Saturday, December 31, 2011

Sunday Stamps # 51

The last Sunday Stamps of the old year - first Sunday Stamps of the new year. My suggested theme was new beginnings, or anything you wish. When have I ever seen a stamp with 'beginnings' as a theme? What was I thinking of? So my 'anything you wish' stamp is a winter one:

from our friend in philately, Finland.  I like this colorful and evocative image of snow on rooftops.  No snow here in the Midwest of the USA though.

It's a holiday but I hope you can join us with a stamp of anything you wish.

Theme next week will be anything you wish also, until I can get my planning for the year somewhat done!

Viridian

Saturday, December 24, 2011

Sunday Stamps #50

It's Christmas Eve and Christmas day is tomorrow, Sunday. Let's celebrate with some Christmas stamps.

These are this year's non-religious stamps issued by the U.S. Postal Service.  They are valid for first class domestic postage (right now: 44 cents).  The forever designation means they will always be good for first class postage, even when postage rates go up.
Merry Christams to all, and to all a good night!  Please join us and visit the other participants.

Viridian
Theme next week: New Years or new beginnings stamps (I've actually never seen any), or anything you wish.

Friday, December 23, 2011

Christmas Postcard


There may or may not be Postcard Friendship Friday today. If so, this is my contribution.  I do wish there was snow on the ground here in the Midwest.
 In any case, Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and don't forget that Sunday Stamps opens a bit early tomorrow.
Viridian

Saturday, December 17, 2011

Sunday Stamps # 49

In which we celebrate the holidays with Christmas or other seasonal stamps.

This is one of the stamps issued for this year by the US Postal Service.  According to the USPS:

"The artist known to posterity as Raphael had it all — he was talented, handsome, and even-tempered. At a very young age, he became a great master of the Italian High Renaissance. A detail from his painting, Madonna of the Candelabra, showing the Madonna and Child, is the traditional Christmas stamp for 2011."  This painting dates to about 1513 and is now is the Walters Art Museum in Baltimore MD.

The Postal service has also issued non-religious holiday stamps, a Hanukah stamp,an Eid stamp, and a Kwanzaa stamp for this year.

Your holiday stamps don't have to be from this year, but I hope you will share a stamp or two with us.

Next Sunday is Christmas itself.  I will be running Sunday stamps with the theme of Christmas and holidays again, but I understand if you are busy that day.  I'll try to get my post up earlier on Saturday - yet another busy day!

Viridian

Friday, December 16, 2011

Sepia Saturday 105

In which our prompt is from the 1901 Edition of Mrs Beeton's Cookery Book - lovely main dishes of prawns, stuffed larks (?!) or chicken in aspic. I guess fashions in cookery do change, don't they?

One thing that doesn't change is how to handle and prepare eggs.

This is from the circa 1977 edition of Better Homes and Gardens cookbook, which is becoming vintage, much as I am. I didn't know there were 'special helps' in the back of the cookbook, until I really did need to know about egg whites beaten into soft peaks vs. stiff peaks.  The results of some recipes are shown in color in other parts of the cookbook, but the old stand bys are in black and white.  I still refer to this standard cookbook.  I don't think it has a recipe for pigeon pie however.

Viridian

Thursday, December 15, 2011

PFF: Vintage Christmas Postcard

Wishing you a very merry vintage Christmas! I hope I catch some Christmas spirit soon.


A corner missing but still a lovely card.  I think I've shown almost all the vintage cards in my stash.  Time to go to ebay and bid on another lot of vintage postcards!

I am joining with Beth at The Best Hearts are Crunchy for Postcard Friendship Friday.

Viridian

Saturday, December 10, 2011

Sunday Stamps # 48

Theme this week: Stamps from the Great White North: Canada, Iceland, Norway, Finland, Russia, etc. Oh yes, and Greenland, a misnamed country to be sure.


Doing scuba is such cold water off Greenland - no thank you!  But an interesting stamp anyway.  This came from one of the University students, doing research in Greenland.
If you don't have a stamp from the countries of the North, perhaps you have one with snow?  Snow-capped mountains?

