Postcard Friendship Friday June 17

My last chrome postcard of this set, from a thrift store.
From the back:
Aerial view citrus tower, located on US Highway 27 at Clermont, Florida.  Elevator to the observation deck, 542 feet above sea level, where visitors may view numerous beautiful lakes and hills and thousands of acres of citrus groves."

Also this information: "New color card technique, R.A. Lasater, Apopka, Fla."

Has this Florida landmark disappeared like the Tiki Gardens at Indian Rocks Beach?
No!  It is still there, but I think the landscape has changed:

"The Citrus Tower stands unrivaled as a majestic and monumental tribute to Central Florida’s famed citrus industry and its lush subtropical groves. With the area’s changing economic climate, the Tower serves as a beacon guiding a burgeoning new business and population base to the scenic South Lake County region."

From: http://citrustower.com/clermont/

I am joining Beth for Postcard Friendship Friday.

Viridian
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Postcard Friendship Friday - June 10

Continuing our chrome postcard journey through Florida:

No location given, this unused card just says "Delightful tropical Florida living" on the back.  Along with the code "F.K. 80 - general Florida scene in natural color".  Gosh good to know this is natural color.  And take notice of that swell car - new at the time I think but now it would have antique plate on it.  Love the blue and the palm trees.

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

Viridian

Note: remember Sunday Stamps this week.  The theme will be a set of stamps that really should be pictured together, as the design is continued from one stamp to the next.  Any topic.

Postcard Friendship Friday June 3

In which I continue my chrome postcard journey on the Gulf Coast of Florida.

Say Ethel, remember this place? You were wearing your flowered muu muu and we met that cute young thing, what was her name?  After a few zombie drinks it's a wonder I remember anything.

From the back; "Visitors revel in the beautiful and romantic atmosphere of TIKI GARDENS - "Oro", two-faced Wind God in the foreground, Tahiti Hut in background, this exotic attraction is located on Indian Rocks Beach, between Clearwater and St. Petersburg, Florida."

Sadly this exotic place is no more.  It was torn down in 1990, initially for a hotel but the land was later purchased by the county for a landscaped parking lot and beach access.  Sigh.  Another piece of roadside America is gone forever.

Viridian

remember Sunday Stamps!  This week, anything you wish.

Postcard Friendship Friday May 27

I have a small set of unused chrome postcards of Florida places, which I'll share over the next few weeks.

This style of printing is more prevalent in the 60's and 70's in the USA - I am not sure about the rest of the world.  I like linen postcards much better but these kinds of card have their own tacky charm, and are certainly part of the vernacular American culture.

This postcard pictures the Comfort Inn Motel in St. Peterburg Florida, which  features "color TV, pool, phones available, major credit cards accepted."  Also on the back: "On US Hwy 19 (34th Street) a mile north of Skyway Bridge which crosses Tampa Bay at its entrance to the Gulf of Mexico, 5 minutes from the Gulf Beaches and adjacent to shopping center."  Printed by the Tom Brown Card Co., Clearwater, FLA.

Classic roadside motel architecture, with chain link fence - how attractive!  At least there is a fence to stop toddlers from drowning.  I know someone recently showed one of these old postcards and the pool did not have a fence around it - you could drive your car right into the pool.

I am linking in with Beth at Postcard Friendship Friday.

Viridian

Remember Sunday Stamps this week!  Theme: people honored by a stamp for any reason (historical, politician, writer, artist, educator, Nobel prize winner, anything), and you are happy that they are featured on this stamp. Tell us about this person.

Happy PFF: April 15

It's been a long and busy week.  Very busy.  And I don't have any Easter cards that I haven't already published as part of Postcard Friendship Friday. 

So, I will ask you to imagine that you are joining me on Easter Break, and that we are relaxing on the beach.  A gentle breeze is rustling the palms.  A beautiful golden full moon has just risen in the east and moonlight is glistening on the water.  Maybe we are writing postcards to our friends up north.

It's very quiet, but down the path behind us is the hotel beach bar where we can refill our rum punch or margarita glasses.  Enjoy!

Remember: My meme Sunday Stamps opens again late Saturday night (USA time). Theme: Easter or religious, any religion.

Viridian

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Postcard Friendship Friday: St. Pete, FL

It's turned cold again in the Midwest, so it's back down to Florida.

A lovely linen card of Spa Beach and Vinoy Park Hotel, St. Petersburg, Florida.  Those adults in the middle of the card better get out of their Northern duds and into their bathing suits!

Unused.  On the back, the card reads that it was published by "Rutland's Dept. Store, St. Petersburg's Best Dept. Store."  Rutland's is not in business anymore.  However, the Vinoy Park is going strong.  Built in 1923, renovated in 1992, "today the Vinoy is still the only luxury resort on Florida’s west coast."

I'm joining Beth for Postcard Friendship Friday.

Viridian

Remember: My meme Sunday Stamps opens again late Saturday night (USA time). Theme: Spring.



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Happy PFF: Post-hurricane Postcard from Florida

Linen postcard, sent to Mr. Roger B. Pierce of Worcester Mass.  Postmarked West Palm Beach Sept. 28, 1947.

"Hope this card is not a duplicate of one I sent before.  It will be a long while yet before I can recover from the hurricane.  They can't even get around to make an estimate on my roof for weeks.  Agnes."

