Letters We Love! 

Dear Mrs. Hayward,
I received my bunny book and calendar - they are so lovely!

I asked momma to help me make a jumper for my favorite bunnies and let me play dress up with them.  We made this cute jumper and then
I had fun taking pictures and dressing them up.  I love your bunnies and your books.  I love to spend time playing in my rabbit park too.
I have 6 now and I take a lot of care and time with them.

Here are my bunnies in the jumper I sewed up. I wanted to send them to you so you could see that I had fun with my bunnies too.
We are excited to see you on TV on Nov 12.

Momma bought me a hammock to put into my rabbit park and I swing out there and watch them hop and exercise.  I have a big fence around
my hutches now, so they can run around and play when I let them out.  It is nice and shady so they love playing, digging, and nibbling when they get out
for a romp.

Love,
Chelsey

Dear Chelsey,
       
         Thank you for your letter and the cute pictures of your bunnies! I wanted to share them with our readers. I am so glad that you thought of making a jumper for your rabbits! It was a good plan to get the help that you needed too. I see you made a very cute jumper and you made a bunny happy too-by the twinkle in her eye!  What creative ideas you have!  Let us know about your next project!   L Hayward

Cute Caption Contest!

Do  you have a cute caption for this picture?
What is this bunny thinking?
Tell us what you think he would say if he could talk!

We would like to hear from you!
Email your caption to Loretta@gardengatecards.us  Tell us your first name,  and the state that you live in. We look forward to hearing from you!

The winning caption will receive a gift from Garden Gate® Cards! 
It might be YOU!




"Do you think we could be in a Doublemint Commercial?"
Marilyn, NY


Creative Writing Challenge:

Our two Holland Lop bunnies pictured above live at Garden Gate Rabbit Park! They are young and full of energy! Oh Boy, do they love adventure!  You are just the person to write one of those adventures! Tell us the names of these two bunnies. Where are they traveling today? Who will they meet on their journey? What dangers will they face?  What will they tell Mother Rabbit when they get back home??
Are you thinking of some exciting answers to those questions? Those answers are ideas that make wonderful stories! Let your ideas tell a story! Write those ideas on paper. Organize those ideas into sentences. Write your sentences with descriptive words so we can enjoy the story that you are thinking about too! Put  sentences with the same topic together to form paragraphs. When you have finished your story check your work.

Have you started each sentence with a capital letter?
Have you placed proper punctuation at the end of each sentence?
Did you check the words for correct spelling?
What is the title of your story? Write it on the first line of your new sheet of paper. Copy your story in your best handwriting and mail it to me!
Do you have an illustration that you want to draw for your story?

Mail your story to:
Garden Gate Creative Kids
PO Box 1515
Fountain Inn, SC 29644

       
Here is one letter we received—

We want to say "Thank You!"

to all the people that sent in names for our name contest!

Our English Lop had no problem picking a name out of the box!

(All the names were put in a box)

 "Vincent" grabbed one paper and ran across the exercise table!

Gloria is holding our English Lop and giving everyone the happy news!

Wow-he sure has grown-he's only a junior too!

NEED TO NAME A BUNNY??
Here you will find a lot of good names!

 Billybob  ofGreenville, SC!

Buford  and Buxton  of Moore, Oklahoma!

Clover  or Carrots
Rascal and Beauregard  from Port Orange, Florida!

 Butterscotch from Midland, MI!
Vincent,
Theo,
Claude fom Somerville, NJ!
Michelangelo...Salvador...Henri... Somerville, NJ!
Chappy  from Hillsborough, NJ!
Baxter from Elgin, PA!
Brewbaker from Elgin, PA!
Gold Spot,
Carroll from Nashville, TN!
Zoey,Princess,Adam,Annie,Juliet,Romeo,Bj,Katie
Sandy,Thumper,Austin,Homer,Zack,Sabrino
Smokey,Sesshomaru,Molly,Maggie,Hayley
and Sundance from Elerton.Pa!!!
Simon from Stroudsburg, Pa!
Tigger from Hamburg, Pa!
Spot and Patches from Williamstown, NJ!
Pierre from Glencoe, Oklahoma!
Benjamin Bouncer  or Droopy from Shelby, NC!
Marshmallow, Fluffy, and Snuggle from San Antonio, TX
Theadore, Mr. McGregor, Flopsy, Mopsy, Cottontail, Peter, Beatrix, and Benjamin Bunny from Cambridge, MN!!
Max, Maddie, Lyle, and Lucy from Mt. St Helens, WA!!
Goliath and Romeo from Babylon, NY!!
Spunky, Peter Grey, Bandit, and Nosy from Raleigh,NC!
Felix submitted from Ontario,Canada
 

