Soothing moments are everywhere for the taking, especially at inns. One day during one of my visits to Clifton Country Inn in Charlottesville, Virginia, I was working on a new project-this time in the garden. Suddenly I spotted a few very large blueberry-colored morning glories climbing up a brick wall to one of the inn's enchanting cottages. Of course, I was under a tight schedule and filled with the stress of getting the job at hand completed. In glancing over at the flowers, I thought of the oft-repeated cliché, "Take time to smell the flowers." And so I took it literally. I thought, "C'mon, why don't you do it for a change?" So, I told the folks I was working with that I needed a minute-too bad about schedules. I walked over to one of the flowers and put my face right into its wide, trumpet-shaped mouth. I breathed deeply. The beauty of the moment-sensing the velvet of the petals on my cheeks; looking at the flower's life-bearing potential where the seeds are produced and the pollen is generated; and the touch-cupping such a gentle living thing in my hand-it was all a bit overwhelming. I was brimming with good feelings. The flower didn't have a sweet smell-in fact, it didn't have a scent at all! But I got the message of the old maxim anyway, and so the rest of the day went along stress-free and on time.

One of the simple pleasures suggested in this chapter comes from the Willow Brook Inn in Canton, Michigan, suggesting that we plant a butterfly garden. I wouldn't have known what the inn meant if I had not seen one recently at Glen-Ella Springs Inn in Clarksville, Georgia. We were filming for my TV show, Country Inn Cooking with Gail Greco. My director turned to one of our cameramen and instructed, "Get Gail goo-gooing with the butterflies."

So, I got behind this patch of flowers where dozens of small butterflies were dancing around, unmindful of our crew and me. I was fascinated by the flight of fancy they took around and around. I had never seen anything like it. Usually when I go chase a butterfly, the winged creature is off in a flash. Well, our cameraman, Tony, shot video for a good five minutes. The job was done and he was off. I lingered as long as I could. But later that evening, I felt a bit saddened that Tony hadn't put his camera down and Richard his directorial urge aside, and taken a moment to just sit there with me and watch the waltz of the butterflies.

I think this is a good example of why this chapter is so important. Even though life's little treasures are all around us, we have to be reminded of what they are and to go ahead and indulge them. Butterflies are free, and truly, so are you! And besides, remember that the butterfly does not count the months, only moments-and he has enough time. So do you.

If you'd like to read more of Gail Greco's insights and tips to living well, e-mail her at gailgrecoc@juno.com.