As I was waiting for the press-conference to start, listening to RTE on this machine, what should I spot through the window, bounding through the Labyrinth beds, but a hare. Not our usual demure greyish resident hare, who is a good neighbour - almost a lodger - of whom we are proud, despite her partiality for crocuses, and latterly scabious, but a larger almost ginger creature. Susanna called me to watch him as he broke cover on the Lime Alley.
And then we saw the two of them. Our demure resident is definitely female! They were at it. Repeatedly, though each tryst was quite short. He was enthusiastic, and she was up for it, though I think he must have been a bit rough, judging from the little tufts of fur I discovered later. And then we spotted a very much smaller hare loitering not far away - a teenager perhaps, excited to see the grown ups behaving oddly?
Later on our demure resident disappeared, very sensibly, because a second big ginger fellow appeared. The two guys were not at all friendly, racing after each other, and scrapping - Susanna saw them box a bit, but I missed that. Jealousy over a woman is a terrible thing to watch. Neither one would back down, but eventually they disappeared into the distance in the next field.
I fancy this would be the song of our demure resident, in the words of the Song of Solomon (no one can persuade me it's about anything but sexual passion!):
I am a rose of Sharon, a lily of the valleys.
As a lily among brambles,
so is my love among maidens.
As an apple tree among the trees of the wood,
so is my beloved among young men.
With great delight I sat in his shadow,
and his fruit was sweet to my taste.
He brought me to the banqueting house,
and his intention was love.
Sustain me with raisins, refresh me with apples;
for I am faint with love.
O that his left hand were under my head,
and that his right hand embraced me!
We look forward to seeing leverets in the near future!
