Sunday Stamps #77

Our theme today is... (looks back at old blog entry to make sure):
Scenic Natural Areas.

OK there are some houses and boats in the foreground, but there is scenery in the background!  And blue sky!  It's a lovely scene from Thailand, only partially obscured by the postmark.  Ko Panyi is a fishing village with houses on stilts, according to Wikipedia.  More tourism is coming to this area over time.

 Maybe you can find a more scenic stamp than mine.  No matter what, please share it with us this weekend.

Theme next week:  the color yellow.  I have found a pretty yellow stamp I wish to share.

Viridian

Sunday Stamps # 76

This Sunday the theme is anything you wish. I am still on vacation and if all goes according to plan, I will be in the beautiful city of Montreal Canada - stuck in an all-day meeting. Oh well, there is time afterwards for drinks and dinner.

My stamp for today is this beautiful pink rose from the Republic of China, also known as Taiwan, and for people of a certain generation, also known as Formosa.

I don't know if you can tell, but this stamp is embossed - partially raised up in areas.  Interesting!
Please join me this week with a stamp - it's easy, any stamp will do.

Theme next week: scenic natural areas.

Viridian

Sunday Stamps # 75

Our theme this week is food and drink of all sorts.  I would add this can be fruit on the vine, or in a delicate dessert.  I actually had some difficulty in finding a suitable stamp on my recent Postcrossing postcards, but I did eventually find one.

This is the gooseberry or Grossularia, on a stamp from Belarus.  We do not know gooseberries and do not use them in the USA, or at least very rarely.  I do remember seeing them for sale, fresh, and as preserves, when I visited Poland.

According to Wikipedia: "Gooseberries are often used as an ingredient in desserts, such as pies, fools and crumbles. They are also used to flavour beverages such as sodas, flavoured waters, or milk, and can be made into fruit wines and teas. Gooseberries can be preserved in the form of jams, dried fruit, or as the primary or a secondary ingredient in pickling, or stored in sugar syrup."

You know, I don't think I've ever tasted them.  I'll have to try, the next time I am in Europe.

Join me in a bite of food, or a treat, or lift a glass.

Theme next week:  Anything you wish.  I will be on vacation June 15 - 26 and will have only intermittent internet access so I will check in as I can.

Viridian

Sepia Saturday 130

I do not contribute every week to Sepia Saturday but I couldn't let this week go by.  Not when the prompt picture involves a cat.  So off I went to American Memory at the USA Library of Congress and found the image below, from the Chicago Daily News.

Dr. Edith Finley Norton sitting next to a small table on which a cat named Buster Bright sits. The images of other women are reflected in a mirror or panel of glass behind Dr. Norton.

  (Source: http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/ndlpcoop/ichihtml/cdnhome.html  search for cat)

The google machine is less than helpful about Dr. Norton.  What is her doctorate in?  Why was her photograph taken for the paper?  The date isn't even known - it's catalogued under 1900 - 1909.  And you can imagine that even less is known about Buster Bright, other than he (I assume a he) has very long fur.  At least the cat's name is known.  It's sad that so much is lost in the past.

I am on vacation and so will not be able to visit too many participants in Sepia Saturday.  You however, certainly can!

Viridian

Sunday Stamps # 74

To celebrate the Transit of Venus, let's share astronomy stamps, or science stamps, or stamps of scientists. I do not have astronomy stamps, at least not handy, but I do have stamps of a famous scientist.

Charles Darwin (1809 - 1882) is perhaps most famous for his book the On Origin of Species but he wrote many other works. According to Wikipedia "His five-year voyage on HMS Beagle established him as an eminent geologist whose observations and theories supported Charles Lyell's uniformitarian ideas, and publication of his journal of the voyage made him famous as a popular author."..."In 1871 he examined human evolution and sexual selection in The Descent of Man, and Selection in Relation to Sex, followed by The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals. His research on plants was published in a series of books, and in his final book, he examined earthworms and their effect on soil." Yes earthworms.  He is buried in Westminster Abbey.

A few years ago, during the celebrations of 200 years since Darwin's birth, I was joking with a scientific colleague of mine.  "So, Dr. M., you are almost 50, about when Darwin published On the Origin of Species.  And hey, Barack Obama was under 50 when he became president, and won a Nobel Peace Prize.  What have you done lately?"  "Speak for yourself," he replied. "You are almost 50 too!"

Please join me in this celebration of Science and Scientists.

Theme next week:  Food and drink of all sorts.  Also: keep your eyes open for Olympics stamps, to be featured later in July.

Viridian

Sepia Saturday 129

The prompt for this week's Sepia Saturday is a photograph of a lady being served tea.

Well, for me, I would prefer something a little stronger.  So I turn to my trusty Barman's Bible.

It has a copyright of of 1943, but I seem to have the 1976 reprint.  All sorts of classic recipes are included, from an Old-Fashioned, to a Mai Tai, to the Zombie.  Of course one must have the correct bar utensils to properly make some of the drinks.

Goodness this could become quite a production!  Well I am lifting a glass to all of you.  Cheers!

Viridian



Sunday Stamps # 73

Today's theme is anything you wish.

I am sharing with you a stamp from Poland, with some pretty flowers in a basket.  Appropriate for this Springtime day!  Please join me this weekend in sharing any stamp you wish to share.

Theme next week:  Tuesday is the transit of Venus, a once in a lifetime event. (DO NOT look at the Sun directly, either with or without binoculars or a telescope!  You will hurt your eyes.)  To celebrate, let's share astronomy stamps, or science stamps, or stamps of scientists.  I myself don't have astronomy stamps, but I do have some science stamps.

Add your link below.

Viridian

Fashion and Stamps come together

One of my favorite blogs, that I check several times a day, is the fabulous and opinionated Tom and Lorenzo.

How exciting then to have stamps and Fashion commentary come together in their blog entry on a new set of stamps issued by the Royal Mail, celebrating 60 years of fashion.  Check out their blog entry and enjoy.

Viridian

Postcard Friendship Friday June 1

I am sorry I have been away for a while.  Back again today.

A recipe postcard from Russia - involving caviar as a topping, of course!  The instructions are on the reverse and are pretty complicated, involving preparing the yeast, kneading, letting the dough rest, and kneading again.  Maybe not.

I am joining up with Beth at the Best Hearts are Crunchy for PFF today.

Viridian