niyasisk

65 Creative Non-Fiction Essays with Rabbit, Dakota ~ Becoming a Book!

I started Niya's Place, Chronicles of Life, Love and Rabbits in 2005 after adopting the most human rabbit I've ever met. That would be our main character in these essays, Dakota. I liked him right off the bat when I went into the feed store in Portland Oregon. It turned out he had earned a reputation in the store as the 'troublesome' rabbit. I was advised to wait for another 'better behaved' rabbit. They tried to charm me by showing me all the other 'better' rabbits. She picked up Dakota and he let her know immediately he didn't like her much. He managed to turn his hind legs up and kick her in the face. She sprayed him with a water bottle and if looks could kill she'd have been buried many times by this guy. I asked if I could give it a shot. I put him in the crook of my neck and he relaxed so fast I thought he was dead. His back legs dropped and he lay there like he hadn't slept in days. And that was it. I took him home and his brother for company to him. He's been a hellion and a lover his whole life. He lets you know exactly what's okay and not okay. He seems to think he's way taller than any human on the planet. And I'm certain I broke his heart when I didn't crawl into his pen and sleep with him on his first night and every night after because we have completely and utterly fallen in love.

Ever since then, his attitude has a life of it's own that I can only honor in observation and creative writing. Thus, Niya's Place. Since it began it's remained devoted to his expression and the drama of his life as it's unfolded. Now as he ages, he's become as old men can, more affectionate, more dependent, hornier for his mate, Caila (he seems to have forgotten he was neutered to calm this constant urge), and more like a person. He's become family and he keeps everyone together (3 rabbits total now).

I've also matured as a writer by writing this blog over the years. I had finished up my MFA in fiction when I adopted him and had written a few stories from an animals point of view. I have a big appreciation for writers with this type of empathy and imagination. Paul Auster is a good example. This blog was great practice for me. It's opened my eyes to the world in many ways. By observing Dakota and turning that into verse I've learned that whatever we love consistently and nurture changes and changes us as well. A garden, a product, a book, a painting, a relationship with a child, mate, etc. Rabbits aren't meant to live in tiny cages and neither are our imaginations or hearts. 

All that said, I'm now in the process of transitioning Niya's Place into a blog about developing a writers life (and all that entails) while producing Dakota's journey into a book of the 65 essays written here. My hope is to create a book full of high quality photos, the essays from this blog and illustrations that exposes audiences to how wonderful rabbits are as a household pet. And my hope is that more rabbits are treated with the love and respect of dogs and cats as people write the stories they experience (and they are more and more). Rabbits give as good as they get (and more). But so many people don't know this because our exposure to rabbits as a culture is that they are coyote snacks or they sit in a box in someone's backyard. Still though, it's changing. Rabbits are becoming the new dog. Rabbits are intensely family oriented. They bond and that's it. You are their family and it's quite an honor. And they are very amusing! 

So, onward. I'm very grateful to Dakota for being the complex little macho rabbit he is. And to my audience who follow his page on FB and comment here and have given lots of love and support. We love you back!

Stay tuned. Announcements within the year about the new book with these essays. From here on out you will see more posts about developing as a writer seeking an agent and publication of several projects. 

Thank you!

3,234 lbs of unconditional love

I was watching one of those animal hero shows. This one took place in Arizona.

Imagine this: A small house. Two middle aged men--brothers. 49 dogs. 49 dogs inbred. The dogs were all about the same size and weight, approximately 66 lbs. Most had the same illnesses due to the in-breeding.

The one man was very choked up when the animal rescue took them all to the animal hospital to take care of their health issues. He didn't know if he would ever see them again. In the next scene the woman in charge of the situation had taken him aside and told him exactly what he needed to do to get some of them back.

He had to clean his house.

Now, because the house was so stinky and messy from two men and 49 dogs living in it for several years this took several weeks. As for the dogs, many had to be euthanized given their state of health. And many were restored and given to good homes. But this is what got to me... When the woman came back and inspected the house and it checked out, she returned 7 of the 49 dogs. She said it was clear that the dogs loved these men and the men loved the dogs. The man admitted that in his experience this is the only way to have so much unconditional love and it got out of control.

49 dogs x 66 lbs each is 3,234 lbs of out of control love and health risk. So, this is my convaluted way of wishing you all thousands of lbs of unconditional love, (but maybe skip the in-breeding part). Risk it all, why not?  

