Eastern Cottontail rabbit

I have a special fondness for rabbits. Probably if we had more of them, and they were a nuisance in my vegetable garden, I wouldn't think so favorably about them. We live in a small town that's quite suburban in character, really; although we're not in the 'suburbs,' we're not totally rural anymore, either. There's plenty of open space here, but it's increasingly punctated by a mix of houses, pop-up malls, etc.

Rabbits are a scarce commodity around here. I always enjoy spotting one on a morning walk or in our garden.

Growing up, I loved The Story of Peter Rabbit and all of the other Beatrix Potter tales. My mom even gave me a collection of Beatrix Potter stories as a keepsake as a young adult.

So I was delighted to see this large rabbit in the front meadow this morning. S/he was nibbling on grasses, and looks like quite the robust specimen.