About the blog looking funny: Yes, the background images and header image are loading funny in Internet Explorer. I am not sure what I need to do. The blog looks its usual pretty self in Firefox or in Google Chrome.  Give these browsers a try.

Theme next week: Christmas Stamps.

Viridian

Saturday, December 3, 2011

Sunday Stamps # 47

Welcome to Sunday Stamps # 47.  Today's theme is anything you wish.  I am sharing a stamp from the Cayman Islands.


This came from a tourist postcard sent by friends.  I am sure that in the Cayman Islands they are getting ready for Christmas too - it's just a lot warmer than the American Midwest.
I wish I could visit there, but it's not to be.  There are charms in a snowy Christmas - especially if it's with family.

Share with us what you wish.  I think you have interesting stamps that probably won't fit into a theme that you would like to share - yes?  Then scan the stamps and join us.

Theme next week: Stamps from the Great White North: Canada, Iceland, Norway, Finland, Russia, etc.  After that, we'll have two weeks of Christmas stamps.

                     

Viridian

Saturday, November 26, 2011

Sunday Stamps #46

Welocme to Sunday Stamps #46! Today's theme is Art on stamps.


A stamp from France, showing a self-portrait of Albrecht Durer.   This is the Self-portrait with a thistle, in the Louvre. (Durer painted several others.)  This is part of my collection from the early days, when my roomate C. was receiving letters and packages from her mother in France.

Join me and share art miniatures on stamps.
Theme next week: anything you wish.
Viridian

Sepia Satuday 102

Sepia Saturday has such a great photo for a prompt this week! Here is my contribution:


A cabinet card picked up in SW Ohio.  I do not know who these children are, but they are pleased as punch to be on a pony in a city street.  I do tend to pick of sepia photos of children.

In the shop window on the left you can see ads for Morning Glory hams and - my favorite- Shinola.  Shinola is a brand of wax shoe polish.  Its name was immortalized in the phrase "You don't know s--- from Shinola" - rather unfortunate for the shoe wax company.

Happy Sepia Saturday!  If you like this blog, stop by on Sunday for Sunday Stamps.  We share interesting stamps, following a theme - or sometimes not.  The theme this week is art on stamps.

         


Sunday, November 20, 2011

Sunday Stamps #45

Oops!  I am late this week, the first time ever.  Theme this week: anything you wish.


This is a composite scan, of a number of stamps showing volcanoes.  I have shown this before, many weeks before, but hey, it's my blog and I want to show it again. :-)  Exciting, but don't get too close!

Join me with any stamp or stamps you wish to share today.  I will leave this meme open until Monday Midnight USA time so that you have time to join.  Next time I promise I will be ready on time.

Theme next week:  Art on stamps.

Viridian

Saturday, November 19, 2011

Sepia Satuday 101

Not my 101st contribution but it is Sepia Saturday's 101st week. I joined for the first time last week. For this week, I was inspired by the mountains in the background of the Chevrolet ad image. I was looking for a certain geology/mountain image of my memory but could not find it. Here is one I DID find:


Source: American Memory, The Evolution of the Conservation Movement, 1850-1920.

William Henry Jackson and another man with photographic equipment on mountain in Yellowstone Park, Wyoming, 1871-1878.

Is it just me or does there appear to be a huge drop-off to the left?
It is hard to imagine taking such classic photos in the rough Wild West, with glass plate negatives, no less.
Be sure to visit this week's Sepia Saturday!

viridian

Saturday, November 12, 2011

Sunday Stamps #44

Our theme today is Sport, sporting events, stadiums, etc.  I have an almost-maximum card to share with you today.  First the front:


A round postcard, that really captures the texture of a basketball.  The European Men's Championship was being held in Lithuania (those are all cities in Lithuania).
And the stamp on the back:


A really great stamp on the back!!!  The postmark appears to be from Kaunas.

Have fun with this theme, and interpret it broadly.