I have written a story about the two gorgeous Holland Lop rabbits in the photo. I am currently writing it out by hand, but Mum says I have to do some other school-work as well. I will post it when I complete it. I hope you enjoy my story. I love the pictures of your bunnies in their bonnets and especially the one when they are at a tea-party. 

 From  
Chantelle
NSW Australia

 
     "The Christening in the Rose Garden"

“Oh Violet, I cannot wait to see Mitten's and Muffin’s new twins!”
exclaimed Rose as she awoke on a spring morning. It was the year 1834.
Mist hung thickly around the cottage and golden shafts of light weaselled
their way in heralding the dawn. The twins were mesmerised as the
shadows of the oak leaves danced across the opposite wall. The birds had
started their playful twittering only minutes before the bunnies awoke.
“I wonder what the little babies will wear at their christening? Their
frocks must be so tiny!” replied Violet stretching and rubbing the sleep out of
her eyes. The aroma of Mother’s delicious porridge wafted into their bedroom.
“Mmmm, we must dress quickly.” Rose remarked as she climbed out of
bed and sleepily stumbled over to the wardrobe the girls shared. Now fully
awake, Violet hopped out with Rose and gently drew the covers over their
four-posted oak-wood bed.
In a flash, they were dressed in their freshly washed and ironed party
frocks, French lace pantalets, petticoats and lace stockings. Their new boots
had buttons up the side which they fastened with special button hooks. The
lavender muslin dresses had puffed sleeves, full skirts with French lace
trimmings and were overlayed in a soft white lace.
Violet and Rose had just finished washing their paws, faces and behind
their ears when Mother rabbit summoned them to breakfast. When they
bounced down the stairs, Mother eyed them from the tops of their ears to
the tips of their toes. Not even a crooked whisker escaped her searching
gaze. Approvingly she declared, “My girls, don’t you look lovely! Your
porridge is ready on the dining table. Then you must hasten to finish the
pillow you are making to give to Mrs. Rowe. It will be an elegant gift to
congratulate her on the new twins. Now eat up, or you will be late.” The
two bunnies enjoyed the warm porridge with a small glob of butter and
honey drizzled on top.
After washing their dainty paws again, they skipped into the parlour to
finish the gorgeous present they were making. They had candle-wicked an
oak-leaf onto a strip of pure white muslin. The pillow slip was hand-piped
around the edges. Rose had sewn a small white pillow out of cotton to slip
inside. Meanwhile, Violet hunted for white feathers to fill it with. After
days of searching, she had finally found enough; now, all that was left to do
was stuff the pillow and neatly sew it together. Rose and Violet were so
excited that they could hardly concentrate! “What do you think they will
name the twins?” asked Rose, “Maybe Mrs. Rowe will name them after her
mother and grandmother?”
“Possibly,” replied Violet, “but we must finish or we will be late.”
When the last stitch was sewn, the two girls ran to fetch their matching
bonnets and a reticule to carry the present and at last set out.
Snow-drops lined the leaf littered path with the occasional tulip
pushing its head triumphantly out of the soft earth. They lightly skipped
through Oak-Wood Forest until they reached the small creek that they had
to cross in order to reach their friends house. There were little mossy
stepping stones leading the way across the river. They had teetered no more
than half-way across when Rose lost her footing in the mist and fell with a
squeal of fear into the crystal clear current of the stream. What a disaster!
She was clutching the pillow which showed their beautiful handiwork.
Violet had to act quickly, so she nimbly tiptoed her way across and
scrambled in haste to find a fallen stick or branch. Her sister splashed in the
current, because unfortunately neither of them could swim.
Violet cried out to her twin sister as she thrust a branch from a great
oak tree into the water, “Hold onto the stick!” When Rose managed to grab
the sturdy branch, Violet tugged at it to bring her ashore. Rose shakily
clambered up the bank with the Violet’s capable help..
She started to weep because her dress was sopping wet, she was
sopping wet and the present was sopping wet and worse, it was floating
down-stream with the current! As soon as she could speak, she whimpered,
