First a bunny, now a longhorn.

For last year's FFA (Future Farmers of America) project, young Miss C raised a baby bunny. Her dad built a bunny-condo for Mr. Chubbs, and the bunny grew from a tiny ball of white fur into a quite pudgy rabbit. C had to bring her adult rabbit to be judged at a FFA-sponsored contest, but Mr. Chubbs didn't win any blue ribbons.

After the contest, C got to keep her bunny throughout the winter, and she was thrilled! As we all knew it would happen, C got attached to that bunny, and I'm sure Mr. Chubbs was attached to her as well. The bunny was tame enough to spend hours quietly sitting in C's lap while she did her homework or watched television. We had quite a few cold snaps this past winter, so C and her parents had to carry that bunny condo from out on the patio into the laundry room, or into the garage--- anything to keep the bunny warm and healthy and out of the cold winds we had during December and January.

I think C's parents got tired of hauling that bunny-house back and forth, but C's two dogs were delighted to have the bunny right close to their dog-beds. I'm sure the two dogs thought they had a real live play-toy when they saw that little white bunny. At one point, C asked me if I would take the bunny--- she said we could put the condo out on our screen-porch and she'd come over to take care of it. I told C that if I didn't already have a full house (one dog and three cats), then I would be delighted to take Mr. Chubbs for her. However, as much as I love that little girl, I just could not make room for one more pet in this house, no matter how cute and how fluffy it is.

Most likely, the never-ending quest of C's dogs' attempts to capture Mr. Chubbs was the ultimate straw that broke the parents' back, and C's mom and dad said enough was enough. The bunny, along with his condo, would have to find a new home. C's dad listed the homemade wood and screen condo on Craig's List, along with a line that said "bunny included." After just a few days, a woman called and said she would like the bunny for her two little girls. They gave Mr. Chubbs and his condo to that lady and her daughters-- for free. C's dad was happy, to have the condo out of his garage, C's mom was happy to have the condo away from her laundry room, and C was thrilled because she knew the two little girls would take good care of Mr. Chubbs. I'm sure C's two dogs weren't pleased that the bunny was now out of their house and out of their reach.

Now for this year's FFA project--- C has convinced her parents to let her raise a longhorn steer. Her dad won't be having to build a corral for the longhorn, since all the steers are kept on local FFA property which has wide pastures and a huge covered barn. C will have to go to the barn every day, to make sure the longhorn has food and water.... she has a driver's license now, so she can easily get there after school, and all during the summer. She also has to brush down the longhorn and keep it reasonably clean. I offered to buy bubble-bath for the steer, but C just laughed and said I was a city girl.

At the end of this project, C will have a full-grown longhorn that will be entered into a contest... the ribbon-winning longhorns will be taken out for mating, or may end up on a dinner plate, for goodness sake. I'm sure C is aware of that part of the project... she's been raised here in Texas, so she knows the deal with beef around here.

I have to wonder, however, if after raising this longhorn, C's culinary choices change from hamburgers to big salads.