Showing posts with label rabbits. Show all posts
Showing posts with label rabbits. Show all posts

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Cuteness overload...

Warning: Saccharine sweetness ahead. Continuing to view this blog may induce cuddling behaviors.

Ok, I warned you. We spent the last few days in upstate NY visiting Mr. Z's family one last time before he moves far far away (to Lubbock, TX). While there, we met with several of the wedding vendors and did other useful, productive things. When not doing productive things, I spent the rest of the visit doing what I always do while there... oogling my future-mother-in-laws bunnies and pestering Mr. Z to get me one of my own.

That's right, Mr. Z's mom raises rabbits. And not just any old boring rabbits, angora rabbits. Super fluffy, incredibly soft, cuddle-inducing bunnies. You don't believe me?? check 'em out.


you can't honestly tell me you don't want to squeeze it.


If you are a knitter, you've probably fondled skeins of angora in the yarn shop, or better yet knit with it. (I'm too poor at the moment to buy angora, but I'm definitely guilty of yarn shop fondling). Or maybe you own an angora sweater, and you know how incredibly soft it is against your skin. Well before it makes it to a sweater, or even a ball of yarn, it looks like this.


Or these.



Did you know that rabbits cool themselves with their ears? If its too hot when they are little, their ears grow too big and flop over. This next little guy can't be a show rabbit because angoras have to have "uppy-ears" (that's the *ahem* technical term I just made up) and he has one floppy one. Mr. Z informs me that Lops, which are supposed to have floppy ears, sometimes have uppy-ears so they tape quarters to them to make them drop. that's your fun fact of the day. don't tell PETA.


Ok, Mr. Z has informed me that since the ear isn't all the way down, he might be able to show. This is me having a conversation with Mr. Cottontail here about not using his little bunny talons to try to climb my torso. I tried to smuggle him home in my shirt but Mr. Z caught me.


this is a giant angora. he has funny ear tassels. and creepy red eyes.


and just in case you weren't choking on the cuteness, I saved the best for last.


if you did not say aww, you have no soul.

Tuesday, May 6, 2008

fiber-y goodness

This past Sunday we spent the day at the Ohio Expo Center at the fairgrounds perusing lots of furry beasts. That's because this weekend, Columbus hosted both the Ohio State Rabbit Breeders Show and Sale, and the Buckeye Alpaca Show.

Our original plan had been to meet my future mother-in-law at the rabbit show. She raises angoras and would have been there, had a family emergency not mandated that she stay home instead. We did still meet up with one of her friends, who was carting off some rabbits that she had just purchased on behalf of Mr. Z's mum. They were NOT angora, so apparently she's expanding back into having other breeds.

I realllllly wish I hadn't forgotten my camera. There were so many adorable different rabbits! I had no idea there were so many uniquely different breeds. It has renewed my persistence in pestering Mr. Z for a house rabbit. I will not, however, be getting an angora rabbit, despite the fiber potential... that hair is WAY too much work. You can see a few of the rabbits we saw, including a fully fluffed angora, on knittycrafty, as she joined us on the expedition.

After the rabbit show, we moved on to alpacas, by far my favorite part of the day. They are all woolly and funny looking, unless they've been sheared. In which case they look delightfully gangly. Mr. Z and I have been discussing the possibility of having some sort of large-ish animals once we buy a place in Lubbock, and we were both really impressed with the alpacas. Not too big, easily managable, and far cheaper than a horse. I think we both agreed that they are a definite possibility.

Not that any of you are probably interested in getting an alpaca, but I will plug Land of Legends Alpacas. There was a young kid (ok, he was probably like twenty, but still) that was very informative, and friendly without being too pushy. We had a very enjoyable chat with him, and he even gave me some advice as to which type would be best if looking for fiber to spin. Speaking of fiber...



...the best part was the yarn! Unfortunately there was no angora at the rabbit show, though we did get to try some bunny jerky. But the alpaca show didn't let us down. There was lots of yarn and knitted goods. I got a skein similar to j's but in a different color. You can hardly turn down 600 yards (!!) of pure alpaca for thirty dollars. Well a non-knitter could maybe... but not us.