Barrow Pit

Sometimes relief from the daily stresses of life can come from an unexpected place. Even from a place you would least expect. For quite a number of years I managed a company that distributed equipment over a two-state area. The company grew extremely quickly over the years, from a manageability standpoint, too quickly. Managing an entrepreneurial company of this type brings a host of ongoing pressing management activities and responsibilities that leads to a life of long work days and long work weeks. As is said, “It’s not for everyone.” It’s the kind of work life that makes one seek out, and deeply appreciate, small periods of relief or distractions from the daily grind. Time requirements and dedication make the opportunity for time away from the business even for short periods difficult to come by.

Two west facing windows of my second story office gave me a great view. A county road, state Highway and a city street west of the property met forming a perfect triangle of about five acres. Also within the boundaries was what at first glance could be considered an ugly little borrow pit. Some 30 years ago this pit had been excavated for material to build the new state highway. It had long since filled with water from the high water table levels in the area.

Initially, I paid little attention to the borrow pit area. I did notice that it showed its age by the number of trees small and fairly large as well as beautiful cattails around the entire outside of the water. The whole property had a fence around it and, in addition, on the land around the body of water was a great stand of tall grasses. One early summer day as I passed my office window I glanced out and was surprised to see a Canada goose and several goslings crossing the north highway. As all of the roadways are very heavily traveled, I was immediately very concerned about the welfare of the geese.

I rushed down and out of the building and through the front gate to literally herd the whole family back across the road. This was much to the displeasure of the mother goose and to the wonderment of the folks traveling on the highway. Once the mother goose had made her position clear and figured out that I was not going anywhere, she headed for a small hole in the fence. She quickly slid through the hole with the youngsters’ right behind her. I decided to find a piece of wire to fix the hole and at least slow down the next attack of goose wanderlust.

As I worked on the fence I wondered why I had not noticed the geese earlier. After all, I drove by the pit twice daily and looked out the office windows numerous times each day. Once finished I spent a few minutes looking around and spotted another family of geese. I heard a car door close and turned to see a Department of Natural Resources employee headed my way. We introduced ourselves, and I told him what I had been doing. We chatted about the pit for several minutes, and he told me that they had made some habitat changes around the pit. This was the first year that geese had nested here. The DNR Specialist also told me that the site had been chosen for the placement of a pair of trumpeter swans under a new program to try to reintroduce the birds to the State. In addition, two area conservation clubs were going to improve the habitat even more to try to attract waterfowl and other outdoor creatures. As an outdoors man, I found all of this very exciting, and it was the strong attachment to this little borrow pit stuck between three roadways with hundreds of vehicles passing by each day. Eventually, an aerator was installed for the swans (they stay year round), which our company happily donated the power to operate.

Over the years this little body of water turned into a haven for waterfowl, including the trumpeters which have produced a number of offspring that have seeded other bodies of water. Wood ducks, blue and green wing teal, mallards, geese and any number of song birds raise families there each year. I have seen as many as 57 goslings on the water at one time, a large number for such a small body of water. In addition, there are muskrat, mink and other mammals. Development has reached a level where it is not unusual to see classes of school children at the site. As for me, it was a gift. Anytime I needed a lift, something to get my mind off the many tasks at hand even for a minute, I could turn to the window and always—and I mean always—see wildlife in pursuit of happiness. The place became a stopover for thousands of migrating waterfowl each year and from this comes my favorite memory of this wonderful little refuge.

Many fall evenings I have anticipated sundown on a clear evening. As the sun was setting, the stop-over geese would start coming back from feeding—hundreds of them. They would come high and helicopter straight down to the water to rest for the night. The site of these great birds staging high above ground and waiting their turn to helicopter down to land, all against the beautiful colors of a setting sun, is a picture you can not buy at any price.

Yes, relief from the daily stresses of life comes from many places especially if you’re lucky and looking in the right place. For me, none has meant more than the ugly little borrow pit, which at first seemed a most unlikely spot.