Theme next week:  Anything you wish.

Viridian

Sepia Saturday 100

I am joining this meme for the first time this week, after seeing it again and again on the blogs of people I follow.  Congrats on reaching week 100!

I am sharing today the original scan of the photo I use for my avatar.


I have wondered over 100 times who this young woman is.  The photography studio was in Mt. Vernon Ohio, near Kenyon College.  Perhaps a college student?  There is no note on the back.  I found this image in an antique store in SW Ohio, many miles away.

My supply of sepia and black and white photos are limited, but I'll try to join as I can - and as I can remember!

Saturday, November 5, 2011

Sunday Stamps # 43

We ended up in Australia/New Zealand last week, and I have been lazing away on the beach.

It has been very relaxing!
(Actually I have been in the USA Midwest with a bad cold.  Ah well, I can dream.)

Join me for this week's theme of anything you wish.

Theme next week: Sport, sporting events, stadiums, etc.  Joy, if you wish to post the link to the hurling video again, that would be awesome!

Saturday, October 29, 2011

Sunday Stamps #42

We move a little south in the Pacific. I'm headed to Australia, but New Zealand is possible too.



First, a dingo, one of the unofficial animal symbols of Australia.
Then a Maximum card (a true one!) of a lovely lady.  This is Madame Melba, circa 1902, painted by Rupert Bunny.  The painting is at the National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne.

We have come full circle around the globe.  I hope you are able to post stamps today from Down Under, or even from Antarctic territories. 
Our trip is done, and for next week, we will rest with the theme of anything you wish.

Viridian




Saturday, October 22, 2011

Sunday Stamps # 41

Today we visit Oceania, including Japan, the Philipines, Indonesia... and many more.


One stamp from Japan, of a pretty bird. One from Taiwan with some amazing mythical looking characters  - I would love to know more about them.  And how about the Hello Kitty stamp? Wonderful!

Please join me and share some stamps from the Pacific Islands.

Next week: Australia and New Zealand (and Antarctica Territories if you have them) and our tour of the World continents will be done.

Viridian

Saturday, October 15, 2011

Sunday Stamps #40

This week we stop in Mainland Asia (by which I mean not including Japan, Taiwan, Philipines).

This is an older stamp from for Laos that has been in my stamp box for a long time.  I don't remember how I acquired it, but I like the elephants and the overall design.

Looking at the Wikipedia entry, Laos has been the Lao People's Democratic Republic since 1975, so this stamp must be older than that.



Next week: We stop at the Ocean and Island nations of the Pacific, including Indonesia, Japan, Taiwan, the Philipines, and others (Nauru anyone?)  Then our final stop will be in Australia and New Zealand.

Viridian

Saturday, October 8, 2011

Sunday Stamps #39

Still in the heart of Europe.
A fine example of art on stamps: A beautiful lady in a beautiful dress.  This stamp came on a Postcrossing card from Luxembourg, offically the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.  More on this Duchy is found at the Wikipedia entry

Next week: we travel to Mainland Asia.

Viridian

Friday, October 7, 2011

Postcard Friendship Friday Oct. 7

October already!!!


A card illustrating a Russian fairytale.  The illustration is titled "Ivan Tsarevitch in a hand still had only one feather from a tail of the Firebird."

This card was sent to me from a Postcrosser in Moscow, Russia.

I am linking up to Beth at the Best Hearts are Crunchy.
Viridian

Remember that for Sunday Stamps we will be spending another week in Europe.

Saturday, October 1, 2011

Sunday Stamps #38

This week we visit several places in Europe.


First stop: Germany!  Being (ahem) a bit older, it still feels a little strange to write that.  I still sometimes think in terms of West and East, or GDR and DDR.
This is a famous monument, the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin.

Then, off to Jersey, which may not technically be another country (it is a British Crown Dependency, according to Wikipedia), but they do have their own stamps.  From left to right, marsh St. Johnwort, wild angelica, and a turnstone.


Both these stamps came to me via Postcrossing.

