22.10.10

Couple time

We celebrated A.’s birthday this past Tuesday, October 19.  I wanted to surprise A. with a local day trip, so I provided him one clue per day leading up to his birthday.  1. Among NJ's best meditations 2. Along the President's gardens 3. A place that combines the best of outer & inner 4. Dining with Claude Monet 5. Peacocks mean integrity 6. Whimsical wonderland PLUS two bonus photo clues.


We had a most meditative day at Grounds for Sculpture in Hamilton (NJ), where we lingered along the grounds for five hours making our way through meticulously landscaped nooks and crannies.  Tiptoeing through the Forest of the Unconscious, sitting for a spell with Renoir’s boating party, and climbing Monet’s scarlet poppy hill, to describe just a few of our reflective moments.  The most exciting part of our trek was lunching next to founder/sculptor J. Seward Johnson at The Rat’s Restaurant, where the feel was a scene from the book, The Wind in the Willows, and the view as if we were right there with Claude himself, alongside his lily pond and bridge.  Mr. Johnson was kind enough to share that he noticed my eyes light up (I wonder why) as he and his business colleagues began to discuss Republicans, whom he mentioned, happen to be the ones who buy his works.  (He made $35M this past year.)  After our 20-minute conversation, A. & I thanked him for the experience of his wonderfully whimsical gardens.  (And we secretly hope Mr. Johnson will consider creating a sculpture of us [me?!] once we send him our personal note in the mail with a photo of us enjoying our day!)  To have a glimpse of our not-so-artsy cell phone montage, click here
Marriage
together we stroll
through these enchanted gardens
admist the magical drizzle
the sun peeks out
and we beam in charmed delight
marveling in the marriage
of nature and playfully chiseled forms

Happy Birthday to my heart, A.  Enjoy another trip around the sun, my love!