Golden Gate Audubon – Worth A Dam

VIDEO: here’s Rob Ford as a muppet beaver

For the past little while, Rob Ford–based comedy has been a story of diminishing returns. Late-night hosts have had their fun with the mayor, leaving the wreckage of his term for lesser satirists to pick over. But there’s something about this clip from No, You Shut Up, a Jim Henson Company talk show that airs on American cable TV, that makes us remember what it was like before all this “crack scandal” stuff became as irritating and omnipresent as refrigerator hum. This time, Ford is a muppet beaver being interviewed by comedian Paul F. Tompkins. The beaver’s Ford impression is actually quite good. And that’s all you need to know.

John Fingers is a graphic artist and landscape artist with a contract for Contra Costa County Department of Public Works. Every year he lovingly prepares the Watershed Calendar which is a selection of the best submitted photgraphs from around the County. For 2009, He proudly included two pictures of our beavers! And three years later, he’s included one of mom’s last three kits. Here’s Cheryl’s photo from the month of September

Read this carefully. He has even included a little copy about the good beavers do with their dam building and encouragingly ends with the sentence “Let’s protect them!” which is pretty amazing when you think that the Department of Public Works pays for this calendar and is not generally associated with that sentiment regarding beavers! I believe we learned fairly clearly how Martinez DPW felt about unsolicited beavers in artwork this year….so I am beyond thrilled that every watershed group and public works group in the county will be reminded in the month of my birth what they should do with beavers! I wrote John a thank you note because his message is an artful inclusion in more ways than one. (And btw, if you didn’t click on that link, you really should sometime)

At any rate, thanks to Cheryl’s consistently lovely photographs it looks like we have a new or improved beaver convert in the ranks. The calendar is full of breathtaking images, one taken by the multi talented jewelry maker who made our charms for the beaver festival!

And if all that good news got you in a festive mood, here’s an early Christmas present sent to me yesterday by beaver fan Lisa Owens Viani, who recently left her central role at the San Francisco Estuary Partnership for a new job at Golden Gate Audubon. Since birds were her first love, its a natural choice. Spread your wings and soar, Lisa! And thanks for the beautiful ornament! I think I found it on line here if you want your own….