Sunday Stamps - 'S'

2012, Lithuania, World Heritage Objects, Curonian Spit

The Kursiu Nerija, or Curonian Spit, has the largest rolling sand dunes in Europe.  It is 98 km long and  varies from 400 metres to 4 kms wide with the Curonian Lagoon on east side and the Baltic Sea on the west.  It has been a UNESCO Heritage Site since 2000 shared by Lithuania and Russia.

for the letter S - sand dunes, spit

Sunday Stamps - 'R'

2003, Canada, Masterpieces of Art

Jean-Paul Riopelle died in 2002 after a successful career as a modernist painter and sculpture.  This is one of seven stamps of details of his Hommage de Rosa Luxembourg painted in 1992. It is a huge fresco (40 metres) made entirely by aerosol spray paint incorporating a succession of images of animals and nature.

for the letter R - Riopelle

Sunday Stamps - 'Q'

2006 Ireland, Quercus petraea

The Sessile Oak is the national tree of the Republic of Ireland. It can grow up to 130' (40 metres) and is native to most of Europe.  Apart from being a good source of wood fuel, the timber is also used for building, cabinetmaking and veneers.  The acorns are used to fatten grazing animals in the autumn.

for the letter Q - Quercus

Suynday Stamps - 'P'

1953, Canada, Polar Bear
designer: John A Crosby
engraver: Silas Robert Allen

As one of the ten stamps issued for the National Wildlife series (1953-57) this polar bear is of the lowest value. They are the largest animals in the world. The scientific name is Ursus  maritimus (sea bear) and the Inuktitut name is Nanuq (Nanuk). Two thirds of the population live in Canada, but they can also be found in Greenland, Russia, Alaska and Norway (on the Svalbard archipelago)

for the letter P - polar bear