<![CDATA[The Gardens Gazette - Harvey Resident Rabbit]]>

<![CDATA[The Gardens Gazette - Harvey Resident Rabbit]]>Sat, 04 Jul 2026 03:21:56 -0700Weebly<![CDATA[A Basket of Adorable]]>Sun, 30 Oct 2016 00:09:11 GMThttps://www.thegardensgazette.org/harvey-resident-rabbit/a-basket-of-adorableA Basket of Adorable – Harvey,
as told to Mieke Tazelaar

I have been wondering where my old friend, Monet, has been! Yesterday, I saw him, sitting in his basket, accompanied by his Mom, Judy. I hopped up to say hello, and he was excited to see me. He has long ears, too, but they flop down, rather than perk up, like mine. He is adorable, with those ears and white notch on the top of his head. He told me that he and Judy have moved from Arrowhead to live with Leslie, Judy’s daughter.

(Hey, Monet, are those your long shapely legs, or are they part of the walker?

A curious rabbit friend wants to know.)

He is a great protector and watch dog for his mom, and quite proud of her. Judy was a star in the Arrowhead Radio Plays, especially with her character, Carol Quibble. Monet did not go to those performances, because only people were allowed. But I sneaked in for him, and gave him a full report. I am mostly invisible to humans, but can be seen by animals. I could tell him how fine and funny Judy was in those plays. I laughed so hard sometimes, that I snortled. *

For Monet’s sake, I also appeared (or rather, disappeared) at the Christmas concerts, where Judy sang a solo every year – White Christmas, accompanied by Pam on her cello. Judy has a beautiful deep contralto voice, and she brings the audience, and me, close to tears when she sings this song.

Monet was happy to be back at Arrowhead, taking a walk and greeting old friends. He has suggested to Judy that she comes back several times a week so he can ride in the basket and take a walk to sniff out the old territory. I hope so! I miss him, and Judy would like to stay connected, as well, with her human friends.

*snortle: 1) Combination of a snort and a chortle, often accompanied by a trajectory of coffee ejected from the nostrils. 2) Combination of a chortle and a snicker – not quite as volatile.

Received 10-18-2016

]]><![CDATA[Mieke Meets Harvey]]>Mon, 03 Oct 2016 06:43:11 GMThttps://www.thegardensgazette.org/harvey-resident-rabbit/mieke-meets-harveyPart 1: Harvey's appearance on the Sun Room Deck

Harvey came to Arrowhead in 2013, and resided on the deck of Building D until I “discovered” him one day, sitting in a galvanized horse trough used as a pea patch.

We got to talking, and I discovered that he enjoys writing, and has always wanted to be a reporter. He has been able to make his voice heard on the Straight Arrow News for Arrowhead Gardens, and he has much more to say.
He encounters many pets that live in the community, and decided he would interview them, so now he has his own blog on this web site. He uses several people as his photographer.

Mieke Tazelaar

Mieke Meets Harvey

I entered the Sun Room of Building D and sat down by a window to read. However, I couldn’t concentrate. Something told me to go outside. I decided to give in to the urge and opened the door to the deck.

I heard a raspy whisper:
Psst! Here!

I looked around, but saw no one.
No, to your left! Look down.

I don’t see you, whoever you are, I said, growing more curious.
That’s what they all say. Try harder!

I followed the sound, and my eyes focused on a gray form, surrounded by plants, on the dirt inside a galvanized tub.
You’re getting warm. Now concentrate.

I did, and an image emerged of a gray rabbit. “You’re a rabbit,” I said. “You can’t talk.”
Of course I can. I’ve been talking ever since you were a small girl.

Really? What’s your name?
Harvey, at your service, Ma’am.

That’s the name of an old movie. Nobody could see that rabbit, except James Stewart. Elwood.
That’s who he played. You’re right, no one else could see me, but I’ve learned I can be seen by people who aren’t completely normal, like Elwood.

Oh, so now you’re saying that I’m not completely normal.
Draw your own conclusions. This place is boring, and I’m hungry.

It’s February. What do you expect?
Lettuce. Or my favorite, carrots!

Be patient! Soon, you’ll be surrounded with flowers and tomato plants. Has anybody else seen you?
A few. Most hear my voice but hurry back inside, shaking their heads.

So I’m not the only one who’s crazy?
I never said crazy.

Well, that makes me feel better, sort of! Hey, would you like company once in a while? I might enjoy conversing with a talking rabbit.
Sure. That will pass the time. Bring a trowel and seeds. Carrots, remember!

Harvey needs company, so why not pay him a visit? Don’t be alarmed if you can’t hear him. Just talk. He’ll understand, as long as you bring him a carrot.

Copyright 2016 Mieke Tazelaar All Rights Reserved

]]><![CDATA[Harvey's Cat Chats]]>Mon, 03 Oct 2016 06:41:28 GMThttps://www.thegardensgazette.org/harvey-resident-rabbit/harveys-cat-chatsPart 2: Star-crossed Lovers

I’m in love, and she’s not even my species. While strolling along through the courtyard between C and D, on my usual rounds to see how the carrots and lettuce were coming along in my favorite pea patches, I met a gorgeous creature, wearing a truly stunning jacket. I stopped in my tracks, totally mesmerized, as her lovely face came close to mine. She kissed me on the nose, but seemed a bit confused.

