Scribbles and Scrambles ~ Bunny Surprise ~ Part 2

Lizzie Bennett Bunny has indeed shocked us.

There are certain things we know about bunnies (and a few new ones, now).

Females can get pregnant when they are about six months old, and can have many, many pregnancies. Many, many. A female can get pregnant the same day she delivers babies, ensuring a never ending supply of cute little fuzzballs in varying stages of cuteness. This, of course, is not ideal for a lot of reasons. We knew that when she had her first batch. New information: From experience...male bunny "stuff" i.e. the baby bunny making component of his side of the equation is apparently strong. Very strong. And survives outside of the body for days.

Remember the mention of Mr. Darcy's inappropriate advances toward Lizzie almost 34 days ago? When we took the advice of a website suggesting that the buck and doe (Mr. Darcy and Lizzie) can have supervised play dates? Yes. That fateful day was indeed supervised. And Mr. Darcy was indeed relentless in his amorous pursuits. He was shut down after his third attempt. But somehow, someway, he was able to get the job done. 

This little guy looks like his brother and sisters. No question on paternity. And why only one little guy? Well, apparently, litter size can be controlled somewhat. A buck and doe together alone for a week can have nice double digit sized litters. But one or two encounters equals one to three sized batches. 

One quick encounter = bunny surprise.

Scribbles and Scrambles ~ Bunny Surprise

The title may seem like a recipe. It is not. Unless, you could call it a recipe in the most general and casual way, like, recipe for disaster. Just to throw that thought out there.

I write this on August 4th. Exactly two months after we rescued Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennett Bunny from the wild and dangerous life they'd found themselves thrust into. 

They are doing well, nary a care in the world. 

When we discovered Mr. Darcy was indeed a Mr....though not a gentleman, and Lizzie was indeed a female, we separated them. 

Clearly, they had been actively bonding in the wild because two weeks later she produced three small sweet potato-like babies. (You can see the whole saga under Bunnies Little Fuzzballs Take Over Our World. ) These darling babies have grown, have found numerous folks who want to adopt them, and are fully weaned and acting completely like adult bunnies. Two will be leaving tomorrow for their new home. Emma, holds a soft spot in &'s heart and will be co-owned by her and a little two-year-old friend who is not quite ready for full bunny ownership. 

Lizzie stands guard over new bun-bun

Then we found a sweet cage on Craig's List, which came with a bunny. The cage was promised elsewhere, but, alas, the bunny was homeless. Enter Charlotte, and then there were six. Two custom built cages later, pounds of seconds of farm Kale, timothy hay and bunny food later, our bunny farm had hit a comfortable rhythm. & has been learning all sorts of fascinating bunny facts, and has developed some sweet bunny handling skills. Once again, I just benefit from the fun part of bunny ownership. 

Then, last Monday, I went outside to check on the bunnies when I got home from work, not unusual behavior, I might add. It's beastly hot out. Over 100 most days, with little breeze and weeks since we've had a reprieve or rain. & bought a fan that circulates and blows on the cages and we put frozen ice bottles in the cages during the hottest part of the day. Rob happened to have been home that day. He came out and asked a weird question. "Are they okay?" Clearly, he could see they were. They were all visible, hopping around, eating, drinking or chilling. I answered as much. "Even this one?" He said and moved a food bowl to the side. 

Behind it was a newborn bunny. One. Just curled up, pink and clean and sound asleep. 

I said, "What the heck? Where did you find that?" 

"In the cage." 

"No way! Did someone do a bunny drop off while we were gone? Did someone find a nest and no mama so they dropped it off?" 

"No one did anything, someone HAD something." 

"WHAT?" 

"Look at it's markings. It's a perfect repeat of the three big babies. The question is how did Mr. Darcy get to Lizzie and make that?"  Then there were seven.

So confused. & may have been more shocked yet. 

So we scratched our heads, was it Charlotte's, and she came to us pregnant, had a baby and it fell from above into the lower cage? While we moved accommodations so mama and baby could be alone together, we had to rule that out. Lizzie was clearly the mama. 

To Be Continued.

 

Scribbles and Scrambles ~ Garden Bounty and Bunny Update ~

We picked one half of our grape harvest tonight. The green ones. Delicious, and enough to make a jar or two of jam. 

Our pumpkin in the trees are turning orange. And are still hanging there, doing their thing. Sorry for the blur. 

Tomatoes are going to be a huge harvest. Our plants are loaded. And we've got some eggplant and peppers close to picking.

The teen bunnies are growing and eating and eating. They might be getting cuter. Two of the three go to their new home on Sunday. And just in time, too. To be continued.

Scraps and Snippets ~ Raspberry Sugared Pecan Spinach Salad Recipe

Raspberry Sugared Pecan Spinach Salad

Serves 4-8 depending on whether side or meal and how hungry folks are. 

Spinach leaves dusted with finely chopped red onions, sugared pecans and whole raspberries.

To sugar pecans toss about a cup of pecan pieces in a skillet. Heat them until they begin to warm and become fragrant. Toss in 2-3 TBSP of sugar and stir, shake or toss until the sugar coats the pecans. Take off heat and let cool. 

