Autumn 2 - The Pond History

Figure 1. Nose Hill pond in September 2010. photo by TP.

September 17. Autumn 2.

            Once, in my province, small towns were defined by their library and their post office.  The library symbolized the desire of all towns everywhere to bind to culture and pass to the next generation that which may be embraced by the idea of heritage.  Reading was a source of pride, and libraries spoke of reading.

            A post office establishes the reality of a town’s existence as part of a larger whole and gave folk connection to a greater world.  A post office binds people together in daily meeting; ties one person to another in news and gossip.  A letter from a distance aunt or a long absent brother is a reminder that someone remembers.  Loss of the post office was death to a town.

            Water is the post office of grassland.  Water binds life together and water in grasslands is a centre of meeting.  Those who thirst must come to water, and those who hunger find relief at the edge of water where thirsty become sustenance.  Birds coursing through autumn and spring sky search for water and rest where there is water before winging another day.  Where there is water, there is life.

            My park has water in the spring of the year when snow melt fills depressions and life bursts forth to live and breed and die.  With summer, in most years, the water seeps away through the soil or wafts away in the air, and the ponds shrink, eventually leaving only mud, and soon, plants which lay dormant as seeds beneath the water.

            Some homesteader knew water would not last his horses, and threw up an earthen dam to corral water in the spring, and a permanent pond now graces the lowest ground.  Here gathered Whitetail Deer and Wolf, Mallard Duck and Red Winged Blackbird.  With the visitors came the settlers, and Boreal Chorus Frog shared pond with Tiger salamander.  Mayfly and Damselfly took hold and uncountable invisible beings shared the pond with Deer and Wolf.  In winter, pond froze.  Those who could, left for warmer easier climes.  Those who could, burrowed into mud to wait out the cold.  Others rest in egg or cocoon to wait for spring warmth.  Some struggle through the cold hoping to see spring bring fresh growth and the sun’s touch.  City grew, and displaced Wolf and bison.  Deer survive, and Coyote and all the invisible creatures share the pond still.

My city has raised the levy and diverted storm runoff from hilltop subdivisions to reduce flooding in lowland neighbourhoods.  Pond is bigger now, but pond is different too. With spring run off, and thunderstorms, water fills this pond.  With water come all the bits of humanity left in road gutters and on lawns.  Now, with rain, come fertilizer and pesticide, oil and transmission fluid, and all the things pets leave behind.  With spring melt comes road salt and remains of cigarettes.  Yes, pond is different now.

My pond will continue to change as my city changes and as my neighbours seek peace in my park.  How my pond changes is up to me and those to whom I am tied by my city.  May we live with wisdom.