a drink near the cozy fire pits at the Inn at Spanish Bay in Pebble Beach and listen to the bagpipes at sunset. You don’t need to be a golfer to appreciate the majestic beauty and magical atmosphere here.
7. Visit the Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary in Pacific Grove. In October, you will see them clustered together on pine, cypress and eucalyptus trees in the Sanctuary. Their migration to Pacific Grove is so unique that Pacific Grove is nicknamed “Butterfly Town, U.S.A.”
8. If you love the ocean like I do, there is nothing more memorable than an adventure on the open sea. Take a sailboat ride at the end of the day and enjoy the magical autumn sunset.
Every season is full of wonder, but I think fall is my very favorite season here in Monterey County. I hope you enjoy it too.
I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers. ~L. M. Montgomery. Thank you for visiting my blog. Wishing you peace, joy, happiness, and beautiful vistas!
An autumn sunset at my farm. -
Wine Tasting in Carmel Valley, California!
Napa and Sonoma may be the first names you think of when wine tasting is mentioned. Yet, Carmel Valley, southeast of Monterey and Pebble Beach, may be the area’s best kept secret, as it is home to dozens of amazing wineries. Surrounded by the picturesque Santa Lucia Mountains and just inland from beautiful Monterey Bay, it features a climate of warm days and cool nights just right to produce some pretty outstanding wines, including Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Chardonnay. I am fortunate to live just over the hill from Carmel Valley Village. Here is my list of the best wine tasting venues in Carmel Valley. All of the wineries I have listed are located within walking distance from each other, with the exception of Folktale.
1. Folktale Winery. Originally, this estate was called Chateau Julien Wine Estate, but in 2015 it became Folktale Winery. While it is more than a stone’s throw west of the quaint Carmel Valley Village, Folktale Winery is not to be missed. You can visit their fairy tale castle and also listen to fabulous bands while sipping on wine in their rustic barrel room. There are awesome food and wine pairings at their events as well. Some of the performers I have seen here include Anderson East, Chris Cab, and Iyla. Can I say more?
2. Cowgirl Winery. Want to sip wine in the midst of clucking free range chickens and a cute vintage pick up truck? Would you like to belly up to a bar with rustic cowboy boots lined up above it? This place has so much character I dedicated an entire blog post to it, see: Cowgirl.
3. Talbott Vineyards Tasting Room.
You will love Talbott’s not only for their wine but also their spacious and elegant ambiance. They are located just south of Cowgirl Winery.
4. Georis Winery, located across from the Corkscrew Cafe, showcases exquisite mosaic artwork at their entryway, and is surrounded by beautiful floral landscaping and both indoor and outdoor tables. They often feature live music on the weekends as well.
My friend Lauryn and I enjoying the beautiful artwork and yummy wine at Big Sur Tasting Room. 
5. Big Sur Vineyards. I first visited this a few years back with my buddy Lauryn, and I have never forgotten. What I love most is not only the wine, but the exquisite hand-painted labels featuring iconic Big Sur images.
6. Testarossa Winery, & 7. Joyce Wine Company. Joyce and Testarossa are connected by a series of rooms.
Bernardus features an expansive and comfy outdoor seating area where you can enjoy delicious charcuterie platters with your wine. 8. Bernardus Winery. This winery was started by Ben Pon, who was a race car driver for Porsche for many years as well as a participant in the Olympics in 1972 in skeet shooting. The crest on the Bernardus wine label represents Mr. Pon’s Dutch Heritage. This has an intimate indoor tasting room as well as a more expansive patio with comfy seating.
9. Boekenoogen Vineyards and Winery. This tiny tasting room is packed with pizazz. Many folks are keeno for their pinot.
10. Joulian looks like a petite French Chateau, showcasing beautiful decor in addition to their award winning wine.
11. Cima Collina. Like Cowgirl, Cima Collina has a super cute old truck, this one complete with wine barrels.
Helpful Tips:
- Most flights cost around 15.00-20.00 and involve 4-6 tastes.
- During the summer and early fall months Carmel Valley can get warm; dress accordingly.
- Parking can be challenging to find, I recommend getting there before 2 pm when most of the wine tasting begins. Most tasting rooms are open between 12 and 5:30 pm.
- If you don’t want to deal with parking, a Wine Trolley is available from Monterey, or you can hop on Tractor Pete’s rustic wagon to visit local wine tasting rooms.
