Spooky Taco

Candy corn eyes.

All dressed up and nowhere to go.

Yes, I wrapped myself up in the rug.

It is nice and cozy in here.

Whoooh! Look at the Spooky Taco. We have some crazy pets that live at our house. Jemima was brought home from the Stop n' Shop by my husband. She was too little to be away from her mother but the people were going on vacation and just wanted to be rid of the kittens before they left. She spent a lot of time with our dogs so she really doesn't think she is a cat. She rules the house and will not let the dogs pass her without permission. We put a throw rug down by the back door to keep the wet from traveling into the house. Jemima thinks this was put there just for her Halloween costume. Spooky isn't she?

Berryville, West Virginia Show

Judge Owen Yates picked a REW.

Judge Chris Howell's choice for BIS and second reserve, photo by Donna McGraw.

GC Shepherds Aslin in his beauty shot by Donna McGraw.

The Blue Ridge Rabbit club threw another fun filled "woolie" show at the Shenandoah Fiber Festival in beautiful Berryville, West Virginia. This Rabbit club goes all out to make sure everyone has a great time. They do a wonderful job with prizes, giving gift baskets full of goodies for BIS, Best Reserve and 2nd Best Reserve, to help us make the long drive home. A very handsome French Angora sable pearl Senior buck won BIS at both show "A" and "B" owned by Pam.

I was lucky enough to come home with 2 baskets of goodies won by 2 different breeds of bunnies. GC CR Blues Skies, blue Jersey Woolie Senior doe, was lucky enough to win 2nd Reserve in show "A" and GC Shepherds Aslin, English Angora REW Senior buck, won 2nd Reserve in show "B". We now have it on record that Judge Owen Yates actually picked a REW bunny. We all know they are not his favorite but he said he will pick it if it's a good one.

The club also had another fun and wool related raffle table with lots of goodies to take a chance on. Even some pouring down rain storms did little to dampen the spirits of the group and spectators. The food on the fair grounds was great serving grilled lamb sausage with a dill yogurt sauce and many other yummie things. My only regret was no time to actually see the festival. Next time, the show should give us an hour off for lunch so we can tour the vendor booths. Many thanks for the unexpected overnight accomodations. Had a great time at the McGraws Bed and Breakfast, Donna knows what I mean. What a fun weekend!

The Stork Arrives

The King of All and Hyacinth, 1 broken blue and 2 blues.

GC CR White Excitement and GC CR Blue Diamonds, 2 REWS

Mystery and PB Crazy Di, 1 black and 2 broken black.

The Nest boxes lineup.

The stork was here yesterday and I am just waiting for one more arrival today. Woolie litters are so small, usually 2-3 babies. Once or twice there will be a big litter of 4-6 babies but that is unusual. They are the size of a women's thumb when they are born. The colors show up almost right away or at least by day 2. So you can see who is broken or charlie and if the marking have turned out pretty even. I am very excited about my first woolie litter with both parents being Grand Champions.

I use plastic bins for all my litters and I use stacking office bins for the woolies. They are just the right size and even have a spot for a label on the front where I list all the information about each litter. I put this on right away, Mom and Dad, how many and what color and date of birth. This way if any babies escape, I know who it belongs too.

The nest boxes are taken away from the Moms right after birth, covered with a dish towel and brought in the house. They are kept inside a cage and brought out to Mom twice a day, morning and night, to nurse. If the Mom doesn't get the idea, I put the Mom in the nest box and put the dish towel over her so she has some quiet time with the babies. When she is done, she will poke her head out from the towel to let me know. I do this for the first 2 weeks until the babies have grown some wool and the Moms have a chance to re-cooperate. After 2 weeks, it depends on the Moms. Some are happy to have a cage to themselves and some want the babies with them. I let the Moms decide.

BIS at the Lebanon Show

Whitney's beautiful Belgian Hare.

Shepherds Sweet Pea sitting on the lucky rug.

Judge Travis Finkle with me and Sweet Pea.

Shepherds Sweet Pea listening to the judges comments.

Yea! I got a new camera for my birthday and am able to post photos again! Just in time for some exciting news and photos.

I almost didn't go to the Lebanon show after I realized that it was nearly 3 hours away. Thinking that it was a closer show, I didn't look at the directions until the night before. It was a single show but with an additional Jersey Woolie specialty show. Blue Skies needed one more leg to grand and she was looking really nice so I made the trip. Sure am glad I did. Sweet Pea won Best of Breed and then went on to win Best in Show along with Whitney's beautiful grand champion Belgian Hare as Reserve in Show. How exciting to win along with such a nice friend! She almost didn't stay for the Best in Show judging but needed to register her rabbit. I think she must have forgotten all about the registration after her win. This is her first grand champion and now her first Reserve in Show. No matter how many times you might win best or reserve, it never looses it's thrill. But the first time will stay in your memory forever.

Thanks to Judge Travis Finkle for picking Sweet Pea. Karen, show sectrary from the Delmarva show, brought my lucky rug back to me. I must have left it on the table after all the excitement. I sure that is what helped us win. Rabbit people are the best. Oh, and Blue Skies did get her last leg after all.