They're Back!

Last year, right around this same time, I started cleaning out the weeds from my tiny strawberry patch. This patch is something I started when we moved here from a friend's kind donation of strawberry plants that thrived under their loving care. Unfortunately, ours has not done as well! I don't know if it is due to our lack of gardening skills or the relentless pursuit of our "chipmunks" that have wreaked havoc on our poor patch. They guard "their" berries day and night and happily pluck them just before they are ripe. The most strawberries I've collect in a year from this everbearing patch is 11!! And that is from 8 (now 7) plants!!!

Last year, as I was cleaning out the patch, I accidentally uncovered a small bed of baby bunnies! It was an unfortunate discovery, as I learned that once you touch this patch, the mother will not return. With the help of a local animal care person, we concluded after 24 hours that the mother would not be returning, and this woman came to collect and raise these adorable 5 bunnies. The were actually quite large, most likely 5 weeks old, so we did pretty good in not disrupting nature until the weeds got in the way!

This year, I thought we were in the clear. I'd pulled out all the fencing that had protected them last year, sprayed some weeds with weed killer early on and to me, there were few signs of a nest, although I did see a bit of fur. I left it untouched just in case! Yesterday evening, the girls were talking about seeing a couple rabbits in our neighborhood, and it reminded me of last year. I was thinking they most likely had found a safer location to have and raise their bunnies, especially after last year!

So, last night, when T went out to grill and had us come out to see the HUGE rabbit in our neighbors yard, I turned to peak at that strawberry patch right next to our back steps and almost lost my breath! There, still as ever, was mama rabbit, clearly feeding her little bunnies. I quickly motioned to T and Em to get back inside fast, and as they did momma bunny took off, leaving her nest in a shambles. The cute tiny babies made their own way back into the beautiful nest just after T took a picture. After what I had learned last year, we resisted the urge to "help" the bunnies, and left the nest just as the mama had. We knew that if we touched anything the babies would be abandoned. We also knew that if mama didn't return last night, we'd have to call our nature friend again.

This morning we were all relieved to see that mama had returned sometime last night and put that little nest back together. We are not going to touch it this time and pray that the snakes don't find those poor little bunnies. I have also resigned myself to the fact that once those little bunnies are ready to hop around and eat more than mama's milk, my strawberry plants will be history!! Oh, well - for the girls, this is a great lesson in being stewards of all God gave us and allowing nature to reign even in our own suburban backyard!