We’ve Got To Get Ourselves Back To The Garden


Hello my friends and homies , let me ask you a question, are all you all you all just feeling just a little bit anxious lately? Like you are waiting for the next shoe to drop , only one bit of bad news away from disaster? Like if you were a piece of Sushi you would be an “ Out of Control Roll” . Are you feeling , now how should I put this, Just a little freaking uncertain? Well my friends if it makes you feel better, there are very good reasons for this and one of them is quite close, buzzing and pinging in your pocket. Never before have we been so distracted, so disconnected from nature and the spiritual world. Little beknownst to us, there is an industry spending virtually a trillion dollars annually to capture your time and attention . While it may seem relatively harmless , there is a “ Toll for the Scroll”, a cost we all pay for our modern conveniences and that among other things is a loss of wonder and separation from the earth, each other and ourselves. Wow , that’s heavy , man. Anyway, while hardly a solution , we can start by  taking small steps to reconnect with nature, beauty and get a great meal in the process ( you know even philosophers have to eat). I am of course talking about taking a small jaunt (don’t get lazy)  to “Rats” at the very extraordinary and luminary Garden For Sculpture (80 Sculptors Way. Hamilton).Named for the fictional character in Kenneth Grahams “Wind In The Willows”, Rats transports you back in time to a lovely rustic French bistro set in Impressionist master Claude Monet's home town of Giverny. Reserve a table outside and savior a cheesy crock of  French Onion Soup or a Grilled Caesar Salad while overlooking the lovely cobblestone waterfall and resplendent water lilies of  Monet’s Iconic Bridge. Hey, you might even be inclined to put your iPhone on mute ( it is too much to ask that you shut it) , close your eyes , take a deep breath and enjoy the moment . Now, just  in case you don’t know , the Garden For Sculpture, is a  magnificent 42 acre  sculpture park and arboretum founded by renowned artist Seward Johnson over 30 years ago, close to Princeton, set on the site of the former NJ State fair Grounds. There are close to 300 works of art as well as 6 indoor installations by both established and emerging artists for you and your families  to discover and enjoy. There is so much to see, feel and experience. Every time I go there, I see something new and inspiring. If you ask me and you probably do, since you are reading this, it is the perfect place to be surprised , recharge, renew and reconnect .

    Now just in case the GFS is a bridge too far for you to venture,  I might suggest that you  take  a visit to the lovely and super quirky Calgo Gardens (462 Adelphia Road, Howell) While at its heart,  a garden store, come nursery, come cafe , come gift shop, Calgo is so much more than that. It is a harmony of art , nature and design. With its lush garden walkways and whimsical architectural elements ,the grounds are a work of art, emitting a positive energy that  feeds your spirit and soul. It is a great place to chill, relax and unwind. BTW , if you find it hard to tear yourself away, which you might, Calgo also offers a number of fine workshops there  in Watercolor, Yoga and Pottery. Well Mon Ami, that was certainly a lot to say and I am starting to get  hungry. So until the next time my friend, be daring ,try something entirely new and live a life that makes your nosy neighbors jealous. Harry, both over and out.  

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