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| This tranquil section of Central Park was named after one of Lennon's
favorite songs, "Strawberry Fields Forever." Recorded in 1966, the
song's title comes from an orphanage in Liverpool, England where Lennon
used to go to play with the children. His aunt, who raised him,
disapproved but he insisted it was, "nothing to get hung about." Hence,
the song's famous lyric. Strawberry Fields was officially dedicated on October 9, 1985, the 45th anniversary of Lennon's birth. Lennon's widow, Yoko Ono Lennon, worked with landscape architect Bruce Kelly and Central Park Conservancy to create a meditative spot. The black-and-white mosaic was created by Italian craftsmen and given as a gift by the city of Naples. Based on a Greco-Roman design, it bears the word of another of Lennon's songs: Imagine. A designated Quiet Zone in the Park, the memorial is shaded by stately American elms and lined with benches. In the warmer months, flowers bloom all around the area. Along the path near the mosaic, you'll find a bronze plaque that lists the 121 countries that endorse Strawberry Fields as a Garden of Peace. |
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| Alice and her cast of storybook friends found their way to Central
Park in 1959, when philanthropist George Delacorte commissioned this
bronze statue as a gift to the children of New York City. Inspired by
the zany characters of the Lewis Carroll classic Alice in Wonderland,
the sculpture was also meant as a tribute to his late wife, Margarita,
who read Alice to their children. Engraved around the statue are lines
from his nonsensical poem, The Jabberwocky. The sculpture is a favorite among children, who love to climb atop it and explore its varied textures and hiding spaces. Through the years, thousands of tiny hands have literally polished parts of its patina surface smooth. Created by the Spanish-born American sculptor José de Creeft, the piece depicts Alice holding court from her perch on the mushroom. The host of the story's tea party is the Mad Hatter, a caricature of George Delacorte. The White Rabbit is depicted holding his pocket watch, and a timid dormouse nibbles a treat at Alice's feet. |
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| Horse-drawn carriages are a unique and historical way to experience the beauty of Central Park. |
Hi Debby! Love the three postcards...how nice of you to have made a detailed description of the first two ones... it makes me look at them with different eyes... The third one looks very romantic...very stylish coach ...it certainly is a wonderful way to experience the beauty of the Park... Receiving any of the three would make me feel happy but the one of the bronze statue would please me the most. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteHi Debby!! Wonderful shots for Belita's theme, and thank you for the detailed explanations of the first two. My fave has to be the first one. A beautifully simple memorial. and I love the little tributes people have left, particularly the little 'yellow submarine' and 'walrus'. The 'Alice' statue is lovely too, although I'd like to see it 'sans' people and from different angles......maybe you could do that on FB one of these days :-))
ReplyDeleteHi Debby. I so fell in love with your first picture, I had a friend who loved the Park and especially the "Imagine" mosaic. You have captured that and the Alice sculpture so very well. I never went for a carriage ride in NY but would like to some day.
ReplyDeleteLove those photos. I was in Central Park and vaguely remember Strawberry fields and the Lewis Carroll statur (I think Jabberwocky was the only poem I ever learned by heart). The carriage makes a wonderfuly post card.
ReplyDeletehi debbie, lovely shots. the first one is very cool but my fav is tha last one with that old-looking carriage it brings you in very far times
ReplyDeleteFabulous shots Debby this place is obviously a paradise for photographers, wonderful work ;)
ReplyDeleteThree wonderful shots.
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