Hi, this is Webster's biggest pal and family member.

One of his brothers read his blog and wanted to add that Webster does make a sound, an everyday kind of sound. He sneezes. He doesn't sneeze every day, or anything. But when he does sneeze it is always about 10 times in a row!

Here's my blog posting:

Ode to a popcorn popper.
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Thank God for air popcorn poppers!

I want to be outwardly grateful for everything I truly appreciate. And today it is our air popcorn popper. It is about 11 years old. It was inexpensive--actually a premium from Dad's work.

Here's what I like about it besides that:

* It never burns the popcorn. Our microwave can burn popcorn to a crisp--creating a lot of smoke in the process!

* I don't have to watch it pop--of course you can hear it, it is very noisy, so there is no way you could forget it's on. But when each kernel pops, it pops out of the popper. The only thing left in the popper when it is finished is a few unpoppable kernels.

* I don't have to clean it each time it is used. Because I only add the butter afterwards, the popper itself only needs cleaning once every few months or so, to just spiff it up. I just tip it over and dump out a few unpopped kernels of corn and put it away (after it is cooled a little, of course.)

* I get to decide how many calories to add to the final product. I can eat the popcorn plain when I am on a diet, or I can add oil or butter and salt in exactly the amounts I want.

* No lung cancer!! The stuff they add to the microwave popcorn can cause lung cancer!

* No popcorn lust from co-workers, and complaints about making the entire breakroom and its vicinity smell like a movie theater.

* It is simple to operate. It is basically a very hot hair dryer. It doesn't even have an ON/OFF switch. Its on when it is plugged in, and off when it is not. So less features to break, fewer crevices to get dirty and have to clean, and this is probably why even now they are so cheap to buy.

I am in that time of life when I am trying to simplify. There are so many kitchen gagets that you don't really need or use that clutter up the limited space in my kitchen. I have actually gotten rid of a few electric appliances. Some are one-season wonders. But that air popper keeps on making the cut.

Here's my tip for making the best popcorn:
We get organic popcorn in bulk from our natural foods Co-Op. This stuff is great. It also seems fresher, and doesn't have that "fresh out of the plastic bag smell."
Then we add Smart Balance butter with Omega 3 oils in it. Then sea salt or popcorn salt.

Mmmmmmm Even Webster loves it (he likes his serving without the butter.)

Speaking of movies, "Blades of Glory" was a hoot, with some twists that were very creative. It reminded me of "The Odd Couple."

Welcome to my blog!

Hello, my name is Webster.

I am a house rabbit. I live with a nice family in their house in Milwaukee, WI. Some people call me Zen Rabbit. I live in the moment. I love not living in a cage, and I like going outside with my family and sitting in the bushes while they do yardwork.

I am starting this blog to help my family learn blogging. I am learning, too. I will start by describing my life as a house rabbit, so you can get to know me.

I was born at the Milwaukee Humane Society, with 5 brothers and sisters. When I was old enough to be on my own, they let me move in with a family nearby.

I stayed in a cage for a while, but came out to explore the kitchen the first day, and decided I wanted to use a litterbox outside my cage (too stinky inside the cage.) So I was provided with one. For rabbits, this is a place just big enough for me to jump in and eat some timothy hay. They call it a dishpan. Half of it is covered in newspaper and some paper napkins or paper towels. I always use the same corner. I am a very fastidious creature.

After my family covered all the electrical wires with something I didn't like to chew on, it was safe for me to spend more time in the living room and hallway. I then began using my litterbox in the living room. (Most people can't tell what it is, and don't even know its there because I am so neat and quiet.)

I like to hang out on my own square of carpet backing where my cage used to sit. It gives me a good view of the entrances and most of the living and dining rooms. I don't like it when people step on it or sit on it, because its MINE! I don't bite, but I give people "looks" if they come in my personal space. I sleep there during the day and at night, but in the morning and evening I do my activities. The cage is in the basement now, and I live like the mythical animal I have only heard of, a house cat.

I have a nice fluffy stuffed rabbit I play with, a salt lick, and my very own blanket there, which we love to play hide-and-seek with.

When I am hungry, I eat in the kitchen. I like to wait to eat until the rest of the family is eating. Then I share meals with them. I always have lots of thick rolled oats, sunflower seeds, and rabbit treats on my dish, on a placemat, and fresh water in a ceramic bowl. I hated the plastic water dispenser they gave me at first and wouldn't drink out of it if you paid me. It tasted terrible. I even got sick and had to go to the vet because I didn't like it. The vet suggested the ceramic bowl, which I much prefer. I hate that plastic smell and taste.

My favorite treats are raisins (I can only eat about 6 a day without getting sick or overweight) and a bit of cooked potato. I love greens of all kinds. Lately my favorite is parsley from the garden, and the tops of carrots. Yesterday I had some red cabbage, long grass from the yard, a piece of apple, and a blue corn chip. Yum!

I wish all rabbits could live this way. I am very close to my family, but I think that the rabbits that come to our house would be nice to visit sometimes. I sit in the window and we check each other out. They seem to have a wonderful time teasing the local dogs, but I hear that they are all younger than me, for some reason. I am two years old. My family thinks I can live to be 20 years old, if I take good care of my health.

I love to be petted. Every morning I visit the biggest adult family member and she pets me with her feet while she is putting her socks and shoes on. I jump into people's laps when I want some serious petting.

My family always remarks on how quiet I am. I am told all rabbits are like this. I think I communicate just fine. When I am happy I leap into the air, and do a wiggle at the apex of the leap. When I am sick, I hide under the kitchen table and hunch up. When I am relaxed, I lay flat with my legs out, and look like a pancake. Rabbits only make a sound when they are in great mortal pain. Then we sound like a baby crying. I never speak otherwise. I think it is because all us rabbits know deep inside that we are dinner.

We are a food animal, for almost every carnivorous creature. We supply a way for nature to recycle grasses and weeds into great food. We enjoy the moments we are here, free to eat the pasture grasses, weeds and seeds, and try to live in the moment.

Like the fish in our fish tank, I never blink. Well, I CAN blink, but I normally choose not to. You can never blink as long as you don't want to be dinner. I know my family understands this. Boy they are the biggest rabbits I have ever seen. I wonder what kind of oats they were raised on, sometimes.

Well, I am getting tired of dictating all this through my psychic connection to my oldest family member. We are all going to make some popcorn now and watch "Blades of Glory."

It was nice talking with you. Check back here for updates and for other family members' thoughts on things.

Sincerely,

Webster