Beavers don’t usually celebrate birthdays. Birthday celebrations are usually included in our Firstbud celebrations, because no one is really born until that first breath of spring air. However, after living around humans for so long, I’ve become attached to this unique type of festival!

I was born on June 16th, 1993 under very mysterious circumstances, not least of which being the fact that beavers are normally born around Solstice! I haven’t really tried to explain this, but my mom always blamed it on the strain of her exodus from Russia after my father was converted to Ushanka. In any case, in the dark of that late spring night, when the stars, Pollux and Castor, were overhead, out I came with my twin brother, Flatty. I guess we really took the Gemini thing too far.

Some folks really love to party on their birthdays. As for me, after nearly coming down with jellybean poisoning one year, I decided that parties just weren’t the thing for me. Instead, I started having adventures, even small ones, because my birthday doesn’t always fall on auspicious days. If I can find a spot that’s historical, beautiful, and wonderful, perfect! Otherwise, I may just take a day to dream.