United States of America eSeries: Meet your newest Easter Bunny!

April 3, 2021

Here's a fun Easter Bunny story for you — well, kind of. The first time I met my mother-in-law, she invited me over for a nice dinner at her house. It was going very well. She was lovely! We had mutual interests! What a relief. As dessert was cleared, she got up from the table and said, "I have something to show you." She disappeared down a back hall, and reemerged a moment later wearing the giant stuffed head of an Easter Bunny suit. She just kind of stood there in the hallway, the unblinking eyes fixed on me from the shadows. And in that moment, I had a single, crystallizing thought: "She is going to kill me." There was no other explanation. I had been dating her son for a few months, and clearly they had roped me into some long con and the last thing I was going to see on this earth was the frozen, flocked face of the Easter Bunny looming over me.

As it turns out, my mother-in-law just really likes bunnies, and the costume is one of the many charming bunny-themed things she owns. She usually breaks it out this time of year and delivers treats to senior citizens at her work. All these years later, it still holds a special place in my heart — and, yes, occasionally in my nightmares.

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Put on your Easter bonnet
Speaking of bunnies, the newest Cadbury Easter Bunny is … a frog! A tree frog named Betty, specifically. Isn't she beautiful? The White's tree frog, native to Australia, beat out more than 12,000 contenders for the coveted title, which is awarded yearly. Betty is the first amphibian to hold the title, and the first female winner. What a trailblazer! She looks like she'd make an excellent therapist. She'll be featured in a national commercial, and will no doubt serve as a role model for generations of frogs to come. As part of Betty's big win, the Hershey Company is donating $15,000 to The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

Cookie craze
There's no such thing as too many Girl Scout cookies, especially when they're being sold by an 8-year-old cancer hero. Lilly Bumpus, who has been a Girl Scout for four years, has sold 32,484 boxes of Girl Scout cookies, crushing the previous record of roughly 26,000 boxes sold within three months. Lilly was born with Ewing sarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer. She has been cancer-free since just before her first birthday, but she and her troop — all childhood cancer survivors — are still fighting for cancer warriors like them. Bumpus' initial goal was to sell 5,000 boxes — and as she sold more, it increased to 20,000. Then, well, you do the math. Most of the proceeds from Lilly and her troop's incredible cookie hustle will go toward cancer research and feeding the homeless. About 5,200 boxes are being donated to other children currently fighting cancer in hospitals.

Cuddle bandit
This is the face of a dog who has gotten exactly what he wants. A Dollar General store in Kenansville, North Carolina, had to call animal control on Sisu, a local stray dog, after Sisu kept coming into the store and stealing the same purple stuffed unicorn. Sisu tried to emancipate his stuffed buddy six times before he was busted, but the Duplin County Animal Services officer who arrived to take him to a shelter ended up buying the toy for Sisu. And who wouldn't?! The department posted a photo of their larcenous canine cuddling his new best friend, and adoption offers started pouring in. Now, Sisu's headed to a new home, and of course, the stuffed purple unicorn has to come along.

Raise a glass to...

L.C. "Buckshot" Smith, a 91-year-old police officer with one of the coolest names in the game. Smith has worked in law enforcement for more than 56 years, including 46 years as a sheriff's deputy. He tried to retire once, but it didn't stick. He's just not a "still person," one of his colleagues said. The beloved officer is known throughout his small town of Camden, Arkansas, whether he's appearing at local festivals, serving as court bailiff, or heading out on a call. With his 92nd birthday coming up in May, Smith says he'll retire "when the good Lord says so."

You gotta see this

I will take any opportunity to bask in the glory of NASA astronaut Leland Melvin's now-legendary portrait featuring his two rescue dogs, Jake and Scout. Recently, Melvin has been teaching classes for kids in kindergarten through eighth grade as part of Varsity Tutors' Space Club, which kicked off soon after the coronavirus pandemic began. Melvin and other big brains like NASA planetary geologist Raquel Nuno, theoretical physicist Brian Greene and space enthusiast Alyssa Carson teach free, large-group sessions that explore all aspects of space. Melvin tries to make his lesson as hands-on as possible with projects like "rocket racers:" little rockets made using household products and propelled by air.

Heroes among us

There's no place for hate, and as people in the grip of hate groups or violent gangs begin to see the light, a pair of Kentucky tattoo artists are helping them start anew. Last year, Ryun King, left, and Jeremiah Swift started a campaign called "Cover the Hate" in which they offered to cover hate or gang-related symbols for free. At the time, they received a few dozen requests. Now, as the world pays more attention to racial justice, the pair estimates that number is in the hundreds. One man who took them up on their offer said he got tattoos of hate symbols when he was young and hadn't realized his intolerance. He's been ashamed of them for years, but couldn't afford to get them removed. "One day, you just realize this racist thing is stupid," he said. "Everyone's equal." King says each tattoo he covers makes him feel better too. "It's a really good feeling to get rid of that, gone forever from the world," he said.

Wanna get away?

Need a change of scenery? The United Arab Emirates is speeding up its years-long relaxation of strict residency and tourist visas to woo remote workers to glitzy seaside cities like Dubai. Last month, the country announced a UAE-wide remote working visa program, similar to the one Dubai started last October. The country's capital is a favorite tourist destination, known for its year-round sunshine and mind-blowing buildings, like the Burj Al Arab, shown here. The sail-like structure is one of the tallest hotels in the world, and sits on a man-made island — a favorite architectural scheme in the city.

Who knew?

You've heard of a harvest moon and a strawberry moon. But what about a worm moon? The celestial event last weekend created a high tide that helped dislodge the Ever Given, that giant ship that was stuck in the Suez Canal. There are 12 to 13 full moons in a year, but only six to eight are associated with a tide high enough to accomplish such a feat. Oh, and the name: Native American tribes in the US South call the March full moon the "worm moon" because the earthworm casts — soil that the worms digest — become visible as the ground thaws at this time of year.

Impact your world

With the pandemic still looming large, the American Red Cross says they're in critical need of blood and platelet donations. The numbers don't lie: To keep up with demand, the ARC says they need about 12,500 blood donations and 2,700 platelet donations per day for around 2,500 hospitals and other facilities across the US. Are you ready to get stuck? There are plenty of safety precautions in place at blood donation sites, and yes, you can give blood if you've gotten a Covid-19 vaccine. If you've had Covid-19, you can give as long as you're fully recovered.