Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Ermine the Mother Hare

Today I ran out to mail a package and stop at our local independent grocery store. I was lucky enough to find some super fresh kale. When I arrived home, I found our post office lady delivering a package, just as our grey sky opened up, letting snow flakes fall.

Ermine had arrived!

I had been waiting anxiously for her to make it here, all the way from Edinburgh, Scotland. I was one of the lucky winner's in the 2010 Winter Raffle to benefit RNGP in Rugby, England (Rabbit & Guinea Pig Rescue). You can learn more about Ermine and the raffle by visiting this page of the House Dragon of Yuen's blog. I could spend hours at this blog, losing myself in the stories and charming creations of Annette and other talented artists she features. Follow the link to Annette's shop and discover her hares, bunnies, and squirrels.

I thought it was timely that a brief snow squall happened as she was arriving as Ermine was named after the winter coat of a stoat.

Copied from Wikipedia:
The stoat or ermine, Mustela erminea, is a small predatory mammal of the family Mustelidae. It is also known as a Shorttail (or Short-tailed) Weasel and less frequently as the ermelin. Sometimes "ermine" refers to the animal only when it has white fur in the winter, and in this case "stoat" only refers to it when it has brown fur.

I had never heard of a stoat. It is also timely, in that, my last blog post talks about weasels and badgers.

The snow quickly stopped, and blue sunny skies are with us now. Ermine has settled in. She tasted her favorite food, fresh kale. She had her photo taken with Miss Sweet Pea. She is looking forward to meeting Gemmie (both have the biggest dark brown eyes). She'll be spending much of her time sitting in the writing arm windsor chair my father made me, watching the wild birds and squirrels through the window. At least until spring arrives, then she may become one of the only bunnies welcome in my garden.
Sweet Pea and Ermine the Mother Hare

6 comments:

makingstuffwithlove said...

Congrats on this wonderful prize you won! And what a nice post! You have such a darling furbaby in that beautiful chair posing with this sweet new addition to your home.

Art and Sew Forth said...

I am jealous!! I entered that contest, too! I so love Annette's work. Congrats! I'm glad Ermine has found a wonderful loving home! And glad money was raised for rabbits and guinea pigs!

Michele Lynch Art said...

What a wonderful surprise to get today! Ermine is wonderful! Your baby dog is soooo sweet every time I see a picture you can just see it! xo Michele

Giupetto and Gianna Tails said...

First of all I LOVE Sweet Pea!
That rabbit is really nice. Great prize, and really interesting blog.

AngelPups said...

Your bunny and your puppy are both beautiful!! Lucky you!! ;-)
Kelly & Crew
Big Mac, Molly & Moxie
angelpupscreations.blogspot.com

Annette Tait said...

Sue I am so glad Ermine has arrived safely!
I can see she is completely at home with adorable Sweet Pea!!! I am sure she is getting snuggles galore and I thank you so, so much for entering the raffle and helping the furries! You have a big heart :)
sending kisses to Ermine and Sweet Pea and Farf, Pepie and Gemma xxx
many thanks!
Annette