Say hello to Giselle.

I figure I can write about this in 1000 ways, but it makes sense to introduce you directly.

No. 393952, Type: Rabbit, Intake Date: 8/13/07, Reason: Owner Surrender, Weight: 7.3 lbs, Est Birthdate: 4/1/07, Breed: Himalayan x, Status: Active

Giselle.

That's my girl. One of 15 (at the moment) and one of the most beautiful creatures on this earth.

Rabbits are different than cats or dogs. Oh, I don't just mean how they are predators or prey. It's more than that. It's a way of seeing the world and how they interact with it. They are pastoral.

Main Entry:

¹pas·to·ral

Pronunciation:

\ˈpas-t(ə-)rəl\

Function:

adjective

Etymology:

Middle English, from Latin pastoralis, from pastor herdsman

Date:

15th century

1 a (1): of, relating to, or composed of shepherds or herdsmen (2): devoted to or based on livestock raising b: of or relating to the countryside : not urban c: portraying or expressive of the life of shepherds or country people especially in an idealized and conventionalized manner <pastoral poetry> d: pleasingly peaceful and innocent : idyllic

That's not to say they don't fight. They do. But their experience of life is grazing. No feral hunt, no killing, no ripping a being apart or 'just practicing' how to kill it.

It's such a difference.

These guys literally saved my butt.

I realized just yesterday how much I've kept silent about them on this blog. I fear people roll their eyes. But hey, if this blog is about life--my life--then it's about these guys too.