Sometimes a donation begins with a smile

heidi08 Beaver Art, Beaver Chewing, Beaver-themed merchandise, Creative Solutions, Festival, Friends of Martinez Beavers March 3, 2017

One of the best parts about being forced to beg for beaver delights in the silent auction is connecting with folks around the world whose hearts have been inexplicably touched by beavers. They created whatever they created because of this and they are delighted to meet another human in the world who’s worked for them too. They are inspired by our story, and I am reminded that good people exist in the world. It’s a perfect storm of goodness.

Case in point: MK Carving of Abbotsford British Columbia. He doesn’t even think he can donate because his pieces are usually custom made, but Mori Kono was so nice about beavers and supportive of our work he gets a mention. And you will understand RIGHT AWAY why I wrote. He calls this enchanting piece “Oops!”.

How much do you wish you could climb these stairs every night? Who ever he made this for must lead an enchanted life. Come to think of it, we might actually know them. Do you think it was Glynnis Hood or Michael Runtz? Or maybe some evil executive for the Hudson Bay Company? I imagined whoever it was named their stair guardian. Do you think they pat every night on their way to bed? I’m pretty sure I would. I wrote him that I had thought I was so clever because when I made the ‘manger’ for my beaver creche I had amused myself by adding a few chew marks. I couldn’t believe someone else had the same idea and executed it so delightfully!

Another recent connection came from Castoro Cellars in Paso Robles. They had donated to us many times over the years, but had recently stopped which I was very sad about. I’m still on their mailer and I got the notice that their very popular “Beaverstock” concert extravaganza which had grown so much over the years had received a ‘cease and desist letter’ from the attorneys of the real “Woodstock” and they were told to change the name OR be sued.

Lawyers are good at making petty indignation seem threatening so they were looking for a new name. Hmmm, I mulled over the dilemma for a few moments and then broke into a grin. I immediately wrote the owner that there was only ONE sensible solution.

Instead of BeaverSTOCK call the concert BeaverSTICK!

The owner wrote back last night much amused and suffice it to say we get our donation. Thanks Castoro Cellars!

Gone but never forgotten…

heidi08 Beavers September 29, 2014

Yesterday morning we drove with Mary back from st. George up to Cedar city, cold and crisp at 6000 feet. We checked into our very delightful hotel and tried to recover from our somewhat less delightful hotel the nights before. We may be out of state, but are certainly not forgotten. I received this video from Robin Ellison in Napa who just wanted to verify that this was definitely mother beaver. See for yourself and you can guess what I answered.

Then I got an email from Vladimir Dinets, a Russian born zoologist and the author of this book who had gotten my name from Suzy Esterhaus after hearing there were beavers in the bay area. He wanted to include them in his new book and wondered where to see our beavers. He came down Saturday night and was thrilled with his immediate success.

Thanks a lot for the tip! We visited the site last night, and saw at least 3 different beavers under the footbridge. They are amazingly tame! I was surprised to see them in a place with almost no trees, but we didn’t explore the area much. I’m certainly coming back for a better look! What’s the best time to see the young of the year?

Score another point for the most famous beavers on the planet! I will try to see if we can show him where the baby is hanging out these days.

Then I got an great summary from Mike Settell of their Beaver Dam Jam in Idaho. I want pictures but this will have to do for now.

To Heidi and all of our Flat-tailers:

We did it! We pulled off the first annual Beaver Dam Jam (Idaho)! “Thank you” x 9! To those who weren’t able to come, fear not, there is always next year. To those who were able to make the transit: Great time, eh? We even had a belted kingfisher show up for the Mink Creek tour, on queue!

Thank you especially those who bid on auctions items… you helped put us over the top. If you have not paid or picked up your item, please e-mail or call me 232-0825

Thank you to everyone who helped and made this a success. We could not have pulled this off without the support of some very special friends who had faith in our cause….that beaver are worth more to us than the $15 pelt.

There’s an update on the explorer of the world’s largest beaver dam that makes me a little less irritated with him. Someone obviously sat him down and explained what tail-slapping means.