Please join in during our visit to Europe.  We'll be here next week also.

Viridian

Friday, September 30, 2011

Happy Postcard Friendship Friday!


Portrait of a Lady, about 1520 to 1525, by Bernadino Luini.
Painting is in the National Gallery of Art, Washington DC.

When I was a teen visiting museums, I would have liked to purchase a book of reproductions, or maybe a poster.  However on a tight allowance, all I could really afford were postcards.  That was the start of my postcard collection.
This is not one from those early days, but similar to those I might have picked up back then.  It gave me the chance to study some great art.

I am linking with Beth for Postcard Friendship Friday.
Viridian

Remember Sunday stamps!  We are visiting Europe this week and next.  Linking opens up Saturday night USA time.

Saturday, September 24, 2011

Sunday Stamps #37


In our trip around the world, we are stopping in Africa.  Though I'll say, if I didn't have these older stamps from South Africa, I would have nothing to share!  I do have a few Postcrossing stamps from countries in the Arabian Peninsula, which I have shown before.  These show some government buildings.

Please share any stamps you have from Africa or the Arabian peninsula, and any stories you have about what or who they show.

Next week:  We continue to Europe, and we'll stay there for two weeks - I have plenty of stamps I wish to share.
Viridian

Friday, September 23, 2011

Happy Postcard Friendship Friday!


A postcard I recently received from a Postcrosser in Australia.  It is fall and turning cooler in the Midwest USA.  In the winter it is wonderful to go to a greenhouse like this!

Remember Sunday Stamp will open on Saturday night.  Theme: any stamps from the continent of Africa (includes the Arabian Peninsula).

Viridian

Saturday, September 17, 2011

Sunday Stamps #36

In which we are off to South America.



Top: some stamps from Paraguay.  The blue one are in honor of the centenary of Paraguay joining the Universal Postal Union, if I am understanding this correctly.  These are off a postcard from the 1980's.

The bottom stamp is a more recent one, from a Postcrossing postcard from Chile.  It shows a chinchinero, a street performer.

Enjoy our visits to South America!
Viridian

Next week:  we are off to Africa.

Saturday, September 10, 2011

Sunday Stamps #35

In which I start a leisurely trip around the world.  I hope you will join me.  Today: stamps from North America and Mesoamerica (Mexico to Panama).  I don't have stamps from Panama but I do have the Canadian stamp that matches the postcard I showed in my last post.

It is printed on the postcard - it is not technically a separate stamp.  I still love the graphics, and it's a MAXIMUM card!  Only through this blog and participating in Postcard Friendship Friday do I know about such things!

I am showing just one stamp, but feel free to share more than one if you wish.

Viridian

Next week: South America!

Friday, September 9, 2011

Postcard Friendship Friday Sept. 9

I received this card recently from a postcrosser in Canada. It is issued for Parks Canada I believe and the illustration is by Tim Nokes.

It's a look that reminds me of the Ranger Naturalist cards I showed some time ago, that were reproductions of WPA posters from the 1930's.

The card above comes with a matching stamp (A maximum card!) which I will share tomorrow.

I'm joining Beth at Postcard Friendship Friday.
This Week's Sunday Stamps: we start a trip around the continents. We'll start with stamps from North America and Mesoamerica (Mexico to Panama).


Viridian

Saturday, September 3, 2011

Sunday Stamps #34

In which the theme is oceans: Beaches, islands, coral reefs, fishes, whales, sharks... interpret this widely.


I may have cut off the very top of the stamps in my scan but you can see this little islet and the blue water surrounding it.  These stamps are from China and may show an actual island, but I can't read the Chinese characters.  Enjoy the blue!  And please, take a minute to visit other bloggers playing with this meme.

Next week: we start a trip around the continents.  We'll start with stamps from North America and Mesoamerica (Mexico to Panama).

Viridian

Friday, September 2, 2011

Postcard Friendship Friday Sept. 2


I recently received this postcard form Chile. It is of one of the driest deserts in the world - the Atacama.  However, when it does occasionally rain, seed that have been lying dormant will germinate and grow - leading to a beautiful bloom of wildflowers.

