Today was a full service beaver banquet. This morning we worked the farmers market and spread the Beaver Gospel. One highlight of the day was meeting Tillie from the Martinez History Museum on Main St. She would like to talk about a beaver display and we’re going down tuesday to think it over. Next came a nice chat with the city treasurer who pointed out that Worth A Dam was in the paper, which I didn’t know about. I will be presenting about beavers to the MUSD summer school on wednesday, and apparently the director mentioned something to the Gazette. I’m just about ready with the presentation: “The Incredible Adapting Beaver”. Here’s hoping 180 Martinez children now tell their parents to take them to the dam and practice their penmanship by writing the mayor.
Later came a very productive meeting of the Worth A Dam team to discuss our plans for a beaver festival. If things work out there should be some good downtown fun in the next few weeks. Think Beaver-Willows-Sacajawea connection. More to come.
Finally, this evening was remarkably rewarding in the beaver-viewing department. Every family member on display, four kits mewling loudly at the secondary dam, lots of clambering for a ride on mom’s back, and some truly appreciative new human faces on the bridges. Thanks Glen and Karen for Jon’s gift of a delightful trash-snatching arm. You have been beaver friends since the very beginning and your kind attention helps. Towards the end of the evening the tide was coming in so fast it was washing the mud off the secondary dam upstream. There will be lots of work to do tonight for the older ones. I saw activity in every corner, and was thrilled to hear the beaver serenade I had missed since last September. How much do you want to bet that no member of the city council has ever heard the sound a kit makes? It is the guardianship siren’s song: I’m fairly sure that once you hear it you are destined to be their advocate forever.
It was a summer evening to savor.