“The present, my dress, everything on me is wet. What are we going to do?
Do we try and retrieve the present or do you think it would be totally ruined?”
“We can try catching it. You sit in the sunniest spot you can find while
I fetch it.” charged Violet as she followed the pillow as it bobbed over the
rocks and down the stream. With the same branch that she had rescued
Rose, she dragged the pillow to the shore and carried it gingerly back to her sister.
“At least the slip is not ruined,” commented Rose, “but I am not sure
about the feathers. Do you think they will dry in time?”
“Hopefully, but we will have to find the sunniest place.
Oh I do hope this mist clears.” Violet implored.
The bunnies hunted until they found a large, warm rock near the
stream. Violet carefully pulled the pillow out of the slip and examined it
closely while Rose concentrated on getting dry. “Maybe,” said Rose, if I
take off my dress and petticoats and lay them flat on the rock they would dry
better and my pantalets and camisole would also.” She did so, and indeed,
they dried swiftly. The mist quickly began to clear and after about five minutes,
the sun was shining on them brightly. The girls left the pillow on
the rock as they wandered around for a few minutes. The emerald green
grass felt soft under their shoes as they meandered around, looking for
acorns that the squirrels had missed before they returned to their pillow.
“What is that red thing in the pillow slip?” asked Violet,
“I have no idea.” replied Rose. They hopped over to investigate and
found a wincey squirrel, cuddled up inside. It slowly lifted it’s head as the
twins approached. The poor baby shivered.
“Sorry,” it said, “Is this your pillow slip? I was very cold and it is
pleasantly warm here in the sun.”
“It is ours,” replied Rose, but you may sleep in it. I would have thought
your mother would have kept you in a nest or hole though. Also, what is your name?”
“In answer to your questions, my name is Mary and I don’t have a
mother. A nasty squirrel violently pushed our nest over and it landed on a
nearby rock. Only I survived by falling in the creek rather than head-first on
the rock. Unfortunately, I have caught a dreadful chill from that incident.”
“Oh you poor darling,” sympathized Violet, “We are going to a
christening tea-party so you must come along too. I am sure that Mrs. Rowe
will find you a lovely warm spot and then we will take you home to our
cottage down the road. Now we must hurry, because we will be late after our
unfortunate event in the river.”
Rose slipped on her dress and petticoats before correctly tying her
bonnet strings under her chin. Violet gently slid Mary into the reticule and
the now dry pillow, into the slip. Violet then gave Mary to Rose and carried
the present herself to avoid any more mishaps with it. They made haste
along the beaten down track through Oak-Wood Forest to the dainty cottage
on Rowe Hill.
“Oh Violet and Rose,” cried Mittens as she caught sight of them, “we
have been so worried, Mother nearly sent Muffin to find you. Did you get
into a spot of bother?”
“Yes Mittens, we did. Rose slipped on the stepping stones across the
river in the mist. Our new boots slipped a lot on the moss. We had to dry
everything off. That reminds me, we found a sweet, baby, orphan squirrel on
the rock. She has caught a dreadful chill. Is it alright if I leave Mary in the
sun while we are here?” Violet inquired thoughtfully.
“Of course! Mother loves squirrels. Come now, you simply have to
come and see the new twins. They are so cute! Grandmother is coming to
conduct the ceremony and yesterday she sent the most gorgeous cradle!”
Mittens was quite out of breath from talking when they had finished
climbing the small hill towards the cottage.
Muffin bounded out excitedly to great them when they reached the
door. Both bunnies wore matching green muslin dresses, rather similar to
Violet and Rose’s, but with miles of French lace decorating the hems, sleeves
and covering the bodices. “Oh I am so delighted to see you both,” exclaimed
Muffin, “but hush, Mother has just gotten the twins to sleep. Grandmother
shall arrive in forty-five minutes, so in twenty minutes we will dress the
kittens!” Just then Mrs. Martha Rowe appeared at the doorway sporting a
fashionable, scarlet, taffeta dress, complete with a bustle. “Come in girls,
Maria has just finished setting queen cakes with freshly made raspberry jam
and whipped cream on the garden table. I do hope they are pleasing to your taste.
“Thank you Mrs. Rowe, it sounds absolutely delicious. Maria is such a
