Yesterday's ridiculous warmth is giving way to February reality, which is to say, it's getting appropriately chilly again. The frogs have gone silent, the salamanders have gone into hiding underwater, and the Naturalist's granddaughter Stasia is not exactly champing at the bit to go hiking. She was, however, eager to visit my daughter Kirsten's house to celebrate her 40-somethingth birthday, so we pulled together a good dinner and a cake and headed uptown. One of the newest attractions—the chance to play Minecraft on their computers is a perennial draw—is their newest pet, an African hedgehog named Blaze. The thorny creature is a definite charmer and adores exploring Kirsten's hair. Blaze is also quite affectionate, but the insectivore requires a gentle touch... or, better, good gloves.