The Ants Come Marching In....

"They're baaaaaaaack..." and Mom and Dad aren't happy. Neither are Binks and me for that matter. Mom spotted them the other evening - in our room - and flipped out. We were packed up and taken upstairs to live in the living room until they are "taken care of" (insert maniacal laugh here).

The Bug Man came the very next day and set up ant traps and until they do their job, Binks and I are back to living in the xpen when Mom and Dad are at work and also at night. Mom put down a big carpet so we could have better traction as neither Binks nor I are too partial to tickety-tickety-ing around on the hardwood. It makes it really hard for us to make our escape when we see Mom coming with that goofy "I wanna smooch you!" look on her face.

One evening, I hopped up on the couch with Mom and gave her a good nudge. "Mom, I want to go back downstairs! I don't like it up here...."

"I know, Fluffy, but until those ants are gone, those traps need to stay put and you bunnies need to stay safely away from them. We will give it a week and see how things are."

"Can I ask - will I be getting any sort of compensation for my unfortunate displacement?"

"Excuse me?"

"You know....will I be rewarded with anything for this major inconvenience? I did have plans, you know. Nutters and Butters were going to swing by the patio doors and we were going to watch a movie together..."

"Really. And what sort of compensation do you thing would be appropriate?"

"Hmmmmm, well I am thinking something along the lines of, oh, I don't know, treats? Like maybe some banana? Or raisins? Cookies? Extra veggie puffs?"

"I see. Well, I will give your request some serious consideration, but for now, I think I actually do have something I can offer you...."

"Really?! What?!"

Then she swoops and scoops me up and buries her face in my tummy making all kinds of stupid "nom-nom" noises and kissing me all over! Like right on the nose and lips! And I am only 3 pounds so there was no getting away from her grip of affection - UGH! Kisses all over! YUCK! PITOUEY!!!!!

Finally she put me down on the floor and you better believe I turned to her and gave her a mighty thump and a grunt! She foiled me, lulled me into a false sense of security and took advantage of my vulnerability! I immediately ran to Binks, who was snoring under the end table and shoved my head under hers, demanding licks to remove those sloppy kisses Mom covered me with. Boy, I don't know if there is enough compensation for that! I need to call my lawyer....

Fluffy

Butters Goes Viral

*sigh* It's hard living with a celebrity squirrel. You may wonder who I am talking about - I am talking about Butters. Nutters and Butters are the neighbourhood squirrels and a few weeks ago, Butters went on holiday to Banff, Alberta. All it took was a chance appearance in someone else's photograph and BOOM! He's a star! Talk about being in the right place at the right time.

In case you didn't hear about his little adventure, read up on it here.

So, ever since that photo was taken and posted on the internet, the fame has gone right to his head. He screams for peanuts all the time. "Hey Fluffy! Tell that Mom of yours to fill up that feeder with peanuts, pronto! Doesn't she know who I am? I'm Crasher Squirrel (his internet nickname)! I can eat at any old feeder I want - she should be so lucky I choose this one!"

"Yeah sure, Butters! Maybe you should button it rather than screech at me from that tree top! Don't like the service? Feel free to eat somewhere else!"

But he still hangs around. He would miss Nutters too much if he left - even if they are not the best of friends, they do find each other good company. But Butters is getting very annoying. He seems to think it's funny to just pop up in any old picture that is being taken. See the one above? There I was, in the backyard trying to relax in the hammock when Mom, overcome with my adorableness, decided to capture the moment. And then, at the very last second, Crasher Squirrel sticks his head in the shot!

"Butters! That's the third picture you've ruined!" Mom scolded. "Oh please! I just made that picture worth big bucks! You could sell it on eBay. Put me on Fluffy's blog! It'll double, even triple the hits!" he said. Who knew fame could wreak such havoc on the mind of a squirrel?

Butters has decided to take his act on the road and go on tour, so keep your eyes peeled. The next time you are about to capture a precious moment, have a quick look around to make sure that fame-seeking Butters isn't lurking nearby, ready to ruin the moment!

Fluffy

Bunny Lessons

This is my friend Patches from Bunspace - isn't he just the cutest little guy with his t-shirt and schoolbooks? With all the kiddies returning to school next week, some of you may wonder - why don't bunnies go to school? Well, I'll tell you why - we don't need to. We already know everything there is to know. In fact, us bunnies could teach school if we really cared to, but it just doesn't fit into our daily schedules of eating, pooping and napping. But there are still some very important things that you can learn from a bunny, and I would like to share a few of them with you right now.....

