Sunday Stamps II 106

Goodness it is Sunday (as well as being Christmas) and time for Sunday Stamps.

The theme this week is religious Christmas stamps.  The US Postal Service always has a classic Madonna and child stamp, and this year it is

From the USPS website:

"This Christmas stamp features a detail of Madonna and Child, a 15th-century tempera-on-panel painting.

Clad with a white veil over her head and a red garment trimmed in gold and partially covered with a gold-trimmed blue cloak, a haloed Virgin Mary gazes downward and to the right, looking at a blond, haloed Christ Child while placing her right hand on his shoulder. Behind both figures is a hedge of pink and white roses, with blue sky visible through their thorny, leafy stalks."

Happy holidays everyone.

Viridian

Sunday Stamps 105

Hello from the cold (though it could be colder) American Midwest!
The theme today for Sunday Stamps is Secular Christmas.  I would like to share this year's stamps from the US Postal Service.  The scan and the text is theirs.

"In 2016, the U.S. Postal Service® issues Holiday Windows, four new stamps that rejoice in the simple pleasures of the season. 

Nothing compares to the tranquil calm of a winter evening after the snow has fallen and the sun has set. Whether you enjoy viewing the peaceful scene from a cozy spot indoors or feeling the chill on your face outside, these brief moments remind us of what makes this time of year so special. Recalling nostalgic winter nights from childhood, these stamps highlight the role windows play during the holidays, letting us delight in the snow when we’re inside while also sharing our warmth and merriment with the outside world.

Conveying the joyful and reverent spirit of the holiday season, these elegant stamps showcase various ways we observe traditions and spread cheer. Each stamp is sure to add a dash of winter bliss to letters and cards during the year’s coldest months. 

The Holiday Windows stamps are being issued as Forever® stamps. These Forever stamps will always be equal in value to the current First-Class Mail® one-ounce price. "

Enjoy the season, everyone.

Visit Sunday Stamps and see who else is joining in.

Keep up with me at https://www.facebook.com/Viridian61-347674418583948/ on Facebook.

Viridian

Sunday Stamps 104

Hello and welcome to Sunday Stamps!
A cold, somewhat snowy Sunday in the American Midwest.

The theme this week is mountains.  I found a few stamps I shared on my blog back in 2014:

These two stamps from Russia came to me from a Postcrossing postcard.  I cannot read the script of course and tell you where these mountains are!

Follow me on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Viridian61-347674418583948/.

Please visit Seeitonapostcard and see who else is joining in this week!

Viridian

Sunday Stamps II 102

Hurrah to Violet Sky for hosting Sunday stamps for over 100 weeks!

This week's theme is 20th Century inventions.

I think these stamps will do.  From a series of USA stamps on Building a nation.  

This is a group of four stamps from a larger set.  Most of the photographs were taken by Lewis Hine, a famous photographer.  According to Wikipedia, "Lewis Wickes Hine (September 26, 1874 – November 3, 1940) was an American sociologist and photographer. Hine used his camera as a tool for social reform. His photographs were instrumental in changing the child labor laws in the United States."

More images can be found at http://www.loc.gov/pictures/collection/nclc/.

Visit Sunday Stamps to see who else is joining in!

Viridian

Sunday Stamps II 99

Welcome to my contribution to Sunday Stamps, which I am putting together on Saturday evening.
This week's theme is fireworks or night views.  I hope no one else shares the cool stamp below.

I don't have this stamp in hand - this is a scan from the US Postal Service.  This is from a series of stamps featuring national parks (Violet Sky also has shown one from this series).

Follow me on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Viridian61-347674418583948/.

Visit SeeitonaPostcard to see who else is joining in this week!

Viridian

Sunday Stamps II 98

A very warm end of October here in the American Midwest.

It's time for Sunday Stamps.  The theme this week is bizarre or unexplainable stamps.

The first one below, from the Netherlands, might have something to do with posting letters.

Or maybe not.  The second one below I have posted before on my blog.  It's from Lithuania.

A marble? A bead? No one knew then what it was trying to depict, and I am not sure either.