-------------------------------------------------------------

I did run this story by Dakota (of course)--he was smug about it all (of course)--His attitude was why stuff a house with 49 dogs when one rabbit will do?

SEVEN

  

SEVEN. 

Not a commentary on rabbit man's sex appeal in this image. Nope...

...Dakota, our little heartthrob rabbit is now seven years old. A verifiable, undeniable state senior citizen in the animal nation. Given Dakota's unusual disposition in the family as one who owns, gets, takes, steal hearts and tangles the minds around him, old age is doing him some good.

One simple word: NEED.

Us females like it. No longer is he able to swagger and growl his way through his days under the illusion that it's sexy and cool to dominate as us females roll our eyes in well worn patience. 

Now he 'needs' us. He's a mush ball who requires more attention than a dog in heat or a baby in need of diapers. Whether he dives under his wife's belly for warmth and protection or crawls on me on the couch to lick my nose, the guy seems to be getting how good he's got it. 

Finally! 

He was worth it. Seven years. We've lived all over the country. The leader of the pack, he's taken on the illnesses, the stresses, the confusions and sailed through like a champ. 

Happy Birthday Dakota, you are the handsomest rabbit man I have ever met. And I think I'm in good company on that opinion. 

Note: Dakota has a fan page now. As a dirty old man he needs the digital pheromones. 

.....................

Dakota: Ahem! Uh, don't you think it might be you who needs to be needed - you being female and all?

Niya: We all need that a little bit. Male or female.

Dakota: Yeah, but check your facts. Last time I checked I was a world class rabbit stud. I don't 'need' anyone, they need me. I even have my own fan page.

Niya: I understand.

Dakota: ...smug silence...

Dog or Cat? Answer: Rabbit!

 

 

They litter train themselves. They purr. They will lick your hands to groom you. When they get bored, they rearrange their own furniture to spice things up. They come when you call their name, and their poops don’t stink (and they know it). So, why don’t more people have these soft, affectionate, smart creatures as pets? Further, why are they often found in a two-foot square cage outside often on the brink of death from freezing or sweltering temperatures?

Education and lack thereof seems to be part of the answer—at a more rudimentary level, the food chain. Bears and big cats will eat your dog. Coyotes will eat your cats. We eat rabbits along with coyotes and birds and many other predators. We stopped eating dog and cat (except in China and Korea) centuries ago when their value to society became commonplace.

Friend or food?

This confusion is partly history and partly fashion. It’s on the face of most people that I share little rabbit stories with. I’ll say, “My bunny lay at my feet when I turn off the lights at night for his nightly snuggles and begins to purr before I touch him.” The look is complete bafflement. “But I thought rabbits are just big rodents.” One woman said. A man said to me, “Food!” and continued on with how dumb they are and basically as useless as a potato bug. I punched him hard, in the arm.

Humor aside, there are weekly accounts of neglected, abused rabbits. Just last week, a woman who houses many rabbits in small cages in her house left the door open and her large dog enthusiastically ate one of her rabbits. Although, animal control had been made aware of the situation before this awful event, they didn’t investigate. This is fairly common. A rabbit isn’t in the ranks of a real’ pet like a dog or cat. And, they suffer it greatly.

Since most of us have trouble staying in bed for a day when we are sick, can you imagine what it’s like for a rabbit, built to run, living in a little box all it’s life? Rabbits may not seem like it, but they have feelings too! : )

 ~

Authored by Niya Sisk with Editorials from the Irreverent, Rogue Rabbit, Dakota.

Chemistry dot com for Rabbits

Most people think rabbits are indiscriminate about their mate. That they just find another rabbit that smells like the opposite sex and they go to it. Not True.

It took Dakota 4 weekends and 9 female rabbits to find a girl who would take him. He wanted them all of course. But he's never thought through the subtleties of what a healthy relationship consists of. As long as he's dominate, gets nurtured and doted on regularly and has plenty of food around him and lots of opportunity for doing what rabbits do, she could be a battery operated stuffed coyote and he wouldn't know the difference. His mate is bigger than him, more mature, more polite and sensitive than he'll ever be and still he growls at her and runs he off when I'm in the room to make sure he gets all of my attention. He makes narcissism a household word. Of course she still loves him and of course he'll never change. But when I see him protecting her by staying alert and awake as she snores away, I am humbled.

However, this story is about my 3rd rabbit, Molly.