- Most of the wine tasting rooms are dog friendly.
- There are several notable restaurants and cafes interspersed between the wine tasting rooms, including the Corkscrew Cafe, Roux, Cafe Rustica, and Holman Ranch Tavern.
- If you have time left for shopping, there are some cute shops in the area. I highly recommend Quail & Olive, just north of Georis. It features delicious olive oils, vinegars, kitchen items and lovely gifts.
Thank you for visiting my blog. Wishing you peace, love, happiness, and beautiful vistas!
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Stop and Smell the Roses in San Jose!
Footfalls echo in the memory, Down the passage which we did not take, Towards the door we never opened, Into the rose-garden~T. S. Eliot.
San Jose is home to some pretty amazing places, including their Municipal Rose Garden. Since I absolutely love roses, I had to check it out. I am so glad I did!
Located at the corner of Naglee & Dana in San Jose, the garden is housed on 5.5 acres. Beginning in April, thousands of colorful roses begin to bloom, creating a vivid and stunning kaleidoscope of color and scent. The garden is home to more than 3500 plantings, and contains over 189 varieties of roses.
A sense of peacefulness overwhelmed me when I entered this oasis. The hustle and bustle of the city seemed to melt away, like ice in the warmth of the sun. It seemed as though time stood still.
There are many pathways to explore throughout the rose garden. Each path leads to new landscapes of color and delight.
In the center of the garden is a huge pool with a two-tiered fountain, called the “reflection pool”. It is surrounded by benches where you can indeed sit and reflect upon the beauty around you.
The Municipal Rose Garden was once home to a prune orchard. In 1927, the Santa Clara County Rose Society voted to create a rose garden. Groundbreaking for the new rose garden took place in 1931, in 1937 it was offically dedicated, and today is a historic landmark.
You can enjoy the colorful blooms here from April through November, although the optimal time to visit is in May.
Did you know that the Rose Garden is also home to brand new, unseen before rose varieties? It is one of only a handful of gardens chosen by the All-American Rose Selections to test new roses before they are available to you and me. In 2010, it was awarded “America’s Best Rose Garden”, beating out more than 130 other public rose gardens in the first nationwide competition of its kind. It is no surprise that it has also been voted the best location to get married. Who wouldn’t want their nuptials held in such a romantic and beautiful place?
I love the names of some of the roses, including “Betty Boop”, “Angel Face”, “Alchymist”, and “San Jose Sunshine”!
The Garden is filled with lush, grassy areas, and at the edge is shaded by majestic redwood trees. You are sure to find the perfect spot to relax. Bring a picnic lunch or a book and enjoy the serenity!
Hours: 8 am to 8 pm daily.Admission: Free.
Location: Dana Avenue & Naglee Avenue, San Jose, California, 95126
Website: Municipal Rose Garden
Thank you for visiting my blog. Wishing you peace, love, happiness & beautiful vistas!
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The Secret Gardens of Historic Monterey
Often hidden behind a wall or a gate, secret gardens denote mystery, privacy, and solitude. Secret gardens offer solace; a place to sit or walk and contemplate. They give you permission to be inspired, to dream, and to be at peace.
My own garden has its secrets: I love to share them with friends who come to enjoy the peaceful solitude of my farm. The roses that defy being eaten by deer, puzzling my neighbors. The “April in Paris” sweet peas that have self-sown and freely proliferate. The mesmerizing scent of the white, star-flowered jasmine that grows just outside my bedroom, perfuming the night air.
Monterey has some of the most fascinating and delightful secret gardens ever. What makes these gardens so special is that they are located on the grounds of some of the most historic properties in Monterey. The secret gardens here are all completely unique, enticing you with beautiful colors and heavenly scents.
1. The Larkin Garden is located at 510 Calle Principal at the intersection with Jefferson. Thomas Larkin built the two-story mud adobe brick home during Mexican rule of California. An American merchant, he became the only United States Consul to Alta California under Mexican rule.
A wishing well covered with climbing roses draws your eye at the Larkin secret garden. 
2. The Memory Garden, located at 20 Custom House Plaza in Monterey, was designed by Frederick Law Olmstead, Jr. in 1927. It has an 8-foot high adobe wall and three gates. Inside the garden is a 15-foot diameter fountain surrounded by lovely magnolia trees.
The Memory Garden lies behind the Monterey State Historic Park office and Pacific House Museum. 
