I have driven past this place hundreds of times and have wanted to stop in for a closer look.
So I finally did, because my new motto, as you may remember, is “why not?”
If you’ve driven by The Secret Garden on Rte 7 near D’Agostino Auto, you’ve probably done a double-take.
This T-Rex is a showstopper.
It’s almost impossible to miss this 8-foot metal, colorful sculpture of a tyrannosaurus rex in their front yard.
So… what’s the deal?
Husband and wife team Paul and Melanie have had their business there for 3 years. They call themselves a “family-run statuary” and mostly pour stone molds like these:
All kinds and breeds of dogs!Gargoyles and goblins…cool.Obligatory “Mary-of-the-Half-Shell” religious yard sculptures.
But the metal sculptures are imported from Mexican artisans.
I love the whimsy and color.
It’s a dalmatian lifting his leg. 😂There’s a grill in there. Puts a new spin on pig roast.This colorful turtle family would look amazing in a yard by a pool.Big red ants on bicycles. How fun!Yeah, there’s NO WAY I was leaving this sign behind. SOLD!Baby T-Rex was only 4 or 5 feet tall but fierce as heck.
If you’re looking for a yard decoration, I’d highly recommend stopping in to The Secret Garden on Rte 7. They’ve got something for everyone and are as friendly as can be. Check out their inventory on their website.
A creek and stream bed whose natural beauty is marred by trash in Lincoln, RI.
One of the drawbacks to being present and noticing everything around you is that you notice the ugliness as well.
There’s no debate here. We humans are trashing our planet.
The lovely landscape with trash subtracting from its appeal.
As a homeowner of 17 years, I understand some of the struggle. Not everything can be easily tossed or recycled. Getting rid of certain items can be costly.
But here’s the thing: You bought it in the first place. Its disposal should be part of the acquisition choice.
Why would you toss something out the window as you drive past?
People fish and swim in this reservoir.
You can’t love your country while consciously doing something that detracts from its beauty.
How much extra effort does it take to empty your ashtray in a trash can at home? Or take your Dunkin Donuts cup into work and throw it out there?
No matter your views on the National Anthem debate, true patriotism – true love of country – means doing your part to keep America beautiful.
For me, that means taking a trash bag on my next walk.
Because I would much rather see my country look like this… natural beauty without the stain of mankind on it.
Cold water + warm air = mysterious fog
Consider taking a few minutes once or twice a week to clean up your small corner. It takes a village.
Oh boy *eye roll* another meditating, yogi-wannabe, vegan, soy-slurping, “peace-is-love” advice columnist.
I don’t blame you for thinking that, based on the title.
In all honesty, though, I’m way too ADHD to meditate, I HATED yoga, I love a good burger, and soy gives me gas.
I tried meditation and yoga because, like most Americans, stress was my natural state. There’s so much to worry about: Deadlines, increasing workloads, increasing costs of everything without increasing pay, physical health, mental health, family, pets…and the list goes on.
That’s when I decided to follow the inspirational poster:
It’s not original by any stretch of the imagination. Yet we can’t quite pull the trigger most of the time.
I pulled the trigger. But I still have times that I’m plagued with doubt. I still find myself distracted at times because I haven’t met all my goals yet.
But then I have moments like this one below (and the one above) that I’m able to capture with my camera because I was paying attention.
Photo taken by me Saturday, February 10, 2018, on my morning walk in Rhode Island.
And it reminds me to be present so I don’t miss these moments in the future.
The Rhode Less Traveled 