Saturday, August 27, 2011

Sunday stamps #33

Last week I did not set a future theme for this week, so let's have it be anything you wish. As I have done before when the theme is open, I would like to share some mineral stamps.


From the left: Uranium ore, quartz, aragonite, and malachite, on stamps from Benin.  (I hope I haven't shown these before!)

I hope everyone is having a great summer, and looking forward to a great fall.  My thoughts are with those of you on the East Coast of the USA (including my parents) who are facing the rain and wind from hurricane Irene.

Viridian

Theme next week: The ocean.  Beaches, islands, coral reefs, fishes, whales, sharks.....
Then we are going around the world.

Saturday, August 20, 2011

Sunday Stamps # 32

This week's theme: stamps of unusual shape, size, or orientation.  These are favorites of many people!!


These stamps arrived on a recent Postcrossing postcard from Finland.  You might have guessed Finland because of the wonderful stamp in the shape of that country!

And if you are going to use make-up postage stamps, why can't they be in an unusual shape too?
Viridian

Friday, August 19, 2011

Postcard Friendship Friday


A recent Postcrossing card from a member in the Netherlands.  This is a reproduction of a vintage card.

Viridian
Late Saturday night: Sunday Stamps will open!  theme: stamps of unusual shapes, size, or orientation.

Saturday, August 13, 2011

Sunday Stamps #31

Today's theme is anything you wish, on this hot summer Saturday or Sunday.

Today I'm doing some blatant self-promotion.  This image is a quilt block that I made and scanned, and I put the image in my Zazzle store.  You may buy stamps (USA postage only),  notecards, return address labels, and other things.  Just check out

http://www.zazzle.com/gifts?gp=105306313195917859

Hey, it fits the theme!
I hope you are having a great weekend.  I just received some great stamps on a Postcrossing postcard which has inspired my next theme:

Next week: stamps of unusual shape, size, or orientation.

Viridian61



Saturday, August 6, 2011

Sunday Stamps #30

It's a lazy hot day, and a Saturday too.  Time for Sunday Stamps.
Today's theme is anything you wish.


I am not a fisher, nor am I really into fish, but I do have this set of stamps that I scanned for this meme.  Some of these fish are freshwater, other marine fish.  These stamps are from some time ago, when 22 cents was first class postage.

Viridian

Theme next week:  It's still vacation time for many of us, so let's keep it open and relaxed - anything you wish.  Future suggetions welcome!

Friday, August 5, 2011

200th post! Friendship Friday

Ah the endless days of summer, that all run into each other, and you forget what day is what.
So much so that I looked all day yesterday for Beth's Postcard Friendship Friday post - and it never showed up!  Ha! Because yesterday was Thursday!
Today's postcard is from a Postcrosser from Portugal.


It's the time of year when many of our European friends are on vacation - in France, in Italy, or maybe in Portugal.

I'm joining Beth at Postcard Friendship Friday.

Viridian

Remember Sunday Stamps, which will be up Ssatuday evening.  Theme: anything you wish.

Saturday, July 30, 2011

Sunday Stamps #29

Theme this week: Stamps with a story - of how they came to you, or your purchase of them, or of the correspondence that sent them to you. I'll start.

One summer I was traveling Europe with a boyfriend, starting in Scotland at the wedding of a good friend and eventually ending up in Frankfurt, Germany for our return flight to the USA. Renting a car in Germany, we cruised through the Black Forest and on to Switzerland, seeing sites of touristic and geological interest.


Looking at the map, we noticed we really weren't that far from Liechtenstein.

I should point out that I was traveling with the stamp-collecting boyfriend I have mentioned before.  Normally, American tourists don't even know this country exists.

We however, detoured for an hour to stop in Liechtenstein's main town's post office to buy stamps - and then took off again, back to Switzerland.  After not seeing Jungfrau (totally clouded over and rainy) it was back to Zurich.  So, not much of a story, but a memory of a roadtrip just to buy stamps from an obscure country.

