Good Morning Mourning Dove!

Dear Diary,

The first day of spring and it hardly feels or looks like it.  This mourning dove is staring in disbelief at the huge snow pile behind the house.  I am staring at it too!  But I can’t dwell on it for too long as I am packing for my trip to Minnesota on Friday.  The weather, at least for now, seems to be co-operating and I will have good travel conditions for my 5:45am flight.  (I just hope the hotel has a wake-up call service!)  I am staying in Portland on Thursday night so it will be a bit easier and the hotel has valet service to the airport and I can keep my car there as well.


This is my first trip in a while.  I have been wanting to visit them for some time but house repairs last year kept that from happening.  Despite the recent furnace repair cost and HUGE snow removal costs, I am going now anyway.

This is my first flight out of Portland since I flew to Japan in 2007.  Wow, ten years ago.  Doesn’t time fly!  It is a bit more expensive to fly out of Portland, Maine but saving the trip to Boston and the expense of parking there is worth it.


I was hoping to see the amazing St John bible while I am there but my friend said they have stored it while they build a special display area at the monastery for it.  Just the full size reproduction will be available to see.  Big disappointment.  This is the first fully illuminated bible produced in the last 500 years with traditional materials and the contemporary take on the illuminations is spectacular.  Oh, well.  There is always next time.