happy new year

 walking away from 2025...

vaduz

 

After last week's discovery of a double land-locked country with Uzbekistan,  I looked up my cards for Liechtenstein, the only other land-locked country (bordered by Austria and Switzerland).  Vaduz is the capital with its most prominent landmark being the castle which sits high on a steep hill.  It is the home of the Princely Family of Liechtenstein and as such, is not open to the public.

psychedelic cat

 

CATURDAY

frozen

 

We may not get this much snow, but there is ice pellets and freezing rain expected on this Boxing Day

happy christmas day

 

I don't think I have ever seen an image of Joseph holding the baby Jesus. They look like such a happy family here, and the baby looks like a real baby (not an almost toddler in a manger with his arms flailing).  No one knows how Jesus referred to Joseph, but here he looks on as a proud papa.  

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL WHO CELEBRATE

more than santa

In 1992, Canada issued a series of Christmas stamps featuring "personages" from various regions, specifically Estonia, Italy and Germany.  The denominations are for Canada, US, and International.  My, how rates have changed!  

Estonia's  "Jouluvana" is dressed in a brown sheepskin coat and matching hat, hand-knitted mittens and a walking staff.  Imported from German legend, he carries a bag of presents for good children and uses his stick for the naughtly.

Based on an illustration by Anita Kunz

"La Befana" of Italy, is a benevolent witch-like woman who rides a broomstick on the eve of Epiphany, January 5, carrying presents for the deserving and charcoal for the erring.  After leaving small gifts and consuming snacks left for her, she sweeps the floors with her broom.  Italy also enjoys a second gift-giver, Babbo Natale, a Santa figure similar to ours who brings larger or more expensive gifts on Christmas Eve.

Based on an illustration by Jamie Bennett

Germany's "Weihnachtsmann" is a thin, stooped, heavily laden, white-bearded old man who makes his rounds on Christmas Eve with his sack of presents and a Christmas tree.  He is a secularized version of St Nicholas who is still associated with December 6.

Based on an illustration by Simon Ng 

All stamp descriptions from Postage Stamp Guide

Merry Christmas Eve

uzbek

Amir Temur (1320-1405, or thereabouts), perhaps more commonly known as Tamerlane, was a particularly brutal military leader from Uzbekistan, seen here on a rearing horse, a statue in Tashkent.  Uzbekistan is a double land-locked country (meaning it has no ocean, but neither does any of the surrounding countries) in Central Asia. It is bounded by Kazakhstan, Kyrgystan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, and Turkmenistan.

lonely kitty

 

CATURDAY

red breast

 

It is raining here.  Here a couple of red breasted birds from Lithuania.  Artist: Raimonda Rauluseviciene

ornaments

are those little oranges on Paddington's tree? 

from Russia

birdie

 

received from Germany

I am quite taken with this little robin.  In the lead up to tomorrow's theme of Christmas ornaments, I have put him in my tree amongst a series of other enamel scarf and tuque bedecked birds.

rue royal

Royal Street was spared the worst of the floods from Katrina, in 2005, having been built on naturally higher ground near the curve of the Mississippi.

According to wikipedia, the antique shops in the upper French Quarter could be the world's most expensive places to shop.

high bridge

 original Warren Truss High Bridge

demolished around 1987.  built in 1889 and designed for wagons.  this card is from around 1910

toys and tiere

Children's toys were the theme for 1979 Christmas stamps.  It was the Year of the Child that year, and antique toys were photographed by Arnaud Maggs.

Here we have a wooden train and, instead of the rocking horses of last week, a rolling horse

 

 

 

Germany has had a few of these adorable tierkinder - young animals.  A pole cat and a wild boar

 

and haus tiere - or pets

christmas shopping

 

CATURDAY

patient care

The Mayo Clinic has been around in one form or another since 1864.  The hospital grew out of a series of devastating tornadoes in 1893.  At the time there were only three hospitals in Minnesota and none were near Rochester.  Enter William Mayo and his sons, all doctors, who led a partnership that ultimately resulted in one of the best hospitals in the world.

This building was built in 1914 and the Kahler Hotel was opened in 1921 as a hybrid hotel and hospital as the beginnings of the Mayo Clinic.

 

rockefeller

The Christmas tree at Rockefeller Centre has been predominantly a Norway spruce, with a couple of Balsam firs or White spruces, since the first tree went up in 1933.  Because of the narrow streets, the tree is limited to a height of 100'.   It usually goes up in mid November, with the lighting ceremony this year on December 3rd.

The tree  on the facade of the art deco Radio City Music Hall usually arrives in mid-October.  There are 57,000 individual LED lights in "red and warm white programmed to create soft  movement such as waves and fades"

time

Floral Clock, West Princes Street Gardens, Edinburgh

rays of sunshine

Musik - und Bergstadt Sonderhausen 

In the centre is the castle where the Musik school can be found

received from a music teacher in Germany

10th Street

 

I'm not usually a fan of 'clear-cut' looking roads, but there is something about arriving in Owen Sound on Hwy 21 and seeing this expansive view...

santas

 a parade of santas

on skiis (1996)

in a sleigh, and in a car, and on a train (2004)

2004 was the 100th Toronto Santa Claus Parade

cats galore

my 4,000th card received

from China. the sender has been considering getting a stray cat, but is concerned about how upset they'd feel if anything happened to it.  I can relate.  but the love of a pet is worth it

CATURDAY 

rocking horses

 1923

Yesterday, there were a few rocking horses on the posts for children with toys.  Here are two rocking horses for fun loving adults.

children

 naughty?

or nice?

maple viewing

In spring, there is Hanami, "cherry blossom viewing"

 In autumn, there is Momiji-gari, "maple viewing"

this woman has found a time and place for maple viewing all to herself
 

samara

Samara, in this case, is a city in Russia that used to be known as Kuybyshev, at the confluence of the Volga and Samara rivers.  I can't quite figure out if this is a view of the Volga or Samara.

snake island

 

There are only around 400 inhabitants on this island, down from around 3,000 before 1945.

edit:  I have now learned this is only one of 2,000 islands in Estonia!

rrrr

 

Radauti is the second largest urban settlement in Romania.  It is known for its decorative pottery

Southern Rhodesia was a self governing colony when Elizabeth was crowned Regina

 

 

 

 

we are at the last day of NaBloPoMo  whew, this was easier than I thought it'd be!  I may even continue the daily postings

belly dancer

 not sure she is appreciating the decision

CATURDAY

day 29 of NaBloPoMo 

puppet show

 

a bit of fun entertainment on this blustery Friday

received from Germany

day 28 of NaBloPoMo 

nature

 natural Finland

as we head into winter and December's theme of Christmas

day 27 of NaBloPoMo

slashed

 

artist: Henri Cadiou.        received from Postcrossing, France 

joy and happiness

 May joy and happiness fill every minute of your day

motivation for a Tuesday

day 25 of NaBloPoMo

treasure hunt

 

You can't actually dig for the buried treasure (that may or may not actually exist), but you can visit the island and take a tour.  Or you could watch the long running (13th! season has just started) Curse of Oak Island on the History Channel.  Or, you can read all about it here

 

we're up to day 24 of NaBloPoMo 

phq

squirrel stamps on PHQ cards

These are great ways to collect stamps, for their large format.

PHQ stands for Postal Headquarters and have been around since 1973. 

The above red squirrel is from 1977, designed by Patrick Oxenham

below, from 2016, the Beatrix Potter charming squirrel nutkin

day 23 of NaBloPoMo