THE LION CLOSES OUT FEBRUARY

Tornadoes targeted Missouri and Illinois last night. They came through St. Louis just before midnight and headed East. Winds, much less tornadoes are not my favorite weather things, but in the blackness of the night they are particularly worrisome. Some buildings and homes were affected and there were power outages. Was I scarred? Well, when the winds began to buckle the windows i n my 15th floor apartment I hid out in my small kitchen and hoped it would blow over. It did and I did not have to add surviving a tornado to my life experiences.

FORE! FISH SPAWNING!

On a recent trip to Florida, I had the chance to watch the spawning habits of tilapia, an ordinary-looking fish. On the edge of a manmade pond, fed by a natural spring, the tilapia were busy building their round, muddy-looking nests that appeared out of place in the clear, clean water.

Their nests were close to each other and they socialized with their neighbors. At one point, two fish seemed to be puckering their lips and kissed each other, whether before or after laying their eggs was a mystery to me.

What struck me about all this was the determination of this fish, normally found in Africa, to continue their ancient reproduction ritual without shame in the middle of a golf course.

"THEY ALL LAUGHED WHEN I SAID I WOULD MOVE TO SAINT LOUIS"

I moved to St. Louise in 2007 to be near my son and grandchildren. At the time, friends and family questioned my decision. There was a sense the Midwest would hold little interest for me. Since I came, I have been impressed by the revitalization of this City and its many advantages,some of them reported in the news recently.

Empty nesters, young energetic people, businesses, national corporations along with high-tech firms are resettling the once forgotten and abandoned downtown areas. Gardens are sprouting in neighborhoods and parks between office buildings. The St. Louis Orchestra is among the nation's finest and one of a few operating in the black. Jazz still reigns supreme in small bars and in larger venues. The St. Louis Art Museum has an impressive collection and is building a new addition. It and the St. Louis Zoo and Science Museum still do not charge an admission fee. The City's large German, Italian, and Bosnian populations are found in ethnic neighborhoods where new and old restaurants are having a colorful resurgence.

Least I sound like a Commercial for the Chamber of Commerce, our community issues are no less nor more than communities elsewhere. We have less than worthy laws being supported by State and County elected officials. We still support candidates who advocate carrying concealed weapons in public places. We carry guns proudly, defiantly, openly even after the most heinous of crimes. Environmentally, existing standards and regulations for water, air pollution and land use are less than well enforced. Lead Poisoning is still a problem as is educational opportunity for all ages. We share budgetary issues with the rest of the country and are as illogical and emotional about our sports, politics, and health care as are others.

Saint Louis is home to national and international celebrities who are loved and loathed. We get our news through technology, gossip and one of the country's oldest newspapers. Our scandals and corruption give evidence to our similarity with other cities. Yet, we are blessed with institutions of higher learning and men and women working to improve and renew our future.

The history of this City, once larger than Chicago, Illinois, reminds me that people once stopped here on their way to seeking fortunes in the West. Others came and stayed to develop this place on the Mississippi. Now, many are coming once again for new opportunity and for the promise of this City's reawakening.

Like the song says, "Who is laughing now?"

VALET PARKING NO MATTER WHAT!

This morning our temperature reached a warm 31 degrees. The snow came off and on, the streets were filled with ankle deep slush and the sun was trying desperately to come out. On my way to my favorite coffee shop, I noticed a tall, slender young man wearing a red parka standing in front of an up scale restaurant in the area. He was standing by a "Valet Parking" sign, sunk in a river of slush.

There was something incongruous about the picture, so I stopped to talk to him. He was indeed waiting to park cars for patrons of the restaurant who might be arriving for brunch.

He was still there when I returned. As I tried to find a passable path back to my car and finally climbed into it, I wondered does he earn enough in tips and gratitude to make up for his lonely, wet vigil?

WEATHER PREDICTOR FOR FAITHFUL?

In the middle of one of the largest winter storms to hit this country, a fat, fuzzy brown creature burrows out of his hole, pops his head out of the ground and predicts, "an early Spring." His name is Punxsutawney Phil so named after the Pennsylvania town in which he lives. He has been "predicting" the weather for about 125 years and has gained quite a following of "true" believers.

No matter what may be happening in his state, the country or the world people come from all over to witness the ritual conducted every February 2. Officiating are officials, elected and otherwise, dressed in top hats and ready to record his "prediction."

There are other ground hogs that have tried to match Phil's ability, there may even be one here in Missouri. I remain loyal to Phil's prediction and feel sure Spring will soon be here. But please, no phone calls when Mother Nature provides us with one last blast of winter in April.