So she sidled up next to me, and before I knew what was happening, she checked out my nether regions. Her sensitive feline nose was not picking up a predictable scent. After all, as I have told you in the past, the only people that can see me are those who are not completely normal, but this does not apply to animals. They see me just fine, but I smell odd to them.

We got to talking, and I learned that her name is Belle. Belle takes care of Polly in Building C, and wakes her up in the morning. She gets Polly out the patio door by putting her on a leash and walking her through the courtyard. She occasionally tries to catch a mouse or a bird for her human, but the leash holds her back from pouncing on perfectly good dinner fare. I can relate. I am prevented from sinking my teeth into a beautifully ripe tomato and giving it to my human. People just don’t understand.

You’d have to see this cat, Belle, to fully appreciate her beauty. She is proud of her breed – a Bi-color Seal Point Rag Doll – long-haired and mostly white, but her face is dark brown, as is her tail. I asked her if she could meet me some night by the rose arbor, but she is not allowed out after dark, and sneaking out is something she would never do.

Maybe that’s just her excuse. We could never be “an item,” as the expression goes, something that I cannot fully accept as yet. So I’d like to think of us as star-crossed lovers. Maybe in the next life, we will both be squirrels born in neighboring trees.

]]><![CDATA[Harvey's Dog Blogs]]>Mon, 03 Oct 2016 06:38:37 GMThttps://www.thegardensgazette.org/harvey-resident-rabbit/harveys-dog-blogsPart 3: A Three-Pug Site

As I hop around the grounds of Arrowhead Gardens, I am invisible to most people, but the dogs who live here see me just fine. Dog owners, you may have noticed your pets suddenly staring straight ahead and sniffing, and wondered why they are intrigued by something you can’t see.

Well, it’s probably me, Harvey. For years, I have observed a pug named Brummbar, totally black, walking in and out of Building D with her Dad, Tom. But then, a lady named Elaine moved in with her pug, Evie, this one totally white. Lately, another pug, named Mesa, a bit more brown in his coat, has advised Pat and Doug to choose Building D, since he wants to be close to the two females of his kind.

We all finally got together for a photo op. I had a bit of trouble herding them into a space where they could be photographed. After all, they are dogs, not sheep. Getting them all to sit together perfectly still and facing my photographer, was a dream that just would not come true, but they did enjoy sniffing each other and tangling their leashes.

They each told me their story. Brummbar has a lot of responsibility. She is Tom’s social secretary. He consults her before he commits to an appointment or date, so she can check her calendar. They often go out together, but when she just wants to sleep, he is allowed to launch out on his own for a few hours. Brummbar loves treats, and recognizes the humans who carry them around. This is a pretty universal phenomenon, I have noticed, with dogs of all breeds. Brummbar is an impressive package – a shiny coat of black and a stocky body. She is named after a German tank, which is quite fitting for her.

If for some reason Tom leaves without her consent, Brummbar lets him know with her special vocabulary: “Wowl, wowl, wowl,” a combination of a woof and a howl. It’s very effective, and Tom vacillates between feeling guilty and amused, when he listens to her plea.

Evie has two loves in her life: Elaine and doggy treats. In what order? That is unclear. Evie’s social life has greatly improved since moving to Arrowhead, because she not only gets fed, but petted and massaged by many hands. She has learned that not all humans are dog owners, but many are “wannabes,” who carry treats in their pockets.

She also loves going home, however, with her beloved Elaine, whom she seldom lets out of her sight. She guides her human to the elevator, and once arriving on the third floor, she waits for Elaine to toss a Kibble down the hall. She chases it, waits for another, and then runs home, so that Elaine will know which door to open. If, for some reason, Elaine leaves without her, which is almost never, Evie sets up a pitiful cry that tears at the heart of anyone within earshot.

Mesa is an old, wise, laid-back dog – totally mellow. He is rather quiet, but when he wants to say something, his comments are musical and expressive. He has not been here very long, and has not caught on completely to the endless treats cornucopia. He is more slender than the girls, and this may be why, although there could be another reason. Mesa gets to choose his food. His devoted owners, Pat and Doug, provide him each day with a smorgasbord – three dishes, and amazingly, Mesa will zero in on one meal, and it might be different each day, because he seems to like variety. He will chow this down completely, and then be perfectly sated and content. Tom and Elaine were amazed at this, telling Doug and Pat that their dogs would eat all three meals and not quit until they either finished them or exploded.

An exploding pug? I’m trying to wrap my mind around that: not be a pretty sight!

But Mesa may have a really good reason – he needs to be handsome and desirable to the two ladies.

I have been intrigued by our pug residents, and I’m glad to get to know them better. If any other pug-owning humans move into Arrowhead, I hope they will choose Building D.

Harvey – as told to Mieke Tazelaar

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