Easter Special: How Not to Break a Rabbit's Heart.

We've all heard of a spouse following a spouse to the other side. How their life force finds a way to 'follow their heart' so to speak. A dog will mope for weeks upon losing it's person. A cat? Well, it depends upon the cat. But a rabbit? A rabbit's heart can break when their human goes on vacation for a month. When their heart breaks, death follows. This is something surprising and mysterious to many of us. How bonded a rabbit becomes to their human. Story after story confirms this from domestic rabbit owners I've come into contact with over the years. Rabbits are family oriented and extremely social. Given their prey disposition, once domesticated they are not likely to go out and find homage with another human or rabbit family. You're pretty much IT for that rabbit for life. This is how they are with each other as well.

It's Easter.

And its a time when many will fall in love with the little critters and take them home, only to release them in the woods or take them to the human society soon after.

So Mz Rabbit Ma Ma, Niya suggests these things to consider to avoid breaking a rabbit's heart (and your own). 

1. Don't adopt lightly. A domesticated rabbit can live up to 16 years (as opposed to 1 year in the wild). And this rabbit will BOND to you in a big way. And is just as much work as a cat or dog...and gives back just as much but in a very different way. Did you know rabbits pur? Often when they just see you coming towards them because they get so excited about having you around. 

Troubadour + Buddha

One day...a young rabbit found himself living in a hole by himself.

His sister, 10 seconds younger had nuzzled him to go above the hole to play with everyone but he wasn't in the mood. Besides he found the sun, flowers, bees, hay, mosquitoes and an occasional rattlesnake a lot to think about just one month into life. He would rather snuggle with the cool earth and wait for legitimate ideas and deeds. He was certain there was more to life than the dangers above the hole. So he kept house and sat in just the right place to have full choice of any of mother's milk.  

Days went by and neither mother nor siblings to keep him warm showed up. He became very scared, very hungry, very tired.

Salad from a Rabbit's Point of View

• Imagine your version of Santa Claus delivering exactly what you want every morning no matter your mood or behavior.   
• Or you've attempted Mt. Everest you almost died, but your favorite person woke you up out of your ambition hypnotism, took you down the mountain and had a Hot Toddy waiting for you...can you imagine how good this would taste? 
• Better than that, what is your favorite desert and when does it taste the most excellent? 

When the green stuff comes in the morning, the rabbits...well, they resemble something like overweight, furry jumping beans fighting one another for where the vegies might land. They push each other out of the way to get there first. I have a minor blush of shame every time. I only gave up greens ingested in pills a few years back. I embraced it kicking and screaming. The 'art of the salad' ....'the health...of 'the salad'...it's everywhere.

Ode to the Animal Artists

I envy the animals.

 

• They don't have to wear clothes.
• They can be emotional without fearing police brutality or being swallowed up by hollywood. In some people's view, both are equally scary.
• They aren't weighted by the tenuous lines that language produces.
• And they get to be intoxicated in life without the hangover. 

Artists have endevored to express that timeless irreverence animals so charmingly exhibit. The gap between what we see and what we know is something an artist can chase their whole life and not close. But when it comes to the art of animals, its a gentler more forgiving pursuit. We are rewarded by the softness in the animal's eyes, the simple confusion of brutality when it comes their way and their joy of smell. 

 

Dakota's whole body shivers in happiness when the morning greens come. I've never seen anyone so excited about a salad. He wags his tail and eats as fast as possible; a competition between he and his wife Caila. And then a few jumps and twists; playtime. 

 

 

 

 

Humans aren't a complete disaster compared to this purity. The bunnies likely would have been eaten by an eagle or hawk a few years back if I didn't have those nifty cognitive abilities to provide shelter, food and blueberry yogurt treats. On schedule to boot!

 

I need to make mention of some of the greats when it comes to honoring the furry one's amongst us.

 

Paul Auster: Timbuktu. A man's life and the world from a dog's point of view. This is hard to do, I've tried it!

 

 

 

 

 

Mark Doty: Dog Years. I'm reading this now and can't put it down. Not even for a potty break.

 

 

 

 

 

Henry David Thoreau: Walden. All wildlife in repose of humanity; of nature.

 

 

 

 

 

Sharon Stiteler: Disapproving Rabbits. Exactly how it sounds.

 

 

 

 

 

Andy Riley: Bunny Suicides. Hilarious! Don't try this at home.