TOP 5 THINGS YOU COULD LEARN FROM A BUNNY

#5: Keep yourself clean.

We bunnies are a lot like cats - we groom ourselves all the time and take special care to look and smell our best at all times. Got some stray fur sticking up? Either lick it down or pluck it out. Face a little messy from eating? Give it a wash. Got some poop stuck to your bum? Get rid of it. I know a few humans who could learn from these tips......I'm not naming names. No one likes an unkempt, stinky bunny. And besides, the ladies love us when we are looking our handsomest.

#4: Be adorable.

Who doesn't love adorableness? Be cute, be quirky, be funny and amiable. No one likes hanging out with a grouch so remember to put your best face forward. It's a lot easier to make friends when you are in a good mood, plus, the cuter you are, the more treats you get! All I have to do is look at Mom, tilt my head a little, set my helicopter ears askew and the treats rain down on me. Seriously. Try it....

#3: Celebrate happiness.

No matter how big or small, when you're having a happy moment, let the world know it! Life can't be happy all the time, but when it is, and you are really feeling it, do a binky! Run the Bunny 500! Popcorn high in the air! Flip, twist, and jump with glee! Then bunny flop hard and rest up for the next happy moment to hit...

#2: Never underestimate the power of touch.

There is nothing better than a snorgle with the one you love. Sometimes even the slightest physical contact can work wonders for a mood. Whether it be heads touching as you snooze, stretching out side by side or a full-on intense snorglefest, getting close with company, bunny or human alike, has a magical way of lifting the spirits, filling the heart and reviving the soul.

#1: Live life to the fullest.

Want something? Get it. Got treats? Eat 'em! Want to shred that cardboard box? Get working! The point is, us bunnies don't wait for the perfect time. We get an idea and we do it. Rabbits, like all animals in this world, have no concept of time. We don't "wait until the weekend" or "plan to do it later" - we don't know what that is. In fact, we have no idea that a "tomorrow" even exists, we just live in the present. We do what we want, when we want. We live with the consequences and the rewards. We don't hesitate, procrastinate or live with regret. And when our time comes to cross the Rainbow Bridge, we leave this world knowing not a moment was wasted, not an opportunity was missed and our life was lived to it's fullest.

So I hope you have all been taking notes. As all the kiddies in the world head back to school next week, let's keep in mind these few tips for living a full bunny life. All you humans can stand to learn a thing or two from us bunnies.

Pop quiz on Friday....

Fluffy

The Beautiful Things In Life.....

Here is a nice picture of me and Miss Binks enjoying a sunset - well, she's enjoying it - I'm busy looking for food. Mom and Dad took the whole lot of us up to the cottage last weekend where we got to see sunsets like this every day.

It was nice and relaxing up there. Things seem to flow at a much slower pace and mom says all the fresh air makes her want to nap a whole lot. There are all kinds of other animals that hang out with us when we are up there - Redmond and Reggie the red squirrels, Chippy and Stumpy the chipmunks and too many sea gulls and ravens to mention (who knew ravens liked to eat peanuts?). And mom spent some time screeching at the turkey vultures that would circle above us - those nasty things! We aren't dinner for anyone!

It was nice to be somewhere different and see such beautiful things. Sometimes I don't think I take enough time to appreciate how pretty the world is, how pretty my Binksie is or how lucky we are to have the life we do. It was a very special time to sit back and reflect on the gifts that life gives us and how we shouldn't take them for granted.

Part of our appreciation was all because of a very special bunny friend of ours named Trinket. Trinket was a very special little girl who recently passed away after a series of long illnesses. She was such a special girl, very strong and determined as well as wise and beautiful. She had a spirit that was larger than life and a heart so big her little body was simply too small for it. She had a mommy and a daddy who adored her and who are now very lost with her gone.

But Trinket always had such a positive outlook on life. She fought her illnesses with a strong and fierce will to survive. She enjoyed her adventures of going into town and meeting people. And she was loved by so many that it really does seem like the days are just a bit darker with her gone. But that's okay, because at night, up in the sky, Trinket's star shines brightly over all of us. Her love, inspiration and wisdom will never fade and she will always be kept in our hearts. This post is dedicated to the beautiful things in life, to pretty sunsets, snorgles and smooches, bites of banana and our precious friend Trinket.

Rest in peace little T, we love you.

Fluffy

(See the bottom of my blog for some sweet videos featuring Trinket....)