I met Jack Metzger soon after I moved to the first Bedlam Farm, he would pull up in his station wagon, his car loaded with antique treasures, desks, signs, jars and statues. Every book I’ve written up here has been written on a Jack Metzger desk, my headless statue came from Jack, his shop is a trove of wondrous old things, and Jack has become an acclaimed environmental artist, showing his sculptures made from discarded things in galleries, at shows, in his shop. He introduced me to George Forss and Jack is a genius at matching people and things with one another.

And yes, that is Jack’s hand in the photo, I didn’t even see him reaching for the books when I snapped the shutter.

He called me up to tell me about the Macaws he reclaimed from an old amusement park – nobody knows where Jack gets his stuff, he has a photographic memory for what people like. I love these two pieces, (I once bought a carousel piece from Jack, it is hanging on my wall) in my prior life I would have bought these two in a heartbeat – they cost over $500 and I will not buy them now. They would be perfect in my study, inspiring muses.

But I loved seeing them on Jack’s porch, it is an art gallery in its own right, there is always something new and dear there. Jack is unique, a beloved fixture in my town, a sweet and artistic man. I believe the country is the most tolerant part of the country, there are all sorts of people here living their lives, supporting one another, working and struggling on their own behalf. I am grateful for Jack’s Porch, it is a mirror on our world.