Judy Gruen

Yesterday my husband and I went to one of our favorite local spots: The Huntington Library and Gardens. They had just completed a $6.8 renovation of their famed Japanese Garden, and were hosting a juried art show as well. The gardens in May are in full bloom, the air sweet and succulent. We sat in the shade taking in the glory of the white camellias, strolled through the rose garden, the cactus garden, the conservatory and other gardens, and watched families of ducks as the mother kept a close eye on her chicks.

This time we didn’t even make it inside to enjoy the fabulous art work (Gainsborough’s “Blue Boy” is the most famous among its paintings) or to look at the literary gems, including a manuscript of Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, a copy of the Gutenberg Bible on vellum, and an unsurpassed collection of the early editions of Shakespeare’s works.

Instead, we just enjoyed each other’s company on a gorgeous spring day, finishing our “detox” from the work of the previous week and refreshing and recharging our energies for the week to come.