Lupine lessons

For such a disjointed family it seemed as if the six of us piled into our Hudson frequently and went for rides. The four kids were stuffed into the backseat, carsick and struggling not to let any sibling body part touch us. At every turn in the road my mother shouted, "Look at the Lupine!" We'd roll our eyes, look out at the dizzying blur of purple flowers and go back to our own private wars.
This weekend all over California the Lupine and poppies and wild mustard are in bloom. My mother was right. It really is beautiful.