It was a warm spring day, really the first day it was nice enough to be outside without a jacket. Lanie and Maryellen got outside to clear the dead leaves from around the hens and chicks plants and sedum.
It felt so good to be outside again and see the plants come back to life after a snowy winter. Lanie was doing most of the working and Maryellen was doing most of the talking.
“Lanie, did you see that? The Easter bunny just ran under that bush!”
“Maryellen, what are you talking about now?!” said Lanie, wiping her brow.
“I SAID the Easter bunny ran under the bush. Look!”
Lanie humored Maryellen and turned around.
A small, scared-looking brown rabbit was indeed hiding under an evergreen.
“Maryellen, I doubt that is an Easter bunny, but it does look like someone’s pet. It doesn’t look like the grey rabbits that live in our area. Maybe it is tame and lost? Why don’t you quietly go into the house and bring some carrots out. We can see if he’s hungry.”
Maryellen came back with the carrots and laid them peacefully a few feet away from the bunny.
“Look!” said Maryellen. “He’s hungry!”
The girls knew this was definitely a tame rabbit that wouldn’t be likely to survive on its own. They cleared out their gardening basket, and sat down, unmoving, on their blanket.
“Stay real still, Maryellen, and he may hop over to us.”
“He’s coming!” whispered Maryellen, trying talk without moving her lips.
“I just know this is going to be the best Easter ever,” said Maryellen. “We have our very own Easter bunny!”
—
21st Century disclaimer… you know not to try to capture animals outside, right? Luckily Lanie and Maryellen can’t get rabies. Julie was not available to be in this story with “Nutmeg” because she doesn’t want to take off her basketball uniform. I am grateful for the warm weather. It’s generating so many blog post ideas. I really have missed being able to do photo stories outside. The lighting is never right inside!
The Dolls Between Us 