We can see so much from our front porch. My wife Niki and I sit outside almost every day the weather permits. I once commented that people in the city tend to sit on their front porches while people in the county mostly sit on their back decks. I wonder why more people don’t sit out front. It is certainly more social. We wave to all the passersby. Neighbors walking their dogs (kindly no watering our gardens) — joggers (run a mile for me please) — moms and dads with little ones in strollers (we have our new grandson sitting up here on the porch with us in his bouncy seat) — and people just walking and enjoying the weather, exercise and always tossing us a friendly hello. You just can’t get that on the back deck. In fact, the mosquitoes are much worse in the backyard and the front porch offers a nice gentle breeze and views of the late summer clouds and sunsets. Yesterday I watched as two small white butterflies chased each other in an upward spiral, circling and circling in the most frantic manner. I wondered if one was protecting his territory. And suddenly they landed on a bush and I realized they had been in a vortex of love. I was pretty sure butterflies don’t fight. It would go against everything I have ever believed about butterflies. With the absence of rain, the squirrels finally had to get their water from my tomatoes. Oh, well, I don’t mind offering up a few heirlooms if it keeps them from dying of dehydration. I had a bumper crop this year. The squirrel population has actually been down a bit due to neighborhood hawks and owls. Has anyone else seen so many birds of prey in the suburbs? Sure seems like a lot of wildlife have found their way into Webster Groves. Niki said she was sitting on the porch the other morning and suddenly a doe and her fawn came sauntering through our front yard. Now this may be a regular occurrence in Town and Country, but it is rather rare in south Webster. And I don’t see as many Blue Jays as when I was growing up, but there are plenty of bright red Cardinals around the homestead. Our cat Smokey takes care of the voles and mice. He is on his 8th of 9 lives, but he can still hunt being the only outdoor cat of our pride. From our planked plateau we can watch the world go by. An Adirondack chair, a cool beverage, my family at my side, it just doesn’t get better than that. Simple pleasures are blessings of the soul.
Make a note that our next Natural Living Expo is set for October 20 in Webster Groves. We have a few exhibit spaces left but we will sell out soon, so if you are interested please call 314-962-7748 or email me at JBL44@aol.com. This will be our 26th expo and each and every event is filled with products and services that can help you live a healthier and greener life! See you there! Get a discount ticket on page 31.
In Good Health,
J.B. Lester; Publisher