LEAVE IT TO WHO?

There’s a creature working its buns off out there in the wild these days preparing for winter. Chomp chomp here; chomp, chomp there, a chomp chomp, everywhere. It’s the beaver working his/her buns off gathering food to last the winter.

I’m fascinated by it’s snout and eyes just clearing the water as it passes by us a handful of meters offshore. It’s mouth is jammed full of branches big and small, along with saplings.

Beavers don’t hibernate. Which means working 24/7 these days, first building their winter food store, or cache, not far from their lodge. It’s deep into cold water which keeps the branches of all different sizes fresh to eat.

The beaver is our biggest rodent ( yes, rodent) and second largest in the world. Its time clock sends out signals along the nerve pathways telling them how much diminished time is left to store food for the winter. This, according to writer M.L. Bream in the Toronto Star. Its headline: ‘Leave it to beavers to prepare for winter’.

Beavers have two coats of fur keeping them warm and waterproof. The soft, thick undercoat of brown fur keeps the animal warm; this shining overcoat of chestnut brown fur acts as a water repellant.

As it leaves the water, the animal spends quality time combing its fur with its front claws to make it soft and wooly again.

A beaver can remain underwater for something like 17 minutes before coming up for air. The animal’s nostrils and ears have valves that close when underwater, to open when the animal surfaces. It can also cut and chew ‘without getting its mouth full of water.”

Author’s comment: You’ll recognize a beaver’s lodge easy enough. It’s built deep in water using mud, rocks, clay, and large branches which poke up several feet above the water line. Among the beavers' favorites are cottonwoods, willows and poplars.

Guess hw long it would take a beaver to topple a fairly thick tree? Overnight. Hmmm.

EATING OUTSIDE: LITERALLY

It was a whim that took us into Toronto several Saturday nights ago. We dressed up warm in heavy sweaters and jackets to eat outside. Right outside. Nothing overhead but streetlamps, hydro wires and a dark sky.

We had reservations at a French restaurant on Bedford, a narrow side street off Avenue Road, one of Toronto’s main arteries. There were several canopies over larger tables. Ours, a table for two, beside a low planter with a small tree growing out of it.

A waiter set a propane tank and heating unit to give us much needed warmth. We were a few strides away from the city sidewalk.

With the Covid-19 screwing up everything, restaurants like Le Paradis can only serve customers willing to eat outside, leaving space for pedestrians to pass by and cars parked close to the curb.

It was one of those evenings that sticks with you. What could be better than starting with Vodka martinis, waiters coming the sidewalk to serve food.

I’d be amiss if I didn’t mention what we ate for a dinner. It began with steamy butternut squash soup, beets & goat cheese salad. A side order of cremini & oyster mushrooms covered with fresh herbs & garlic butter. The main course: Roe ordered beef flatiron with peppercorn sauce & frites. I couldn’t resist the ‘Cuisse de canard’ a duck leg confit, smothered in a cherry sauce.

Author’s comment: The two hours plus can only say that sitting outside with cars driving by, the darkness of the night broken by streetlights, waiters hustling food out to neighboring tables made for a delightful evening. Specially these days with the pandemic keeping us off-kilter. It's a welcome relief.