3. The Casa del Oro Garden is at the corner of Pacific and Scott Streets just across from the First Theatre. This is the only garden not enclosed by a wall.
4. The Stevenson Garden is named for the boarding house where Robert Louis Stevenson stayed in 1879 while courting his future wife, Fanny Osbourne. He stayed on the second floor of the French Hotel at 530 Houston Street and worked on essays as well as ideas for future works, including Treasure Island.
In front, a white picket fence frames a bevy of blooms. Behind the old French Hotel is the secret garden, featuring meandering pathways surrounded by high fencing and featuring an ancient gate at the rear.
5. The Casa Soberanes Garden, located at the corner of Pacific and Del Monte, features abalone shells and wine bottles as edgings for the flowerbeds in its secret garden.
6. The First Theatre Garden is located at the corner of Pacific and Scott Streets. Whale bones frame the entrance of the theatre building, vestiges of Monterey’s whaling history.
California’s first theater was built in 1847 by Jack Swan for use as a lodging house and tavern for sailors. It became a theatre in 1850. 
7. Hidden behind a very old wall at the corner of Polk and Munras is the Cooper Molera Adobe secret garden and orchard, Built in 1827, the property is a National Trust Historic Site. What fun to meander among the rustic elegance of the only historic redwood barns within the city limits of Monterey and enjoy the charming and beautiful plants and flowers here.
The paths here are wide and easy to navigate throughout the beautiful flowerbeds and the orchard. 
Hours: The Larkin, Memory, Casa del Oro, Stevenson, Casa Soberanes, and First Theatre gardens are open daily from 9 am-4 pm. For more information, see California State Parks. Hours for the Cooper Molera garden are Tuesday through Saturday: 11 am – 4 pm, and Sunday 11 am– 2:30 pm.
I hope you enjoyed this post and are able to visit the secret gardens of Monterey. Thank you for visiting my blog. Wishing you peace, love, happiness, and beautiful vistas!
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Rabbit Romance: My Love Affair With Bunnies
Easter and springtime bring to mind baby chicks, eggs, and of course, bunnies. With their twitchy little noses, fluffy tails, and long, soft ears, rabbits are simply adorable. I have always loved them.
I grew up in a home where my father did not care for pets. Dad had already nixed my request for a kitten or puppy. It was only due to my Mom surreptitiously sneaking him into the backyard along with his rabbit hutch that I came to know and love Oliver. Oliver was a very fat, sweet rabbit, as brown as a bread crust and with feet as big as my hands. When Dad discovered my new pet, he was told that Oliver’s previous owner had departed for college and could no longer care for him. There was no taking him back. Wink wink.
My bunny Oliver. Oliver became my best friend. I would dress him up in baby doll bonnets and Daisy Duke cut-offs, feed him lettuce and carrots, and snuggle with him. I would ride around with him tucked safely inside a white flower-power basket on the front of my bicycle, which often drew astonished looks from folks we passed in the neighborhood.
My love of rabbits only grew with my love of reading about them. Beatrix Potter’s Tale of Peter Rabbit was a favorite of mine. I ended up naming one of my sons Peter; it may have been my adoration for Peter Rabbit. I loved that Peter Rabbit was the naughty one in the family, sneaking into Mr. McGregor’s garden and binging on veggies. After his misadventures, his siblings, Flopsy, Mopsy, and Cottontail get fresh bread and blackberry jam but poor Peter gets only chamomile tea and is put to bed. Poor Peter!
Brer Rabbit, created by Joel Chandler Harris, lived in a briar patch and was always one-upping the naughty Brer Fox. I have always admired him because he was resourceful and survived by his wits to escape capture. He was a tricky trickster!
The Velveteen Rabbit, by Margery Williams, is a dear and lovely book I am besotted with. Is there anyone that does not love this classic quote?
Thumper, the bunny in Bambi always reminded me “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all.” A good life lesson that I need to abide by.
The White Rabbit in Alice and Wonderland always fascinated me, running around helter-skelter with his pocket watch. There was also the March hare who was obsessed with having tea. Never a dull moment for the bunnies in Wonderland!
The Country Bunny and the Little Gold Shoes by Dubose Heyward tempted me with the most magical fairy tale adventures.
Do you have any favorite rabbits or rabbit stories? If so, I would love to hear about them. Thank you for visiting my blog. Wishing you peace, love, happiness, and a beautiful Easter!