Meet the first person to explore the world’s largest beaver dam

“It came out and started slapping its tail to let the other beavers know that something was wrong, and to stay away,”

But my favorite part is the Cree Elder who was the only one willing to give him a boat ride and told him how to mark the area he wanted to be picked up by chopping a willow.

his quixotic quest earning him a few laughs and polite declines—before finding a 79-year-old Cree elder willing to make the trip. Mark told him to come back for him in seven days, but worried about how the man would know where to pick him up amid the tall reeds blocking the lake. The elder, said Mark, gave him an axe to cut down a willow tree. It was, for the otherwise fearless Mark, a real moment of panic. “ ‘That’s my extrication plan? A willow?’ ”

And finally a shout out to our old friends at Castoro Cellars who decided to donate 10,000 or the proceeds of beaver stock to education. Even after they donated tickets to us! It just goes to show that beaver people are GOOD people. Drink up!

Beaverstock

heidi08 Beaver-themed merchandise, Festival July 10, 2013

Castoro Cellars has been very kind to us in the past, and this year they’ve donated two weekend passes to their Beaverstock event and a tshirt for the occasion! If you are interested in some fine wine, fine music and excellent company you should bring your checkbook to the silent auction and make sure to bid!

This is an all ages event but you must be 21+ to purchase alcoholic beverages. Children 10 and under are free with a paid adult ticket. All others must have a ticket to enter the event. Tickets are not “in and out” so once you come please plan on staying for the duration.
Bring a low back lawn chair or blanket to enjoy the concerts! No seating provided.
Food and wine will be available for purchase. No outside food or beverages allowed.
Admission ticket (one day or two day) includes complimentary parking and a full day of live music!

Beaver Junction Cooperative

heidi08 Festival, Friends of Martinez Beavers June 25, 2011

It’s beginning to be that time of year, in the 6 weeks leading up to the festival, that the generosity of friends, neighbors and businesses starts to put a glow on the edges of preparation. These past couple of days have been especially remarkable. What I wanted most this year was helpers and thanks to several generous columnists we’ve had a steady stream of offers to volunteer for this years’ festival. Our graphics team (Lorena & Amelia) wrote yesterday that they’re ready to move forward on this years’ brochure. Our friends at Safari West donated a certificate again for an overnight stay, dinner and tour. A native american reader has had good response from the Washoe Nation asking for a willing elder to give a blessing for this years festival. Our hardy charm bracelet volunteer Erika finished about 50 bracelets so far, and is fast at work on the others. Jean took a trip to Middletown to visit Beaver Creek Winery (which happens to proudly support a beaver family on its lands) and owner Martin Pohl donated half a dozen bottles to the silent auction. On Wednesday Niels Usden at Castoro Cellars shipped a lovely gift basket for the auction and included 75 of the of fabric logo stickers we loved so much last year.

puppets 002 — Yes, Sir. Yes, Sir. Three Bags Full!

And yesterday Jon made a trip to Folkmanis in Emeryville and was stunned to learn that their donation this year consisted of THREE huge plastic bags full of remarkable puppets, including 12 otters! He needed to pull up to the loading dock to get them all in the car!

And what’s it all for? We’re very near the one year anniversary of mom’s death and to keep things in perspective I got an email yesterday from the city engineer who said he had been contacted by someone looking around for the beavers and would Worth A Dam consider working with New leaf to develop interpretive signs? He’d be happy to facilitate things from the city end. What excellent timing! Threads seem to be ravelling together from every end of the fabric. And speaking of fabric, the materials for the leather-ett tails we’ll be painting at this years festival should arrive today.

I’m sorry, I have to post this. I can’t help it.

Friday Miscellany

heidi08 Uncategorized January 28, 2011

Look what showed up in the comment section for Gary Bogue’s recent article on the Martinez Beavers! A guide to living with beavers from the Born Free Foundation. Click on the thumbnails below to read it or on the logo to download your own copy.

This was a collaboration with Beavers: Wetlands & Wildlife and does a good job introducing concepts about flow devices and beaver benefits. I’m not sure the “frequently asked questions” are the three I would have chosen. (What about smell? Really? I’ve read well over three thousand beaver complaints and honestly the issue of smell has never really comes up.) I would have stayed with with FISH PASSAGE, mosquitoes, flooding, trees and overpopulation.

But that’s just me.

Still its another excellent resource to distribute and I’ll add pile.

I sent the article in the East Bay Express Blog to the Niels Udsen, co-owner of Castoro Cellars and 2010 ‘wine industry person of the year’. He made a generous donation to the Silent Auction last year and I wanted to let him know what we were up to. He wrote back, “Dam, that’s fine reading!”