wonderful cook.” declared Violet sincerely.
“Oh, Mother! Guess what Violet and Rose found? They chanced upon
an orphan squirrel with a dreadful chill. Her name is Mary. We must set her
in a little sunny place in the garden until they take their leave.”
“Of course! She may sleep in the twins other cradle if she would like. I
do so love squirrels. Now come in my dears, you must be awfully famished
after your morning walk!” The girls looked like a parade of spring blooms as
they majestically made their way into the pretty cottage that was filled with
luxurious upholstery and draperies. Rose politely curtsied and placed the
prized gift into Mrs. Rowe’s grateful paws.
“Come quietly over here,” Mittens urged Violet and Rose, “See my
new sisters, aren’t they gorgeous! I can’t wait to know their names! We shall
dress them in their new christening frocks after morning tea! Oh I am ever so excited.”
“Yes, I am too! Why do we not go and take morning tea now?”
exclaimed Rose who was ravenous. She was so absorbed, that she had
completely forgotten about the morning’s ordeal.
“Yes, we shall.” was Muffin’s reply.
The four rabbits all daintily trotted to the garden and oh what a pretty
sight met their eyes! The whole garden was encircled with elfin rose bushes,
neatly trimmed and clothed in baby-pink roses, all smelling divine. A wire
arch, robed in a magenta climbing rose, stood like a queen’s throne at the rear
of the garden. Sprinkled around the base of bushes sprung an enchanting
array of vivid blooms. Poppies nodded their papery heads, tulips danced in
the breeze and the faces of the daisies shone playfully, welcoming the guests.
In the heart of the garden stood a quaint iron lace table setting draped in a
snow white linen tablecloth. Mrs. Rowe’s finest tea-set graced the table. A
mouth-watering tray of queen cakes smothered in raspberry jam and lashings
of fresh cream awaited the hungry guests.
“Rose, why do you not put the little squirrel here? She can recover in
the sun.” said Martha Rowe indicating a sunny spot on the velvety green
grass. Maria pulled out the chairs and seated first Mrs. Rowe, then Violet
and Rose and finally Mittens and Muffin. She poured their dandelion tea
and placed two queen cakes on each plate.
“Mmmm, these are delicious,” declared Violet and Rose at once,
“thank you ever so much for inviting us,” continued Violet brightly.
“You are welcome, my dears, it is a pleasure. After you have finished
your tea, you may wake and dress the twins. They are easiest to dress when
they have just woken up. Their little stretches are so cute!” boasted Mrs. Rowe.
They finished the morning tea with the same manner of conversation.
The satisfied party of rabbits skipped over to the cradle and gently took the
baby bunnies out. Violet and Rose each held a bunny as they slowly blinked
their wincey eyes open while Mittens retrieved two bottles of warm milk
and Muffin fetched the dresses. The tiny Muslin frocks had smocking on
the bodices and matching bloomers to hide the nappies. A small white mobcap
finished the adorable look. They even had gorgeous white knitted booties
to wear and silk stockings! Violet and Rose laid the twins on a table, padded
with a mattress and fed them. Then the girls gently took off their
nightgowns, nightcaps and changed their nappies. “Oh these are the cutest
little rabbits ever,” exclaimed Rose, “I wish I had two little sisters to dress,”
“Well, you may come over everyday with your mother.” Muffin said tenderly.
At that very moment, Mrs. Rowe hopped into the doorway, “Would
you care to bathe the babies? You have time. I shall have Maria heat the water.”
“Yes please,” they all cried at once,
“What a capital idea!” Violet exclaimed.
“Where are some towels?” Rose questioned,
“There are some in the bottom drawer of that dresser.” Mittens replied.
Rose found two of the softest towels and carried them helpfully back to wrap the bunnies.
Using the gentlest lavender soap they carefully lathered it on the two
baby twins in the lukewarm water. After drying their silky fur, Violet and
Muffin brushed them with a soft boar-bristle brush. Rose and Mittens
dressed them in their beautiful christening gowns while Violet and Muffin
took care of all the dainty accessories.
The rabbits had just completed setting everything out when Rose
sighted Grandmother’s oak-wood carriage come sweeping up the hill pulled
by a dray of red squirrels. They all bounded out to met the awaited guest and
help her out of her magnificent carriage. Joyous greetings were made by all
