So, it's Friday, and I've been out of town for a school board conference since Wednesday. It's been great, but I am definitely ready to get back to the farm. I worry about things while I'm away.

I'm not really worried about my kiddos. Sure, the routine is off, but they love daddy time -- especially when it comes time for dinner. I don't know exactly what goes on in my absence, but I know that they definitely do not have the "salad and water" that they report having for dinner.

And, I'm not really worried about John, though he sure has to take up a lot of slack to allow for my absence. He's juggling the kids, the house, the bank, and the farm. It's a lot to take on, but he is more than capable, and I love that he is willing to do it all so that I can be away.

It's this gal pictured below that I worry about most.

Here is Nutmeg in her usual post. This corner of the field is as close to the house as she can get. And, here is where she spends a huge amount of each day. It's far from the barn. It's often far from the rest of the herd. But, it's close to me. And, the thing about Nutmeg is . . .she's not truly a part of the rest of the herd. I am her herd. She adores me. And, I feel pretty much the same way about her. This is great most of the time. I am outside enough during the day that I can give her the attention she desires. But, it makes things pretty hard when I'm away. She will undoubtedly look for me when she's let into the barn for milking, stomp around on the milk stand, kick the pail, and send John into fits. It's hard to fault her, though, she's just been separated from the rest of her herd.

Poor Nutmeg. It's nice to be so adored, but I hate that she's so sad when I'm away. The good news is that the conference is over today, so things will be back to normal for everyone very soon.