Muskrat’s Message

My dog and I came back from the river.  I was marvelling at seeing three muskrat in the channel, all of them up on a rock or on land, cheerfully chewing away on grass roots and watching the world go by on the walking path.

The message that came through from Muskrat was about change.  It was saying that we will have to find new ways to work together as things change.  Muskrat was at the river to forge a bond with Beaver.  They decided to work together for this year and the next to regain some habitable marsh land for both species.  They will work to help each other by watching out for predators, watching for the ranger man, and keeping alert for good trees to build with.  

Muskrat talked about how difficult it is to find a permanent place to live.  They plan that they will stay in one place no more than one full passage of the seasons (one year).  If they can stay longer, then they are happy.

They wish each of you a safe place to live.

Blessings,

Judy

Beaver Shares Its Traits

We have several beavers in the Bow River in Fish Creek Park.  They can be very entertaining.  And, yes, they can bring down a lot of trees.  Beaver does, however, seem to be a caretaker of waterways and works to keep the area from drying out.

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Beaver was sitting across the channel, on the bank, looking for some tender young trees and, keeping an eye on my dog and on me.  Beaver has been in this channel for about four years.  She has created several good dams, and she has helped change the eco system of the channel and the river.  The channel now has young trout in it.

Beaver has some traits that humans can use.  They are:

• when you see water that is stagnant and mucky, find a way to clean it up.  You may have to get dirty to do it; it will be worth it. 
• being industrious leads you to discover new ways of doing things.  So, be busy when it is required – as when you need to fix your den, the dam, or gather food for winter.  When you are not busy, play and socialize. 
• when somebody says that “it can’t be done”, go ahead and do it anyway.  See the picture below of the world’s biggest beaver dam.

  

  

The dam is located on the southern edge of Wood Buffalo National Park in Northern Alberta, Canada Photo: BNPS 

 

• understand that there is a shortage of fresh water.  Beavers know how to maximize fresh water and aerate it to create a healthy environment for fish and wildlife.

Celebrate if beavers are in your area. 

Blessings,

Judy