today we finalized plans to spend spring break in california looking at schools with our daughter, and driving down highway 1 in a convertible that i just reserved for a totally justified, and totally unreasonable fee. even steve, our resident tax preparer, managed to reschedule 28 tax clients in order to join us for four of the seven days, and rest his weary head on a bed of california stars. as always when we prepare to leave for more than about 3 hours, i am consumed with an intense nesting instinct. my heart is torn between the joy of a new adventure, and grief at leaving my charges behind. in this case, we will be leaving a very sad puggle, and some very spoiled chickens, in the hands of a good friend, who is supremely competent and loving. but . . . i ask myself. will she give jack just exactly the amount of table scraps he deserves? will she recognize his “i’m hungry” stare? will she give him his morning tummy rub? and will she know the difference between glimmer’s hunger call, and her “i need to lay an egg in the house” call? i mean california isn’t that great, is it? is it?

bird nest among winter dogowood stems

arden hills, saint paul, minnesota