Time is slipping by. No kidding. I turned around and found out that May is looming in the shadows. I’m still clinging to April, although I’ll admit it hasn’t been the kind of April here in Nova Scotia to make anyone get up out of bed at 2:00 in the morning to shout about. Okay, that’s extreme. I’m not sure anything warrants getting out of a warm cozy bed at 2:00 in the morning.
A few weeks back we were visited by three, beavers. While I believe in respecting all God’s creatures I’m pretty annoyed
with the destruction these guys have done to the lakeshore. I don’t like to see my trees cut down. Even some of our small apple trees Hubby grafted last year fell prey to these menaces. The evening I went down to take a photo I learned a
lesson about beavers. Don’t mess with them. One kept coming out of the water toward us and he didn’t look very happy at all. Someone on Facebook sent me a link to a news story about a man who was attacked by a beaver while taking a
photo and died when it bit him in the thigh. So be warned: Beavers may look innocent, but looks can be deceiving. I grew up thinking most wildlife was frightened of humans. I mean it’s a beaver for goodness sake!
The edits on my book are pretty much done. There might possibly be a little tweaking to do, but I expect the next time I see it will be for a proofread. The cuts I had to make went well, and didn’t end up being as painful as one might imagine. I was able to hang onto a scene that I was quite partial to even though it was one I’d considered cutting at one point. That’s about it for now. I expect the next time I post it’ll be to show yout he cover image for the new book. Yay!
Someone on Facebook asked me to post a photo of the beavers so I’ll leave you with these photos.
Laura Best 
Linda Cassidy Lewis
/ April 25, 2013Congratulations on finishing your edits! 🙂
Bold beavers, they are. Stay safe. I’m just as annoyed at the squirrels here who eat my peaches, nectarines, and tangerines. I try to co-exist peacefully with nature, but sometimes …
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Laura Best
/ April 27, 2013Thanks, Linda! As you know, it’s something to be celebrated when a manuscript gets to this stage. 🙂 Squirrls are very destructive as well. We can’t let their cute looks deceive us..;)
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Diane Tibert
/ April 25, 2013Who knew those cute little Canadian symbols had such abilities. I imagine with those sharp teeth that can gnaw through wood, they’d easily bite through bone. Thanks for the warning.
Glad to hear the book is progressing. The cover! Now that sounds exciting.
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Laura Best
/ April 27, 2013I have to say, Diane, I’m very disappointed to learn that beavers can be SO nasty. Who knew?
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Crowing Crone Joss
/ April 25, 2013They are busy cutting trees down along the river bank here. I am so not impressed. Cute little buggers but so destructive.
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Laura Best
/ April 27, 2013There seems to be an over population of beavers around, doesn’t there? I’ve seen so many beaver houses around the area. I don’t think many people trap them anymore because their pelts are worth a great deal. Although I hate to think about them being trapped, I kind of wish something would keep their numbers down.
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Darlene
/ April 25, 2013Can’t wait to see the cover. Pleased to hear the editing went well and you were able to save a scene you felt important. Hang in there, May will soon be here and along with it some sun and warmer weather for you. (I hope) I have always been afraid of beavers, even though they are a national emblem.
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Laura Best
/ April 27, 2013Thanks Darlene! Lots of sun today but the wind is cool. I’ve a fire going else I’d be frozen.. 🙂
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Sylvia Morice
/ April 25, 2013I think they may be Harper employees, up to no-good. And congrats on your book being ready for editing….that’s a good sign.
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Laura Best
/ April 27, 2013Thanks Sylvia! Hehe…Harper employees indeed!
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Carol
/ April 25, 2013Like a lot of rodents, they’re cute, fascinating to watch, but destructive. We have a beaver lodge in our marsh but I haven’t seen the beaver during the past couple years, so think they may have left the year the water was especially low. They took down a few trees, but there aren’t a lot of deciduous ones around the perimeter of the marsh and I don’t think they consider the evergreens to be as tasty or as useful. Maybe that’s another reason they left. I was looking online for possible ways to protect trees — you might find something helpful here: http://www.beaversww.org/solving-problems/trees-and-plantings/
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Carol
/ April 25, 2013Oh, and I meant to say congrats on finishing the edits. I’m looking forward to seeing the cover!
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Laura Best
/ April 27, 2013Thanks, Carol! And thanks for sending the link. I appreciate it. 🙂
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Heather Wright
/ April 26, 2013Congrats on finishing your edits! It’s tough saying goodbye to those words when it was such hard work to write them in the first place. Glad you got to keep one of your favourite scenes. Looking forward to seeing the cover!
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Laura Best
/ April 27, 2013Thanks, Heather. You’re right, cuts can be tough, but who knows what gets cut might later ressurect itself one day.. I’m always hopeful. 🙂
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christicorbett
/ April 26, 2013Beavers can destroy an area with amazing speed, but oh aren’t they so cute? From afar of course 🙂
Looking forward to your cover reveal.
Christi Corbett
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Laura Best
/ April 27, 2013For vERY far off. It is nice, however, to see wildlife around the lake. Now If I can convince them to leave the rees alone…;)
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Leah Saylor-Abney
/ April 27, 2013Yeah, I’ve heard enough about groundhogs that I wouldn’t ever get close to a beaver either. Course this is from a woman who met a squirrel, sitting on a porch rail at face height, made direct eye contact and it stared me down. So I turned around, went another way instead of passing directly beside it. Now I’m sufficiently wary of squirrels too. LOL In my defense, squirrels have strong teeth and tiny hands (which is freaky in itself) and if one went crazy and, say for instance, jumped on my face, that’d be painful AND terrifying. So yeah, I’ll steer clear of anything with big chompers and settle to watch from afar.
Can’t wait for the cover reveal : ) The cover is one of my fave things about Bitter, Sweet.
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Laura Best
/ April 27, 2013I can hoestly say I’ve never felt intimidated by a squirrel but one neevr knows…And I’m reminded that you do write horror, Leah, who knows a killer squirrel might show up in one of your stories one day..
I really love the cover of Bitter, Sweet as well. 🙂
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Lynn A. Davidson
/ April 27, 2013I always think about the fact that animals in the wild are just doing what comes naturally for their survival. It can come to quite the stand-off in some cases, though.
I am so glad for you about the new book, Laura. 🙂
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Laura Best
/ April 27, 2013Thanks, Lynn. For a fact animals are doing exactly as you say however scary it might be for us.
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Judi Phillips
/ April 30, 2013Love the cover of your book. I like seeing the butterfly which I am partial too. Waiting for the book to be released. It has been a great getting to know you. Again and as always thank you for all you do.
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Laura Best
/ April 30, 2013Thanks, Judi! And welcome to my blog. I also love butterflies, seeing one always makes me glad. 🙂 While the girl appears to be making a butterfly, it is really a bird. She describes the feeling of “butterflies” in her stomach as tiny bird wings. I started out with the butterfly , but my character had other ideas. I hope you’ll be able to come to my book launch in September! Would love you to be there!
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pattisj
/ May 6, 2013They are dedicated to their purpose, that’s for sure. My in-laws had a problem with beavers a few years back. If they can gnaw a tree and carry it off, I can only imagine the damage they would do to a leg.
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Laura Best
/ May 6, 2013I honestly thought they’d be timid of humans and maybe they are, just not during mating season as someone pointed out.
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pattisj
/ May 6, 2013That could explain an aggressive reaction.
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