Back at Last:)

It's been a long time since I've posted (I mean really, obscenely long:( ), and I think that every year from now on at this time I will have to take a formal break from blogging until the baseball season is over because with 3 kids going in 3 different directions for MONTHS there is little time for anything but cooking, cleaning, sleeping (if I'm lucky:)) and washing uniforms. Whew!!

Anyway, the season is mostly over now, so it is time to get caught up on rabbit stuff again. I did manage to get my barn pulled apart and deep cleaned several weeks ago, so everyone is now housed in a bright, clean, shiny, happy barn:). I bred LOTS of babies over the spring/summer---probably more than I've bred in years----so now it is a matter of weaning those litters off and evaluating them several weeks later to determine who stays around and who has their destinies decided elsewhere. Since so many babies were born this spring I have decided to give my does the summer off and not breed again til the fall. Clearly this was a good choice since along with everyone else on the eastern seaboard (and the entire country!), we are having HORRIBLE high temps that have more than likely rendered all the bucks sterile.

Tomorrow we have another near-100 degree day here, and then it is supposed to cool down somewhat. I've spent most of the last few days shearing as many rabbits as possible down to the skin. Aside from a few of the French adults growing in showcoats (who will be lounging in the basement to stay cool), there is no reason to keep anyone else in coat in these high temperatures.

I have found that the Giants, especially, suffer terribly in this weather. Notwithstanding their thicker, more insulative coats, they also have the problem of heavy ear and facial furnishings which prevent them from dissipating heat the way a clean-headed rabbit breed would. FAs seem to handle the weather well and so do Satin Angoras, but as long as any wool rabbit is either sheared or kept groomed so that no matting occurs to make it even hotter, most are able to cope well and get through these dog days of summer:(.

More again this weekend as I can get some pictures taken of the latest buns and get my show on the road once more:). I may be making a trip to the state of VA sometime later this summer and bringing buns down south as a result. Stay tuned for more details!

Have a great week and STAY COOL:-)