before Violet, Rose, Mittens and Muffin led Grandmother into the garden.
The new lace covered cradle, which could be turned into a perambulator,
holding the twins; was placed next to the table. Arranged on the table was a
pint-sized bowl of water and two embroidered silk aprons. One was a sky
blue the other was a pale primrose. Grandmother in her rustling silk gown,
paraded crisply in with the girls and waited politely until Mrs. Rowe made
her appearance with warm greetings and a slip of paper containing the secret
baby bunny names. Grandmother read the paper and looked at the twins for
the first time. Not a word passed her lips but a smile lit up her face. They all
waited with butterflies in their tummies for the ceremony to begin.
“Now,” said Grandmother, “Mittens and Muffin, you hold a rabbit
each and Violet and Rose, you carry their dress trains. Martha, you hold the
aprons. That’s it girls, all set now. Sit down everybody and let the ceremony
b-e-gin!” Grandmother ordered in a loud and clear voice. “This wee darling
over here,” she boomed, indicating the bunny Mittens held, “will be now
baptized under the name,” she paused dramatically, “Charlotte, otherwise
known as Lottie.” she sprinkled a few drops of water upon Lottie’s furry
head and Mrs. Rowe tied the blue apron on her gown. “And, this other little
darling who Muffin now holds, will be called,” again she paused
dramatically, “Esmeralda.” she dropped the water upon her head and
Martha tied the primrose apron on Esmeralda’s frock.
“Oh, what pretty names!” cried Mittens, Muffin, Violet and Rose all at once.
“You conducted the ceremony wonderfully, Mother!” Martha Rowe
commented with pleasure. “Now, shall we eat something? Maria?” she
called the maid who was standing quietly at the back of the garden, “please
bring the tea tray and a treat for us to eat.”
“Yes, I will be back in a moment,” Maria replied. Maria was wearing a
black cotton dress with a frill at the bottom of the hem and a white apron
and mob-cap. She cleared the table and returned in the shake of a bunny’s
tail with tea and tiny sandwiches filled with boiled egg, cheese and lettuce.
They dined on these delicious dainties and then it was time for
Grandmother to say farewell. “I will see you again soon!
Next week, could you young ladies visit on Monday for morning tea?”
“Oh may we Mother?” Muffin asked.
“Yes, certainly!” she replied.
“I am sure Mother will let us!” Violet pledged hopefully, “I cannot
wait. It is only three days away!” Grandmother kissed the new twins
tenderly before taking her leave.
“Good-bye everyone!” were the last words she concluded before her carriage sped away.
The girls spent the rest of the afternoon chatting and happily playing
with Lottie and Esmeralda. Finally they were obliged to say good-bye before
the shadows grew long and darkness engulfed Oak-Wood Forest. They
gently collected Mary who was still sleeping and conveyed the young squirrel home.
This time, they encountered no mishaps and arrived on their doorstep at
precisely 5:45pm. “How was your day?” Mother asked as they arrived.
“Wonderful!” was the reply. “The new twins, Charlotte and Esmeralda
are so cute. Also, we met with a slight catastrophe on the way.” Rose
relayed the events of the day including Grandmother Rowe’s invitation
which Mother consented to, as well as providing suitable compliments before asking,
“Where is Mary? Shall we set her down in your old cradle?” Violet
gently drew Mary out of the reticule which awoke her, she blinked a lot, then asked,
“Where am I?” before spotting Violet and Rose. “Oh, I remember you,
you rescued me. Is this your house?” Mary inquired.
“Yes, it is now your home also. I am Violet and Rose’s Mother, I shall
fetch you some supper before you retire for the night.”
Violet and Rose ran up-stairs to hang their bonnets. When they
returned, supper was laid elegantly upon the dining table and they ate
heartily. It had a been a busy day so the weary bunnies were sent to bed
immediately after supper. As they dressed in their long cotton night-gowns
Rose reflected, “It has been a lovely day except for our misadventure in the
stream and now we have a new sister.” After closing the curtains, the tired
bunnies climbed sleepily into their bed and pulled the patchwork quilt up to
their chins and fell into a deep slumber, dreaming of their upcoming visit to
Grandmother Rowe’s.

THE END

Thank you for sharing your story with all of us Chantelle!
                                                         —Loretta