By Sherri Coner
Very soon, Roger the Angora rabbit won’t spend all of his free time hopping down the bunny trail, or in Roger’s case, hopping often from lap to lap.
Instead, this friendly little guy will occasionally lounge around in an Easter basket filled with his favorite vegetable snacks, beside a smiling little person, in front of a camera.
Behind the camera is Rachel Henry of the Southside, who is not only Roger’s mom but also the mom of his human siblings, Kaylynn, 11, and 3-year-old George.
Eggs-pecting with Jessica Rabbit
Henry also looks after Roger’s beloved, Jessica rabbit, who happens to be expecting baby bunnies within the month.
Now nearing his first birthday, Roger is an inquisitive ball of incredibly soft snow-white fluff.
Before Henry and her husband, Garrett brought Roger and Jessica into their family, they thought long and hard about the consistent care necessary for Angora rabbit fur. Because the fur is so wispy, it tangles easily and requires consistent brushing.
Hoppy shearing
In addition to that near daily grooming, Angora fur should be sheared every three to five months.
Though Henry does not spin Angora wool herself, she knows several people who do.
When she learned that Angora is a high-demand alternative to the high-allergy coats of other animals, Henry decided that since she and her husband had to shear their rabbits every few months anyway, selling the harvested Angora would provide additional income for their family.
But then Henry, an eighth grade Language Arts teacher at Heritage Christian School, had another idea.
“I’ve always been drawn to the creative side of life,” she said.
In fact, for 15 years, her photography skills have not only served as this busy mom’s creative outlet, but also as a side business.
With springtime just around the corner, Henry studied Roger’s personality.
“He is a huge fan of attention,” she said with a laugh.
But Jessica? She can take it or leave it. Mostly leave it.
Actually, Jessica prefers to hang out in her own cage, without humans.
Some-bunny loves the camera
Henry decided to make Roger rather famous among little people by offering his cuteness for Easter photos with kids.
“He can either sit in a big basket beside children, munching on a snack or, depending on the child’s comfort level, Roger could sit on their lap or sit beside them,” Henry said.
Images will be offered as digital downloads rather than prints.
Henry is now scheduling afternoon and early evening photography sessions, either in her yard on the Southside or at the Children’s Garden Park in Greenwood.
Contact Henry by visiting her Facebook page: Thousand Words.