Looking forward to your stories,  Viridian

Saturday, July 23, 2011

Sunday Stamps #28

Today's theme is anything you wish. So often people put up stamps that are so interesting, when the theme is open. So blog away!

Today I am sharing a Moomin stamp from Finland.  It came to me on a recent Postcrossing card.   I am not entirely sure of the appeal of these creatures, but they apparently have a wide international following.

Theme next week: Stamps with a story - of how they came to you, or your purchase of them, or of the correspondence that they sent to you.  You'll see an example when I post next week.

Link in your blog entry below following the instructions, and visit some other blogs.

Viridian



Saturday, July 16, 2011

Sunday Stamps #27

Our theme today is birds.  I have a stamp from the country of Portugal.

This is a pretty bird with a sad story behind it. This is the Azores bullfinch.  Its species name is Pyrrhula murina, and it is endemic (meaning it is found only there) to the islands of the Azores, a small archepelago of islands in the North Atlantic that belong to Portugal.

Not only that, it is endemic to one island only, São Miguel  Island. 

Not only that, it is found only in the forests of the mountains in the eastern part of the island.

It likes the native laurel forests, and it is threatened by deforestation and the growth of non-native species.

In 2003, it was estimated that there were only 400 individuals left.  However in 2008 it was estimated that there were 775 individuals left, so there is some hope.  There is an organization called Centropriolo, dedicated to preserving this laurel forest ecosystem, and the priolo.
Some of my research was also done on Wikipedia.

Edited to add: Theme next week: Anything you wish.

    

Friday, July 15, 2011

Postcard Friendship Friday July 15

It's after Independence Day, that glorious time of hot sun, orange day lilies, Queen Anne's lace, and no ads for school supplies.  A few weeks that feels timeless.


This postcard from a USA postcrosser, of a Tiffany window, captures this feeling perfectly.

I am joining Beth at the Best Hearts are Crunchy for Postcard Friendship Friday.

I hope you will join me for Sunday Stamps, which will open Saturday evening USA time.  Theme: birds.  Check this blog tomorrow.

viridian

Saturday, July 9, 2011

Sunday Stamps #26

I am back! Vacations are relaxing for everyone except Mom ( and often Dad) who still have to cook, clean, pack, drive and all that.  I am just back at home today.

I am left without any vintage US stamps and must 'borrow' images from the US Postal Service website.  According to the stamp web page, these se-tenant stamps were issued Dec. 1, 2010. 
"On December 1, 2010, in Washington, DC, the Postal Service™ issued a First–Class Mail® Lady Liberty/Flag Forever se-tenant pair (two designs) in a Roll of 100 stamps, designed by Terrence McCaffrey, USPS®.
The U.S. Postal Service® introduced two new First–Class Mail Forever® stamps featuring photographs of world–recognized symbols of the United States: the Statue of Liberty and the American flag. The photograph of Lady Liberty is by Raimund Linke and the U.S. Flag photograph is by Ron Watts.
The stamps were issued in a Roll format and known as Lady Liberty and U.S. Flag. Forever stamps are always equal in value to the current First–Class Mail 1–ounce rate."

Ah, but there is a problem, which a keen-eyed fan noticed.  From the MSNBC news story:
"A stamp that was supposed to show the Statue of Liberty actually features a replica outside a Las Vegas casino, The New York Times reported Friday.
The United States Postal Service admitted the mistake but said it planned to stick with its Lady Liberty "Forever" stamp.

"We still love the stamp design and would have selected this photograph anyway," Roy Betts, a post office spokesman, told the Times.
However, he added the Post Office regretted the error and was "re-examining our processes to prevent this situation from happening in the future."
The Times said the image was taken from a photography service, but a "super-fan" of the statue spotted subtle differences and contacted Linn's Stamp News, which first ran the story."

I wonder what the moral of the story is?

Share with us your patriotic stamps from you country or any country.

Theme next week: Birds.

Viridian

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