Not only did THE CARROT LADY share Mister's story in her book, MISTER'S GARDEN, she documented Mister's life in beautiful photos. Here's how MISTER'S GARDEN came about.
It took me a long time to realize what I really wanted to do. So long in fact that a little wild cottontail rabbit had to take it upon herself to push me to follow my dreams. On that fateful day in May of 2012 when I formally met this rabbit for the first time, she was devouring my freshly planted petunias. My words called out “Hey Mister, Stop Eating My Flowers!” As I ran to the store for a bag of baby carrots, that was the day that my life would start changing dramatically. Who knew that a bed of purple petunias was the open door to my future?At the time I did not know what this meeting meant but I found out over the course of the next few years. I learned a lot about wild bunnies along the way too, including how to eventually identify that Mister was really a girl! With Mister by my side in the garden I continued to work my day job which was a highly stressful corporate sales position. As you can probably imagine, nothing was ever good enough when it came to sales. My work days were exhausting and long but I always had the peace and calm of Mister to keep me a little bit sane.
As I grew to know Mister I realized she was a very wise bunny. She was so remarkable that I felt the need to write her story, Mister’s Garden. Somehow I was able to undertake and complete this design intensive project while still working my stressful corporate job.
I love taking photos of animals and unknowingly I had already been documenting Mister’s life over the course of many years. My vision was for her story to be told in full living color and packed with my photographs and colorful illustrations. Mister’s Garden was to be a picture book for adults. It was to be a magical place to escape to as it had been for me. In my head I anticipated that this was Book I of her memoir and there would be subsequent volumes. As Mister thrived in the garden for years, I had lost sight of the fact that she was a wild bunny and she could be gone at any time. That day finally came when I was fervently writing the text of her book. I had no idea how hard it would be to lose Mister. There were so many tears.
With Mister’s disappearance, I took some time to reflect. Everything happens for a reason and I am convinced she hopped into my life for a reason. That reason was to rescue me and point me to the path I was supposed to be on. While the story of Mister’s Garden is told in a whimsical way as that is my style, it also has an important message. Life is short and we must make the most of our time on this Earth. For me, I knew it was time to live in the moment, the moment of Mister.
Fast forward to today! I had the pleasure of meeting Deborah Crombie last weekend where I was set up at a local event telling my story of Mister’s Garden. As Deborah walked up I said “You look very familiar” but I could not place her face. Then I realized I had informally met her at her local book signing earlier this year. While I can’t imagine the success that Deborah has had with her career as an author, I can always dream. My next project is the first book of the Mister’s Garden Children’s Series which is in the works now and will be published this fall. These are very exciting times and to think it all started with a sweet little wild bunny and a baby carrot!
With that, Mister and I invite you through the garden gate to experience the enchanting memoir of Mister, an incredible wild bunny who will never be forgotten. Mister was wild and free and she had been loved. Be safe!
~JB Bean (also known as The Carrot Lady)
Mister’s Garden
JellyBean Publishing, LLC
www.jellybeanpublishing.com
DEBS: Here's Wren's Mister, a perfect and cuddly replica of a wild Eastern Cottontail!
And of course she will have the children's version of Mister's story.
REDS and readers, have you ever observed a wild animal for a length of time? (Hank's ducks!)