 

 

 

 

 

Franz Marc: Paintings.  Fabulous expressionistic portraits of what is gentle in animals.

 

 

 

 

 

Tim Fitzharris: Wildlife Photographer. Check out the baby wolves and bobcats.

 

 

 

 

 

Pablo Picasso:  Drawings. The dog is one of my very favorites.

 

 

 

 

Albrecht Durer: Painting. Wabbit!

 

 

 

 

Marion Rose:  Canadian Painter Look for the Buffalo. Stunning color!

 

Tony Stromberg: Spirit Horses book, calendar. And his workshops in horse photography look really wonderful.

 

• • •

Dakota says I can't add myself on this list unless I paint a picture of him first. 

He runs the household, so you'll have to take it up with him. ; )

 

 

Lord, Let Me Be Half the Person My Rabbit Thinks I Am!

Rabbits have no concept of their bigotry. You are either part of their clan or you aren’t. They test you. When you get down on the floor and do the things they do (especially Dakota) eating or grunting at his rear-end (I don't recommend this one) or pushing the ball around…well, you’ve somehow earned the merits of clan member. 

 

Translated, this means he thinks he's me-- A giant rabbit, but with weird spots on my face, no ears, and lacking in some of the superior qualities most rabbits have, like fur. He doesn’t care. He likes the size factor. Caila has other methods. More… err…uh-female methods. She comes bounding up for snacks and decides day-to-day or sometimes hour-to-hour what she will and won’t eat. Berries have recently gone out of style for her. Now it’s Hawaiian flavors or the rear end view. And she waits to see if I’ll cave. 

I always do. 

 

Lately, I’ve been re-entering the painful and humiliating art of yoga. Caila does downward dog (err, rabbit) better than anyone I’ve ever seen. Lately, when I take a break from work, I go into the rabbit cave (translates to room in the house), and I practice my own downward dog. This gets her going. She runs under me and reaches up and touches her nose to mine and then runs to the litter box and keeps her eye on me. Either I’ve entered a competition with her or I’ve conducted a ritual of the tribe. By mimicking her, I comprehend her values, understand her with her best trick. Or, I’m just a big lug taking up space in the cave. By appealing to their narcissism, not my own (do you think I feel smart or sexy crawling around on the floor with 5 lb mammals?) I earn my place in the rabbit hovel. I am allowed to be obeyed. 

I am big bunny. When I say don’t chew, they stop. When I say, eat your lettuce its good for you, they do. Or when I manage their poop targets to the litter box by showing them where it goes, the next day is better. Here’s the problem. Although, there are many things Dakota and I agree on; like, strong legs will pretty much solve any problem in life. And, you can never have too much attention from the opposite sex, there are still things that don’t work. 

 Like, when I don’t join him at the breakfast bar (translates to bamboo mat where their hay, parsley, spinach, and other rabbit delicacies go in the a.m.) -- he now waits all morning. If by around 10 a.m., I haven’t joined them he finally gives in. What he does she does after him. So, both finally eat. They wait, and then they eat. Was it always this way? No. I’m the fool who has proven that I can be as much rabbit as anyone. I did it to get them to obey me. Using human methods on animals that are by nature genius's at making family is not intelligent. I passed their tests and now I am a traitor by not living with them day in and day out in their rabbit cave. I warn you. Don’t try these methods at home unless you plan to go all the way. Before this, they were just simply 'rabbits'.

 Yes, special rabbits I’ve hauled across the country a couple times who have the toughness to live outside and inside—But rabbits. Cute little fuzzy things that wag their tails and hop for joy when love comes their way. Tubby little rabbits I’ve had to put on diets a couple times. And moody. They think I’m a rabbit. I wish they were human. When they hear birds they look at me like, ‘well are you going to shoot it?” Rabbits fear birds. When I come home from travel I’ve broken their hearts. They mope for days. When I don’t sleep with them, they stomp and chew on cardboard more and more. 

 Pretty soon they will no longer remember their original place in nature; that of a prey animal. If anything they prey on me—At least psychologically.  I have built an outdoor hutch for them. When I put them in it do you think they enjoy it when I’m not there? No. Dakota says, ‘yeah we’ve let you into our clan. But I’m still the boss, and you need to commit one-way or the other!’ He drives a hard bargain. He’s the stubborn, constipated type. You probably guessed. 

 So that's my ramble for the day. Do I really want to be half the rabbit thinks I am? No. But half the human? YOU BET!