nature

 

glass

In 1999, this magnificent selection from the Corning Museum of Glass was issued

Free blown, mold blown, pressed, and art glass

From 1967, a view of part of Marc Chagall's Peace Window in the UN building, NY.  The full piece is 15' x 12' (which is larger than my living room)

snow

sometimes, the snows falls before all the leaves

sometimes, it doesn't fall on mountains in November, as has happened in Japan this year. snow fell on the 6th, but almost immediately melted away, unlike in this vintage postcard of Mt Fuji in winter.

 

 

But, maybe for more consistent views of snow in winter, you need to head over to Finland.
 

lost in translation

 

I'm not really sure what kind of fruit this is (mango?), though I suspect the Chinese script in the corner gives a clue (if I could read Chinese)

 

This one from Belarus was also tricky.  Turns out it is a 'common raccoon dog' which is not at all a raccoon.  Or a dog.  It is a canid that is closely related to a fox. They are widespread in eastern Europe and Asia.

 

The Moravian Museum is easily translatable.  Okay, I had to google translate 'zemske' (regional)

and, this is obviously the Bavarian Forest, in full winter  splendour

 

some foreign languages for Sunday Stamps

two town views

 

Sent in 1900 to South Shields (an almost 5 hour drive from Cheltenham) in England.

On this card we have 'the Promenade' (top right) which dates back to 1818 in the height of the Regency period, with 'the fountain' (top left).  'Pitville Gardens' is on the bottom, which seems to be a misspelling of Pittville Gardens, part of a large estate created by Joseph Pittville in 1825 for the "rich & famous who came to live in Cheltenham".  The estate includes a large ornamental lake and a pump room (as would befit a spa town).  By 1894, the park was open to the general public.  In the centre is the Cheltenham Ladies College (founded in 1854) a private boarding and day school for girls aged 11-18.

I know a bit less about this town in West Pomerania - not to be confused with Szczecin, the capital of West Pomerania. (including how to properly pronounce it!).  Szczecinek was given town status in 1310.

The building in the top row middle, is the town hall with quite a large fountain.  Most of the city was spared in WWII and the entire old town (middle row far right) is a national heritage monument to Poland.  The image below that shows the Church of St Mary's.  The statue may be of Adam Giedrys, an astronomer and tailor.  The others seem to show various ways you can enjoy yourself in the town.

belgium

 architecture

small animals

 red fox and red squirrel

an exasperated mama cat

 

 

 

those eyes...

operatic

 

CATURDAY

english riviera

 two different views of Brixham Harbour in Devon

Unfortunately, the artist of the first one isn't credited, but E (Edmund) Nagele is credited for the chrome postcard. Brixham is the busiest fishing port in England.  I found a travel blog posted in August which listed so many places to visit, walk, and eat, but strangely did not once mention the replica of Sir Francis Drake's ship, the Golden Hind, which you can see in the inner harbour.  Personally, that would be my first reason to visit, with the views and food a welcome bonus.

beaches

there are so many beaches, you would be spoilt for choice

the western side of the island is known to have the best beaches

lyon

Joseph Marie Jacquard, a weaver, inventor and merchant who lived from1752 to 1834 in Lyon.  He is perhaps best known for inventing the Jacquard loom (1804) which simplified complex patterns such as brocade and damask.

Lorne Greene, a Canadian actor, best known for playing Ben Cartwright on the tv show Bonanza.  Interesting fact: he was born Lyon Green in 1911.  He died in 1987.

headshots for Sunday Stamps

(and for anyone paying attention... I have no idea why the font keeps changing size)

resting

 

CATURDAY

streets

this street, while old and quaint, looks like a massive tripping hazard

artist: Alex Tsuper, received from Ukraine

this ethereal street in Vilnius is rather enchanting, I think

artist: Sigute Ach, received from Lithuania

1989

The Rogers Centre, née SkyDome, is 6 months older than Taylor Swift.  Toronto has been going CrayCray for TayTay - only one more sleep until her six day concert run inside this very stadium.

poppies

 by Georgia O'Keefe

infantry

 The 'Patricias' and The 'Van Doos'

The Princess Patricia Light Infantry is named for the daughter of the then (1914) Governor General of Canada (she was also a granddaughter of Queen Victoria).

The Royal 22nd Regiment was founded in 1869 are known colloquially as the 'Van Doos' in English, from the French vingt-deux. 

poppies

 in a garden with poppies

CATURDAY

ladybug

 

It's that time of year when the ladybugs come inside for warmth and a rest.  They are the one insect I don't mind.

aerial view

Lerwick, Shetland

Ljubjana, Slovenia

Dubrovnik, Croatia

700 islands

Only 30 of these islands are inhabited. The largest island is Andros, and the capital is on the island of New Providence.  It is only one of two countries using the article 'The' in its name.

movember

 

a pioneer of Canadian photography, William Hanson Boorne opened his first studio in Calgary in 1886.

another handlebar moustache, this time on Mustafa Kamil Pasha (1874-1908), an Egyptian lawyer and journalist.
 

 

some refined moustaches for Sunday Stamps

a little late

a black cat and a cross eyed jack o' lantern

CATURDAY

valencia

the region has been declared a disaster zone after devastating floods, the deadliest in decades

foods and snacks

 

I have heard that these night markets are amazing, and full of stalls of every food imaginable. I feel a little overwhelmed at the idea

this cafe looks like it might be a place of calm.  perhaps it is in a small alley and the customers may have wandered off to look at something across the way

these islands

 

These islands were born of the night, sired by the sun, cradled by the sea, with clouds and trade winds for playmates and a hula-moon for godmother

modern

Holyrood, now 20 years old, was opened in October 2004 by Queen Elizabeth, four years after the death of its Catalan architect Enric Miralles.

 

 

I always find it so sad when architects don't get to see their works completed and see the public's (hopefully positive) reaction.  

This was also the case with Viljo Revell, the Finnish architect of Toronto's City Hall, who died in 1964, a year before it opened. 

 

 

a couple of public buildings for Sunday Stamps

tea time by the fire

love the wee mousie sitting by his feet

CATURDAY

so much choice

 

chocolate, chips, mussels, and beer from Belgium

and so much ice cream, pies, cakes, muffins, and cookies from Belarus

island side

 

lilac

 

This colourful beauty is a lilac breasted roller.  They range from eastern Africa along the coast to northern South Africa.  They are not known to habitate near humans, which is a shame for us.