John Lennon's Green Chrysler Station Wagon

Last year, on New Year's Day, David and Hank found this car at an auction in Connecticut. 

John Lennon and Yoko Ono purchased this dark green 1972 Chrysler Station Wagon for personal use when they lived at the Dakota on West 72nd Street in New York City. 

The car was registered to Apple Records and was said to have been John's favorite automobile because its practicality and modesty allowed him to travel virtually unrecognized.  It was primarily used for errands around the city and travel between their Manhattan apartment and Long Island estate.  It was also used on a cross-country trip during a time when John and Yoko were going through heroin detoxification.  They were visiting a Chinese acupuncturist in San Francisco who put them on a healthy macrobiotic diet.  John says this is what made it possible for Yoko to become pregnant with their son, Sean.

So, on Thanksgiving Day, we checked out the car.  It is more than 20 feet long and barely fits into Hank's garage.

There are special speakers installed in the front seat backs, so that John could better hear the music.  (John mostly sat in the back, while one of his assistants, Nisha or Fred Seaman, drove.)

 It's one of those station wagons where the 3rd seat faces backwards.

Some of the display photos that Hank has on display in the garage, including photos of Lennon in the car.

 

After dinner, David took us for a ride.  This is the front dashboard.  Not only is the car long, it is also wide!

 This is Matt sitting in the back where Lennon sat.

All very cool.

And we all shine on ... like the sun and the moon and the stars!

UPDATE: There's a great article about Hank and David's car - "John Lennon's Car: A Wagon That Rock 'N' Rolls" HERE - with photos much better than mine. Great story. August 2013 Check it out!

a cold day

Today marks the first cold day after a long string of relatively warm ones.  There were snow flurries this morning, an emptiness and stillness in the forest as if it is attentively waiting for something.

Thanksgiving Day

While John and his mother went to the store for antipasti and wine, Jubilee and I went to Glen Island.  Unlike in the summer when it is very crowded, the island was mostly deserted on Thanksgiving morning.  Just us and a few jogger/walkers.  I love the way the rock and the land mix.

 Around 1pm we headed up to Darien CT for dinner with Joan and Hank and family.  There were 11 of us: me, John, Joan, Hank, David, Susan, Matthew, Ooma, Josephine (Hank's mother) Ed and Eddie.  And Jubilee, who was her usual charming self around company.  Hank had a special plate of turkey for her.

Everyone gathered around the kitchen table for the antipasti and shrimp.

 This is John and his 2 sisters.

 Dining Room Table is set and beautiful ...

 Pies look good ...

 Turkey and cranberries ...

 Hank carving the turkey ...

 Everyone STILL at the kitchen table (notice that Matthew has a little beard thing going on.  Looks good.  He's starting to look like Perry Mason!).

After we ate, there was still enough light for a stroll down to the end of the street and along the water.  I think this is Long Island Sound.

Thanksgiving Weekend 2011 - part 1 of many

There were so many different "parts" to our Thanksgiving weekend this year that it is going to have to come in sections.  We drove across Pennsylvania on the Wednesday before -- a cold and somewhat dreary day.

 Here we are coming through the Delaware River Gap.  I guess I'm always wanting to take a picture of this bridge.

NY City looked like Gotham City as we approached.  Traffic was heavy.

 As usual, we got stuck at the George Washington Bridge.  Next time we are going to follow what our GPS suggests, and drive an extra few miles to take the Tappan Zee. 

It was dark when we got to New Rochelle, but not really late.  It seems it's pitch black in NYC by 5pm these days.  We tried the little Italian restaurant just down the street again.  Posto 22.  I like the tro-colore salad.

Ooma's apartment was warm!  (We had the window wide open with the air conditioning running on high!)

Next morning, Thanksgiving Day, was gloriously sunny and getting warmer!

 The trees are still leafy and colorful here ...

 From the window you can see all the way to Manhattan and pick out the Empire State Building.

UPDATE - safe and snug in Cranberry TWP

Jubilee and I are now safe and snug back in Cranberry TWP.  The trees are mostly bare (except for the red ones in front of the apartments).  I find the browns of late autumn comforting, somehow.  We are eating up all the great veggies that John has collected from the CSA deliveries.  Made a soup yesterday with red squash, carrots, leeks, and lots of other stuff.  Last night we had a green that was sort of like collards, but much more tender.  (It might be what Eric and Dawn got at their Farmer's Market.) I think it is my favorite green.  We are feeling healthy, and like bears getting ready for winter!  Jubilee's allergies are settling down.

UPDATE: We have identified the good greens as BRUSSEL SPROUT GREENS (can you imagine?)  Here is a photo.  They sure look like collards, don't they?

Almost heaven, West Virginia

 (Hi to Tony in Daytona)

 (These photos are out of order)

 This is the blizzard ...

 The Quality Inn in Summerville WVA (I love it!)

 I think this is SC ... about where I had to turn the A/C off and turn the heat on ...

 Heather and Jon's place, in Fernandina Beach (under construction) ...

 The walk in Fernandina Beach ...

 The beautiful Amelia River as I crossed the bridge!

Am just north of Beckley, now, in a wonderful little Quality Inn in the Whitewater area.  Summerville, I think. 

First came the sleet, then the snow flurries, and then we were in a first class blizzard!  At least it looked that way to me.  Couldn't see more than 20 feet ahead because of the snow.  But it only lasted for about 25 miles, then the sun came out!!   Anyway, I really like this motel - only about 225 miles from Cranberry TWP.  They have converted 4 or 5 rooms into this really neat bar/restaurant, which is quite interesting. Went from hot to cold today, from A/C directly to heat in the car!!!