Salad:

4-5 handfuls spinach leaves

1/2 a purple onion fine dice

1 Cup sugared pecans

1 Cup raspberries

Dressing (This is bright, brilliant pink) Makes about 1 1/2 cups. Store leftovers in the fridge.

1 and ½ cups raspberries (frozen or smooshed ones work great!)

1/8 to ¼ cup of lemon juice (to taste)

1 tsp spicy mustard (or to taste)

2 tsp agave syrup (or to taste if you want sweeter, add more)

Whir the dressing ingredients in high speed blender (or food processor) until all incorporated and smooth. 

Scraps and Snippets ~ Salty Pirates Argh or Pretzel Chocolate Chip Cookies

Salty Pirates (Pretzel Chocolate Chip Cookies)

All I could think about when seeing this recipe come alive in my mind, was pirates. Argh. Why? Good question. But I think it's the whole salt thing. Pretzels argh salty. And Salty Dogs argh crusty sea-goers. And well, pirates sail to islands in search of treasargh and, conceivably, coconut oil. So there we go. These crunchy cookies taste a little caramelly (due to the brown sugar),salty with a wee hint of peanut butter and chocolate. Dargh I say almost worth a plank walk to get em? 
 

3/4 Cup peanut butter

1/2 Cup coconut oil
1 and 1/2 Cup packed brown sugar 

3 Flax Eggs (3 TBSP ground flaxseed, 9 TBSP water)
2/3 Cup applesauce

2 Cups finely crushed pretzels (mallet or food processor)
1 and 1/2 Cups coarsely crushed pretzels
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 teaspoons baking powder

1 3/4 Cups flour (I use either whole wheat pastry or a blend of unbleached all purpose and white whole wheat)
2 Cups chocolate chips

Put flax and water together and let gel while crushing pretzels (It takes approximately 3-4 cups pretzels to equal about 1 cup of crushed/powdered depending on size etc of pretzel).

Add the peanut butter, applesauce and sugar to the flax gel and mix thoroughly. Add in coconut oil and vanilla. Add salt, baking powder and stir thoroughly. Add finely crushed pretzels and flour, mix well. Finally, stir in chocolate chips and coarsely crushed pretzels.

Roll or drop spoonfuls onto greased baking sheet. Bake at 350 for 12 minutes.  Makes 72-80 cookies.

Scraps and Snippets ~ Chocolate Orange Cup Cookies, and Mint-Fudge Candy

Chocolate Orange Cups 
Makes 24

1 cup coconut oil
Juice/zest of one orange
1/2 cup sugar
2 1/4 cup flour
1/4 tsp salt

Combine ingredients well. Place in refrigerator 10-15 minutes. If you chill the dough longer, you will need to let it sit out a bit so it become pliable.

Roll the dough into walnut sized balls. Press them into mini muffin tins and press down with your thumb so dough forms a cup. Bake at 350 for 13 minutes.

While cookies are baking put together the filling ingredients.

The filling makes a double batch. Save the remainder and eat it. Double the cookie shells or do what I did.

Keep reading.

Fudge Filling Fills 48 candies or cookies

1 2/3 cup melted chocolate chips
1 pkge of silken tofu
3 TBSP cocoa powder
2 TBSP agave
2 TBSP non-dairy milk
1 tsp vanilla
1/8 tsp salt

Blend together until a chocolatey silky deliciousness forms.

When the cookie shells are cool. Place a dollop of chocolate cream in each one. Refrigerate until firm and store them there.

With the remainder of the chocolate filling make delicious mint cups. Add 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon mint extract and stir well. Error on using too little mint rather than too much. If you want more minty flavor you can add it, but you can't undo overminty.

Melt additional chocolate chips with a bit of coconut oil. Stir.

Fill foil candy cups, silicone molds, greased mini muffin tins with melted chocolate chips. Spread chocolate in cup until the chocolate becomes a cup. Place in fridge until they cool and harden. Remove and with a bag with a hole in the corner, a spoon, whatever, fill the cup with fudge. Return to fridge.

Scribbles and Scrambles ~ Bits From the Homestead

You haven't seen bunny pictures in awhile. So here's a picture of Edward Screwy-ears. One ear droops the other does not. How cute is that? The first couple of days it flopped he walked with a tilt.

 On my way out to the car the other morning I noticed a squawking mama bird and a rustling in the weeds (I'd say grass, but I must be honest, Creeping Charlie is not considered grass). A nestling was hopping it's way to the safety of the bushes.

My folks have a burbling fountain that apparently has another purpose, as a bird bath.

& poses with her first potato harvest. More coming in a week or two.

Our compost pile contained many squash guts and pumpkin seeds. Something took root and took over a 6 x 8 garden section. I don't know that you can see the really, really high squash/pumpkin hanging 6 feet up in the yew bushes. This should be an interesting process as it unfolds.

A closer view of another "fruit" of the vine that is a bit closer to the ground. Only four feet up in the bushes.