A peacock in New Jersey

As Ripley would say, “believe it or not , I saw a peacock in New Jersey! ”

It was Saturday afternoon, yet the overcast sky did not dampen our enthusiasm to explore the area.

“Would you like to visit the Grounds for Sculpture? “ asked C as I buckled myself for yet another adventure.

It’s been a month now since I landed in New Jersey with Ms Papaya and her mother. My main task has been babysitting which would have been much easier if I didn’t have to deal with the car seat. ( I have major issues with this and will write a separate post on it) .

You can’t really go far with an infant in a stroller and so far I’ve only managed to extensively explore the Stop&Shop located a hop, skip and a jump away. This daily trek has in fact become my sole form of aerobic activity – a slow ambulatory pace.

But I’m rambling.

As I said yes, she punched in the address in her iPad and asked me to read out the directions as we set off. With an iPad on my lap, it was impossible for me to capture the gorgeous countryside we passed along the way.

She preferred going the scenic route rather than the highway and it was a little over an hour’s drive that gave me a glimpse of Americana. We passed fields of dried corn, some shaved  to the stumps while others waited their turn. Acres of lush green grassland rolled by . We drove through forest lands with foliage just beginning to turn colour , saw  picturesque houses, public schools  and silos.

Grounds for Sculpture

Finally we turned into the small town of Hamilton and followed the signs to the Grounds for Sculpture.

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The slight incessant drizzle was a bit of a nuisance but what really annoyed C was the poorly marked map and the signs on the exhibits themselves. Her methodical, auditor’s brain was irked by this sloppiness.  But after coming upon unexpected whimsical, lifelike installations of picnickers, quirky animals, she began to appreciate this omission.

What really lifted our hearts though was the unexpected vision of a peacock preening away in the New Jersey wetness!

Honestly, this was a splendid sight and one trip I would highly recommend to any visitor to New Jersey.