Agnes had just been through one of the strongest hurricanes of the 1940's, that made landfall near Fort Lauderdale, FL. According to Wikipedia, "The storm made landfall on September 17 near Fort Lauderdale, Florida as a strong Category 4 hurricane with maximum sustained winds near 155 mph (250 km/h). Winds of hurricane force extended out roughly 120 miles (195 km) from the center in all directions."  The hurricane weakened as it crossed the state but survived to move across the Gulf of Mexico and threaten New Orleans with 110 mph wind gusts.  51 people were killed by this unnamed hurricane.

This tropical cyclone is one of only five hurricanes to make landfall on the United States with maximum sustained winds of at least 155 mph (250 km/h).  The next one would be... Hurricane Andrew.  Yet this unnamed storm is largely forgotten today.

Viridian
Thank you Beth for hosting Postcard Friendship Friday!

Remember: My meme Sunday Stamps opens again late Saturday night (USA time)
Theme: Children's artwork on stamps, or stamps that would appeal to children (cartoons!)
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Postcard Friendship Friday - postcard sent to Suicide Corner

A linen card titled D.C. 152 - Flamingo Hotel, Miami Beach, Fla.

Appropriately pink, this hotel has a boat dock but not a beach in front of it.  Given the snow and ice here in the midwest, I'd happily stay in the Flamingo and walk to the beach.
Postmarked Jan.16 1948, and addressed to Mr and Mrs Julian Robin and family, Suicide Corner, Sanford Rd. No. Westport, Mass.  Yes, really.

Message:
"Hollywood, Fla.  Staying in this town.  Quite a place.  Gets hot in the daytime but you freeze at night.  No Oldsmobiles down here only Chevrolets, Clint."

An intriguing message to be sure!

Thank you Beth for hosting Postcard Friendship Friday!
Remember: My meme Sunday Stamps opens again late Saturday night (USA time).
Theme this week: stamps from the internet age: Zazzle-style stamps (see http://dorincard.blogspot.com/ ), or featuring computers. Or anything you wish.
Viridian
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Postcard Friendship Friday: Jan. 28

Night time view: Moonlight on Causeway to Atlantic Ocean, Fort Pierce, Fla.
No further information on the back.  Mailed from Fort Pierce to Ft. Lauderdale and postmarked Jan. 20, 1949.
Also has a long message from the vacationing May and Edna to their friend Ruth.

This card is also part of my Florida card collection, and is in really great shape.  I'm in the cold and snow, but I hope I can find time to relax this weekend.  I hope you can too.
Thank you Beth for hosting Postcard Friendship Friday!
Remember: My new meme Sunday Stamps opens again late Saturday night. See the post below for our great time last week.

viridian

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Postcard Friendship Friday: Jan. 21

Beth has a postcard of Martin Luther King and I wish I had something appropriate.  All I have is another is my series of Florida postcards.
From the front: S-9 - Looking east in Ringling Art Museum, Sarasota, Fla.
From the back: "INNER COURT OF RINGLING ART MUSEUM, SARASOTA, FLORIDA
Both nature and man have combined forces to make the Ringling Museum of Art one of the nation's most beautiful spots.  In the long galleries that border this lovely court, outstanding works of some of the world's most famous artists are displayed.  The 76 life size statues surmounting the building represent characters from ancient history and mythology.  An atmosphere of old Europe prevails throughout the entire visit to the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art."

So much florid prose that there is only a small amount of space in which to write a message!

The Ringling Museum is still going strong.

Thank you Beth for hosting Postcard Friendship Friday!


Remember: My new meme Sunday Stamps opens again late Saturday night. See the post below for our great time last week.

Viridian


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PFF: let's go to Florida

According to the Weather Service,  there is snow on the ground in every state except Florida.  Let's pack those bags and GO!

On the back: "The Coral Flamingo is one of nature's greatest combinations of grace and beauty, and at the Rare Bird Farm, just south of Miami, Florida, they may be seen and photographed at their best.  These birds have become so tame that one can get within a few feet of them.  Here, amid natural surroundings, one would think they were somewhere on Great Abaco or Andros Islands, in the Bahamas, their native habitat."
Not mailed, but with a handwritten message in pencil: " I saw 450 of these birds on parade Saturday it was a sight.Some of them re black underneath or a [illegible] white.  Most of them dark pink."

Thank you Beth for hosting Postcard Friendship Friday!

Remember: My new meme Sunday Stamps opens again late Saturday night.  See the post below for our great time last week.

viridian

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PFF: Geology of Florida

A late hello for Postcard Friendship Friday.
Published by the Florida Geological Survey, Tallahassee, FL.

From the back of the card:

"The surface and shallow subsurface of Florida is composed entirely of sedimentary rocks - limestone, dolostone, sand, and sandy clay, deposited in and near a shallow marine environment. The thick section of carbonate rocks underlying the state has given rise to our many large springs and lakes. Florida produces 75% of the nation's phosphate and has large reserves of high-quality limestone, sand, peat, fuller's earth and heavy minerals."

Florida has much fresh groundwater and caves underground and beautiful lakes and springs, such as Weeki Wachee. However, pollution that gets underground can quickly contaminate the groundwater.

Phosphate is used as a fertilizer.

I was on the road last week, so a late entry today!

viridian