Be sure to take time to smell the roses!

Yesterday was a great day. I started the day by literally smelling the roses. Summer has finally arrived so the landscape needs a drink first thing in the morning. While watering I was captured by the beauty of the roses that grace our property. These are the old fashion kind that really smell like roses are supposed to! I was worried because just a few weeks ago, they looked awful. Not known for my green thumb, I took some leaves to a local expert who diagnosed them with rust. Who knew...certainly not me, but Larry our gardener sprayed with a fungicide and they are thriving.

I accomplished a lot around the house, made lunch for our winemaker's family who is moving to a new home, and poured Per Cazo Cellars wine at the Paso Robles Chamber of Commerce Mixer at Cool Hand Luke's. Here I am with Jason, the General Manager having just set up for the tasting. At the Mixers, everyone is allotted two tickets for wine. Since it was over 100 degrees, there were a LOT of people who wanted a nice cold glass of Tres Blanc. I poured 11 bottles and could have poured more. It was fun to have the exposure, but I was so busy pouring, I could not really chat with anyone. I handed out a lot of cards for private tasting appointments so I hope people make the arrangements. I love getting to know the locals and make new friends.

Once it was time to pack up and go home, I called Dave who is in Chicago this week for a project. Disappointed he did not answer, I called back to leave a message but this time he did answer saying he had to call me back. There had just been an accident. Everyone was OK but he couldn't talk right now. Of course all kinds of thoughts were swimming in my head. Shortly, he phoned to explain that he was a passenger in a car that had been sandwiched on I-94. A large SUV failed to stop in the halted traffic. This of course rammed them into the other large SUV ahead. The small,

Avis rental car was totaled. Shaken, bruised but nothing more than that, he and the driver were waiting for a ride from other colleagues who would take them back to the hotel.

This morning on my way to the barn to feed the cats, I inhaled the sweetest smelling rose of them all. Anything can happen to spoil your day, ruin your plans or take your life. Be sure to take the time to stop and smell the roses.