Follow me on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Viridian61-347674418583948/.

Visit SeeitonaPostcard to see who else is joining in this week!

Viridian

Sunday Stamps II 96

A lovely fall day in the American Midwest, and time for Sunday Stamps!

This week's theme is Foods of the world.  Nothing very healthy here on these USA stamps.

The scan of this sheet is from the US Postal Service.  On these first class stamps are some treats: ice cream cones, a root beer float, a hot fudge sundae, and a banana split.  A float and a banana split might be peculiarly American.  Who else puts vanilla ice cream on top of root beer, another American treat? 

Visit See it on a Postcard and see who else is playing this week.

I have a page on Facebook; like it and know when I am posting on quilts or stamps: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Viridian61/347674418583948?ref=hl

Viridian

Sunday Stamps II 95

Time for Sunday Stamps!
This week's theme is postal related.
I have some stamps from Russia, posted back in 2012.

Showing a postbox, a post van, stamps and postcards!

This came from a Russian postcrosser.

Please visit Seeitonapostcard.com for more on postal related stamps.

Viridian

Sunday Stamps II 94

Hello and welcome to Sunday Stamps, hosted by Violet Sky at Seeitonapostcard.com.

Today's theme is birds, one of my favorite topics to see on a stamp.

As I wrote a few years ago:

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 archipelago 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.  

Visit Seeitonapostcard to see who else is playing!

Viridian

Sunday Stamps II 92

Welcome to a beautiful fall day in the American Midwest.

The theme this week is fruits and nuts.  My stamps is from Belarus:

As I posted before:

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."

Visit See it on a Postcard and see who else is playing!

Viridian

Sunday Stamps II 91

Hello and it's time for Sunday Stamps.  The theme this week is worshipful places.

I guess I interpreted this a bit differently that other players today.  I wasn't thinking of a church but of a place of natural beauty with a feeling like a cathedral - Muir Woods, a redwood grove north of San Francisco CA.  And, if you look at zazzle.com, you can even find a stamp with a redwood grove image:

Source: http://www.zazzle.com/postage_stamps_with_photo_of_redwood_trees-172687907682232760

I have been there and the tall trees are like pillars in a cathedral, with the light filtering down, dappling the ground.  Because of the low light, there is little undergrowth and nearly open ground between the trees.  It really is a worshipful place.

Visit See it on a Postcard to see who else is playing!

Keep up with my infrequent quilt and stamp postings on my Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Viridian61/347674418583948?ref=hl

Viridian

Sunday Stamps II 87

Hello everyone from the rainy American Midwest!

The them this week for Sunday Stamps is odd-shaped stamps - not the usual square or rectangles.  I have one to share from Thailand:

A septagon, or seven sided shape!

This stamp from Thailand is honoring "The Celebrations on the Auspicious Occasion of His Majesty the King's 7th Cycle Birthday Anniversary."

Visit See it on a Postcard to see who else is joining in!

Viridian

Sunday Stamps II 85

Hello and welcome to my contribution to this week's Sunday Stamps.
This is a stamp that I have shown before, back a ways.  It is of some work horses.

Sorry about the off-kilter scan!  I have not checked the posts of our UK contributors, so perhaps this stamp has been shared by them.

Remember, I am on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Viridian61-347674418583948/?ref=hl and I update that page with my quilt or stamp postings.

Visit SeeitonaPostcard to see who else is playing today!

Viridian

Sunday Stamps II 82

Hello and welcome!
A beautiful day in the American Midwest.
Today's theme for Sunday Stamps is the color Red.  My first stamp is from a Russian Postcrosser.

I was excited to receive this, as it is a triangle-shaped stamp, and a textile stamp, showing part of a traditional scarf.  The heart sticker is extra!

My second stamp is of some peppers, some of which are red:

Enjoy your day, and see who else has joined in at Sunday Stamps, hosted at See it on a Postcard.

Viridian

Sunday Stamps II 80

Hello again, and welcome to my contribution to Sunday Stamps.  The theme this week is flags or ensigns.  I will share the current USA stamps that feature flags:

and

There are always flag stamps available at the local post office.
Have a great summer week everyone!
See who else is contributing at Sunday Stamps.

