Sunday Stamps #66

Our theme this week: It's National Poetry month (at least for the USA). Let's search out stamps of poets or stamps that show quotes from poems or something related to poetry. Interpret this broadly.

I'll admit I don't have the following stamps at hand but I am going to purchase them soon!
A new issue from the US Postal Service:

10 well known US poets from the twentieth century, including one of my favorites, Wallace Stevens.  I'll bet there are already arguments in academic circles about these choices.  I understand why Ezra Pound isn't here - but no Robert Frost (too popular?) no Marianne Moore?  [Edited to add: if I knew my stamp issues better, I would know that these two have already been on US stamps!!! Oops!] Anyhow it's great they are on stamps and maybe it will raise awareness of these poets and poetry in general.

One of my favorite poems by Wallace Stevens is The Snow Man, which I was going to quote here, but it might still be covered by copyright, so I will send you to a link at Poemhunter.  Read it slowly.  Interesting note: Stevens was an insurance company executive in Hartford CT, home of insurance companies, for much of his life.

Next week:  No theme in particular, just post whatever you would like.

Viridian

PS. You can follow me on Facebook if you wish at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Viridian61/347674418583948

Sepia Saturday 121: Flight

It's Sepia Saturday!
I am posting today one of the most famous flight photographs of all. Maybe another participant did too - but I admit I did not check.

This digital copy is from the US Coast Guard web site.  The US Coast Guard did play a role in that famous flight of December 17, 1903.
From their web page:

 "The most famous aviation photograph ever taken.  The Wright biplane, piloted by Orville Wright, has just taken off from a monorail launching strip on a field at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina on 17 December 1903.   Wilbur Wright, running along the right side of the aircraft, held onto the wing to balance the machine until it left the monorail.  This is the only photograph of the world's first flight in a power driven heavier than air machine, which was invented by Wilbur and Orville Wright.  This picture was taken for the Wright Brothers, and posterity, by Surfman J. T. Daniels, a member of the crew of the Kill Devil Hills Lifesaving Station.  He and the other members of the crew assisted the brothers......  More importantly, they acted as eyewitnesses to the flight."

Be sure to check out the next Sunday Stamps post, up shortly.  The theme is poets and poetry.

Viridian

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Sunday Stamps #65

It's time for Sunday Stamps again.  This week our theme is architecture, to be interpreted broadly.  I have to share with you a stamp from a Postcrosser in Italy, which arrived about a month ago.

This stamp shows a hallway in the Palazzo Spada, which was originally built in 1540.  Why does it deserve a stamp?  Let's let Wikipedia explain. 

"The palazzo was purchased by Cardinal Spada in 1632. He commissioned the Baroque architect Francesco Borromini to modify it for him, and it was Borromini who created the masterpiece of forced perspective optical illusion in the arcaded courtyard, in which diminishing rows of columns and a rising floor create the visual illusion of a gallery 37 meters long (it is 8 meters) with a lifesize sculpture at the end of the vista, in daylight beyond: the sculpture is 60 cm high. Borromini was aided in his perspective trick by a mathematician."

Pretty cool, and a good stamp for today!

As I was thinking about this week's Sunday Stamps, a card from Russia arrived with this stamp:

with a humble but useful windmill.

Viridian

Theme next week: It's National Poetry month. Let's search out stamps of poets or stamps that show quotes from poems or something related to poetry. Interpret this broadly. (A landscape that makes you think of a poem?)

Postcard Friendship Friday April 6

First of all, sending positive thoughts and prayers to Beth today.

This is a postcard I sent out today to a Postcrosser.  Safe journeys!  The image reminds me of late Spring/early summer.  We can make it Easter time too.

Please remember Sunday Stamps, a meme I open up late on Saturday (USA time).  It's for anyone who likes stamps and wishes to share.  This week's theme: Architecture.  Interpret it widely!

I am linking up with Beth for Postcard Friendship Friday.

Viridian

PS. You can follow me on Facebook if you wish at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Viridian61/347674418583948
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