Do you know the story of the little red hen? How she found some grain and asked all her barnyard friends who among them would help her plant it, tend it. water it, harvest it? And one by one they all answer that they were too busy, “Not I,” said the cow moo moo….”Not I” said the sheep, baa baa….So she ends up doing it all by herself.
Until it comes time to take the delicious smelling bread out of the oven and she asks “Who will help me eat the bread?” And then EVERYONE has time for that and wants a thick slice. But the little red hen wisely points out that she found the wheat and tended it and harvested it, and made the bread by herself, so she will EAT it herself.
And she did.
The story was on my mind this week as I approached beaver friends about my Cal-Beaver summit idea this week. Everyone said it was a good idea, and they’d love to present at it. They’d love to attend it. But as for taking a lead role or approaching their institutions for help they’re schedules were too busy to help in that regard. They had too much going on to help make it happen, but they liked the idea and I should let them know when it came to pass.
Frustrating but not surprising. Remember this has never happened in California before so even a tiny half-assed attempt would be a very big deal and the exciting news. This is how I comforted myself about the first beaver festival – even if it was horribly attendeded and a complete flop it would still be the biggest beaver festival Martinez had ever had. And what does it hurt to ask over and over? I’m talking today with wildlife defenders about what was involved in their production, to see what I can learn from them and I might have found an institution to help… So stay tuned. Because obviously I can’t eat the bread myself. Even if I can find helpers along the way yet. It’s a colloquy.
All the barnyard animals will need to be involved at some point.
This is one of the contenders for the UK Natural History Museum wildlife photo of the year. It didn’t win, but it’s pretty lovely.
Oliver Richter’s Image
Oliver has observed the European beavers near his home in Grimma, Saxony, Germany, for many years, watching as they redesign the landscape to create valuable habitats for many species of wildlife including kingfishers and dragonflies.
This family portrait is at the beavers’ favourite feeding place and, for Oliver, the image reflects the care and love the adult beavers show towards their young.
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