Viridian

Sunday Stamps II 79

The theme this week for Sunday Stamps is cartoon characters.  I have a stamp  I have shown before, of a famous character all over the world:

A version of Hello Kitty!

Stop by See it on a Postcard to see who else is linking up.

Viridian

Sunday Stamps II 78

This week's theme at Sunday Stamps is free choice.

Why not an exciting geological stamp?

For the Element Fire, an erupting volcano!

See more at Seeitonapostcard blog.

Viridian

Sunday Stamps II 77

Sunday Stamps: This week's theme is canines. Please see See It on a Postcard for more contributions.

I have shown this stamp before on my blog, back in 2012 so I hope you don't mind if I show it again.  This stamp is from Hong Kong and pictures an English Springer spaniel.  These dogs can be working dogs, trained as 'sniffers' for explosives or contraband, and I believe that is what is being shown here.

See today's prompt for more canines!

Viridian

Sunday Stamps II 73 Maps on Stamps

Hello and welcome to my contribution to Sunday Stamps, now run over at See it on a Postcard.
The theme this week is maps on stamps.
My contribution is a repeat from a post from 2012 - but I have no new stamps to offer, as I am not participating in Postcrossing at the moment.

This stamp from Belarus did come to me via Postcrossing some time ago.  Love the penguins.

Visit See it on a Postcard to see what others are sharing!

Viridian

Sunday Stamps II 71

This week at Sunday Stamps we have an interesting theme: Spineless invertebrates!  Yes sometimes they get their own stamp.  Below I have a scan of a block of stamps from some time ago - note the price on them:

Yes some vertebrates but I draw your attention to the American Lobster in the middle bottom.  Only after they are cooked do they turn red.  If you eat seafood you will find them very delicious. Also there is the Luna Moth in the upper left - also classified as an invertebrate.

Visit See it on a Postcard to see who else is joining in this week!

Viridian

Sunday Stamps II 69

The theme of Sunday Stamps at See it on a Postcard this week is weather or weather-related stamps.
I had planned to show this stamp earlier for mountains but I guess there are clouds and sky in the background:

Not a stamp most of us will use or see - at $22.95 this is for large packages.

Love the illustration style of this stamp!  Scan is from the US Postal Service.

Viridian

Sepia Saturday, after a long time away

It's Sepia Saturday number 325, and I would like to join those intrepid bloggers listed there in interpreting this week's theme.  I perused American Memory at the Library of Congress to find the image below:

Potomac Boat Club.
CREATED/PUBLISHED
1919 Sept. 21.
SUMMARY
Nine young women in racing shell on river.
NOTES
Date from back of photograph; however, photograph may have been taken later because bridge in background (Key Bridge) was under construction from 1917 to 1923.
National Photo Company Collection (Library of Congress).
Published in: American women : a Library of Congress guide for the study of women's history and culture in the United States / edited by Sheridan Harvey ... [et al.]. Washington : Library of Congress, 2001, p. xii.

Viridian


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Sunday Stamps II - 66

The theme this week at Sunday Stamps is the color (or colour) GREEN.

I looked through my old postings and came up with a green Christmas stamp.

It is from Belarus.  I hope you can see it also has silver embossing on it!

Enjoy the weekend,
Viridian

Sunday Stamps II 64

Chiming in once again form the Midwest, it's my contribution to Sunday Stamps, hosted at See It on a Postcard.

The theme this week is women on stamps.  Inspired by our hostess, I am sharing a very similar stamp that I showed on my blog some time ago:

A wonderful stamp and surrounding material from Russia, showing, I believe, Catherine the Great.

See who else is joining in this week!

Viridian

Sunday Stamps II - 59

All it well at chez Viridian, just busy and forgetful about my blog.
I am joining in again with Sunday Stamps, run by Violet Sky at SeeitonaPostcard.

 The theme this week is Winter Scenes.

One of my favorite stamps, featured on my blog some years ago.  I feel it is very evocative of deep winter.

Please see who else is joining in at See it on a Postcard!

Viridian