DEAR MOTHER NATURE,

I write in hope I can ameliorate your anger.

Since last year, you have demonstrated your displeasure with the way we have fulfilled our stewardship for the nurturing and care of our Planet. We understand that our species have the privilege of enjoying your bounty.

Yet, we do not respect places our species does not belong. We do not heed the warnings you give us from time to time to be more vigilant. We regret the profiteering of some of us without regard for not only our species, but for animals and our natural resources as well. For all this, we apologize and promise to try to do better.

But Mam, could you please hurry Spring?

FUNNY PAGES OR THE TRUTH?

Political cartoonists have the ability to help us better understand political issues and consequences. Throughout history, cartoons have had an enormous impact on readers. Some cartoonists have been vilified, others admired for their forthrightness. Either way, a good cartoon usually does not go unnoticed.

Today, most cartoonists are identified by a single name. Herblock who before his death in 2001 was seen in the Washington Post, was a Pulitzer Prize winner known throughout the country. Auth of the Philadelphia Inquirer, and so many others with the ability to tweak our thinking with serious statements of humor and absurdity. I was reminded of this when I saw Matson's cartoon in today's St. Louis, Post-Dispatch.

Figures called "REASON,COMPROMISE,BIPARTISANSHIP" are directing a boat load of donkeys and elephants. They are leaving people yelling for help and stranded on a rock called "HEALTH CARE SUMMIT." The caption read, "KEEP ROWING! COVER YOUR EARS! IT'S A TRAP!!" Funny pages or the truth?

WHITEWASHING BLURRING REALITY?

I learned about a practice known as "Whitewashing" from Sarah Pritchard, children's buyer for Left Bank Books here in the Central West End.

Major publishers like Bloomsbury USA and Little Brown Company change the color of characters illustrated in their books to white for the cover. Publishers claim that when a person of color, unless well known, is on the cover, it cuts down on book sales. I saw one book with a bus load of all white children on its cover. Inside the book there were illustrations of children of all colors.

This is an insidious, common practice by some publishers that blurs our understanding of children and people of color in our community, if not the world. I signed the store's petition to have publishers stop this practice even as I wondered, do readers notice? Do we even care? Or do we find it more comfortable to live and read about colors we know?

NOT MY GRANDMOTHER'S TEA PARTY

In the winter my grandmother drank her tea out of a glass. She had lovely china, but she enjoyed warming her hands on the hot glass. Grandma was the matriarch of the family. She was an insatiable reader and believed that education was an imperative. Yet, she could not stand people who had all the answers, especially when she knew they were wrong.

She was a staunch Democrat. If anyone in the family was a Republican, she would want to know why? Then she would tell the upstart why the Democrats were better for the people and this country. When a pompous doctor asked if she knew who was the president? She answered, "Yes, don't you?"

I don't think she would have joined the Tea Party nor been fooled by quick answers. I am sure she would have told everybody to listen to the president. He is working for you and the country. And yeah, calm down and pour yourself a glass of hot tea.