Life can be so fast-paced, but it was time to TAKE the time to "Stop and smell the roses!"

There is no sweeter smell than the roses off of this "old time country rose." I've had many roses in my day, but none have ever smelled as sweet as these roses do. Once the petals start to fall off, I pick them up and then place them in my sugar gliders' cages so that they can enjoy them, too (gliders love to fling them about and nest down in them).

Today's been a really super hectic day, and this evening, it was just the most wonderful thing in the world to sit out on the back porch with my mother and my daughter (yes, John, too) and have a good old country visit. We celebrated mom's 72nd birthday with cake and ice cream; then, we went around the yard and checked out the various plants to see how they were doing. Mom gave me a peach tree and a Rhodendendron to set out, and we will set the plants out in the next couple of days.

THIS is the way life should be. Mom, Evey, and I need more times together - just like tonight.

soft sigh . . .

Good night.