Chasing rabbits!

They are killing our gardens!  And I am going to kill a rabbit.  Or Arthur is going to kill a rabbit.  Or they, the rabbits or rabbit, are going to kill me(I'll explain).

It has started again.  You may remember we have had problems before with these little furry animals making their home in our gardens.  They really are stupid animals.  I have found them just feet away from us in the backyard munching on our tender greens. All the while the boys are running around, screaming and playing.  And Arthur has been out there too!  They are stupid or really brave.

Then they have the audacity to dig holes in the raised beds! 

I know they are cute, but after the episode last week I am done with cute bunnies. 

I love to go out daily to check for new growth.  And since everything is growing like crazy right now sometimes I do it more often.  Well I had gone out to look for cucumbers in this bed along the brick wall.

The cucumbers are near the front of the bed and then Lima beans are growing up.  The cucumbers are starting to make their way up too.  Anyway as I walked past the bed I thought I saw some fur, but didn't think twice about it.  By the way we had already found a rabbit hole in this bed so I guess I should have been prepared. 

I go to reach my hand in to move around the cucumber vines and out JUMPS a rabbit.

I SCREAMED!!!!!!  It ran/hopped off to safety.

Not that I was scared of this "cute" little furry rabbit, but it startled me something bad! I guess I can't blame them for picking this spot.  Take a look at how shady and private this is for a rabbit.

 He/she gets right back in there between the cucumbers and Lima bean vines and if you do not look closely you would never know it is there.  Unless you are a rabbit sniffing dog named Arthur.

Arthur has had his share of adventures with rabbits.  Just yesterday I am standing at the kitchen sink after letting him out.  Before letting him out I did tell him, "Go find the rabbit!" 

Well sure enough I am standing there looking out the window and all of a sudden I see the rabbit running for its life and Arthur trailing him!  Good dog!

And I will never forget the night I let Arthur out.  It was taking him forever.  It was very late.....1:00 or 2:00 in the morning.  I thought I heard a cry, but I just wanted to get the dog in so I could go back to sleep.  Well the next morning I find two baby rabbits dead.  The cries I heard were the baby rabbits he had killed when I let him out.  The stupid momma rabbit had dug a hole right under the boys slide.  In plain view and right where Arthur had access.

But this was nothing compared to the time he killed a baby rabbit and wanted to bring it in.  Smack dab in the middle of the day he finds two little bunnies.  One got lucky, but he was able to catch the other for a toy.  He is at the back door wanting in.  When I look out I can see something in his mouth.  As I look closer I see it is an animal of some kind.  I somehow get out without him getting in.....he wanted to bring it in bad!  I am screaming, the boys are standing at the door, opening the door to see what is going on and I am screaming to close the door.  I go get a broom and start beating the dog to drop the baby out of his mouth.  He stares intently at me as if trying to say I will win.  He will not drop the dead baby!  He runs from me all over the patio, but stays where he can get in quick if the door opens.  I am totally freaking out as I see this limp little baby hanging from his mouth.  Those "cute" little legs dangling out of each side and this vicious dog is now a wild animal.  I had to get him in so I could save the other baby that was spared.  He does eventually give up and I get him in.

So you can clearly see why I am not a fan of rabbits anymore! 

And this one could very well be rabbit stew.  Have a good recipe?  Send it my way!

Over the weekend he/she has managed to dig holes in two beds making everything in the bed look like the life has been sucked out of it.  I am not sure if it eats part of the plant or what.  We fill the holes and it comes back again.

I know this is all part of God's plan.  And Arthur acting like a wild animal is as well.  I have become more hard with my feelings about this so I don't get sad again when he kills babies.  And that is my fear.  If it is digging holes history has proven she is getting ready for babies. 

I DON'T WANT BABY RABBITS!!!!!!  Arthur will just kill them.

So we just keep chasing rabbits out of our yard.