Let the Crabgrass Grow Author:H. Allen Smith The crabgrass out in Mt. Kisco, New York, has been having a merry time of it recently because H. Allen Smith has been neglecting it - he's been busy at work, recording the hilarious adventures of his Westchester neighbors for this chronicle of suburban living. — In a totally unorthodox Almanac (which no self-respecting farmer should allow in his ... more »home) Mr. Smith talks about such diverse problems as the Sunken State of Strawberries, his fascinating Cocktail Party Policy (whereby every guest will receive a full biography of all the other guests), Outdoor Cooking, and the endearing attempts of his neighbor Avery to cope with ordinary tools of living (like grommets and dibbles). He has arranged his pseud0-Almanac by the four seasons of the year, and you'll find that his experiences are only too true - to his life and yours.
According to this latter-day Countryman, what's wrong with living in the suburbs, or living anywhere for that matter, is the Perversity of Nature. By this law, you don't get a toothache until Sunday, when all the dentists are on the golf course, you can't paint a simple ceiling because all the paint runs down your armpits, and you can't get rid of crabgrass because that's just plain perverse, by nature. In Smith's world, bugs are a special nuisance, and he has perfected an extermination program to eliminate wasps. His secret weapon is a rifle - but all this is described in his chapter on Big Bug Hunting.
Whether you are a confirmed suburbanite - or whether you wouldn't live within commuting distance of a suburb - this is the Almanac that will solve all your household problems - and start you thinking about a few that probably never bothered you before.« less