On vacation priorities, the 'Rose King' and Aunt Stell

By the time this column appears its author will officially be on vacation - although, I'm not sure what that means exactly. You can take a vacation, but I'm not sure you can actually be "on vacation."

Now that I think about it, the fact that my mind is unable to determine the correctness of the phrase underscores the need to escape from the daily grind. Probably not one reader in a thousand knows, or cares, if "on vacation' is grammatically correct - thank goodness.

And anyway, I'm on vacation - I can do what I want to, or at try my best.

The vacation agenda includes a mix of work and play. There are an assortment of tasks around the homestead which have been on the back burner for far too long, blended with 'fun' things that are so far in the rear they've disappeared from the stovetop entirely.

The windows need washing; ditto for curtains and blinds - although the dust from Forest Hill Road makes that chore seem like an exercise in futility. Maybe I'd better put that job aside.

Closets and dresser drawers should be cleaned out and rearranged. Of course, living in Michigan you have to be prepared for erratic weather changes - better keep those sweaters handy. Guess I can cross that task off the to-do list.

Painting the upstairs rooms that I call home has been a top vacation priority. That's turning out to be easier said than done, too. Before the walls and ceilings are painted, lots of patching is in order - it won’t be a quick fix. Looks like another job may bite the dust - literally.

It's looking like the best option may be to concentrate solely on the fun side of the vacation list. Reading, gardening, playing with Gwendolyn and Ella, watching sunsets on Lake Michigan - I think I can easily handle those assignments.

It's going to be grand being on vacation.

* * * * * *

Speaking of gardening - sort of - congratulations to Jack Minsky, the 2002 "Rose King." His beautiful blooms recently received the Best of Show award at the Lansing Rose Show.

Jack and Kathy have provided rose care advice more than once in the past few years - it's been much appreciated by a real novice and resulted in my own personal 'best' roses ever this year. Reds, yellows, pinks - a gorgeous coral - whites and roses with variegated hues are looking mighty fine and smelling wonderful.

Each evening when it's time to trim wilted blooms and check for pests, I think of my aunt, Estella Kloeckner Heiler. Aunt 'Stell' had the most beautiful rose garden I've ever seen - at least that's how I remember the beds of fragrant roses that created a heavenly landscape at the Heiler home in Lansing.

Visiting at Aunt Stell's was a wonderful introduction to the beauty of roses for a young farm girl - providing loving care for my own rose beds keeps that memory alive.

* * * * *

To all those readers who are 'on vacation' this week, or anytime this summer, take time to stop and smell the roses - a corny phrase to be sure, but absolutely appropriate for the season.