Bunny Petra died in May of last year; Milkweed in May of this year; and now Clay. Clay was a golden Palomino, big, handsome, clever, insistent on his way, irascible, not easy to get along with - but then neither am I, so I can hardly hold that against someone. I had him for 6 of his 7 years and we gradually found a way to rub along together - literally, he could absorb petting for ages, which endears any creature to me. He also had a terrific appetite for scraps from veggies I grew, another way to my heart.

His health declined precipitously in the last two weeks, the vet figured kidney disease or cancer, he was a respectable age in bunny years, and it would have been unlikely-to-impossible to restore him to health. Unlike with Milkweed or Petra, I was prepared for him to die, and he softened away to nothing in my arms.

That leaves me only one bunny, the elderly and asocial Sugar, which is obviously not enough to use up my extra garden produce, let alone provide a vessel for all my bunny-love. So, more bunnies soon, I hope. For now, some more grieving - though not as hard as with Milkweed, lagomorphic love of my life.