Beavers

Gaston consulted Ricky, and they concluded that an apprentice beaver created this odd carving we found on a trail a few years ago.

Last year, we came upon this tree carved out by a master beaver.

One thing that really stands out as being different from my life back in the States is all this beaver talk and involvement here in the bush. For my birthday this year, my trapper friend gave me a frozen beaver carcass (licensed and professionally skinned) to use to feed birds. He added, enthusiastically that I would be able to attract wolves and maybe even a lynx. At first, I was able to keep a poker face, but lost it when my friend's wife, another bush wife, suggested I chop it up into chunks with an axe to spread the feedings out.

Now, I really appreciate our friends, and their thoughtful gift, but after they left our cabin, I instructed Gaston to put the carcass high up in a tree so it was accessible only by birds. As cool as it sounds, I really do not want to attract wolves and a lynx. He did, and when I went to go check on him (which I have to do from time to time), I found the beaver hanging 25 feet up in the air. As most of you can imagine, the looks of it was absolutely horrifying, like a scene right out a Steven King film, beaver teeth and all.

Well, the days started to warm up, and I had some concerns about this untouched beaver carcass, and being the kind and accommodating husband Gaston is, he retrieved the beaver and hauled it away without saying a word.

I caught sight of Gaston out my nook window as he hauled the beaver away to put in an ice covered swamp nearby.

A few days later, I walked out on the ice with Gaston to check on the beaver. I waited a few yards away while he checked it out, and he reported back that the beaver was just a pile of bones with a huge pile of scat next to it. It was curious that an animal would leave a dump near where it ate. We think maybe a fox had been working away at it.

Sue, Tex' wife, writes back to Ricky in this week's Corner, and when your stomach recovers from being turned inside out, check out my Hippy Cookie recipe! (I think my friends, Janelle P. and John S. will especially appreciate this one.)