By JB Lester
There is nothing more beautiful than Spring in St. Louis. The greenery grows an inch a day as the trees bud out and the colorful azaleas dot the landscapes. I had the joy of seeing a pair of bluebirds in my yard visitors not known to come into town much. I also witnessed two turkey buzzards with their bright pink skin heads flying low over my suburban neighborhood. I was worried that the carrion they sought might be one of our community cats, but luckily the furry pair showed up for their dinner that night. I am always amazed at what we can see if we just take the time to watch.
Observing is one of my favorite pastimes, especially since I retired. From our front porch my wife Niki and I have a grand view of the sky, clouds and all the aerial acrobatics of birds, bats and butterflies. The bats dart around the neighborhood sky at dusk in the most unpredictable flight plan. We are seeing more crows and blue jays as this species is making a comeback from whatever decimated their numbers some years ago. Sparrows are everywhere including a nest in our back deck ceiling fan. What are they thinking? I love to watch the robins dance across the lawn, tilting their heads, looking and listening for earthworms. A few chipmunks have returned to the backyard under the deck. This makes our little dog Zimmy crazy as he digs at the wood trying to see what smells so delightful. The feral cats keep the little critters away from the front porch, but they have returned to the north forty and that could be a problem. As cute as they are, chipmunks tend to burrow under foundations, sidewalks, decks, etc. and cause issues. I will let nature take its course, and maybe one of the neighborhood hawks will get a surprise supper.
I will put something in my vegetable garden soon. They say to wait until Mother’s Day to plant in our zone, but it has been so warm, I might plant things a bit early. You can always count on some good storms in the spring. At least we finally got the electric company to come out and take a tree limb off our power line that had been pressing down for months just waiting to snap off our electricity. I love storms, but don’t like to be without power when the humidity is high and the temperature is hot. My days of roughing it during a blackout are over. Yes, the candles are quaint and the solitude is meditative – for about an hour. After that, bring back the air and lights.
It’s hard to sleep with the windows open even in the most perfect temperature. Seasonal allergies are part of our lives now. Our cars are covered in yellow pollen. Just imagine what makes its way up your nose. I never had allergies as kid. Just another wonderful perk of growing old.
Our yard has a clover patch that is bound to house a lucky four-leafer. And thanks to NO MOWAPRIL, the clover is about six inches high. But it is good for the pollinators, and we have plenty of bees thanks to our neighbor’s bee hives.
It is truly amazing what you can witness from your front or back porch. I suggest you take the time to just observe. Become a part of the process we call seasons. Keep a journal, write down what you see and how it makes you feel. You can find solace, peace and even humor in the world around you. Even in the smallest of eco-systems like your own yard.