woody

 

a wood duck a "resplendent denizen of woodland waterways" and a pileated woodpecker which shares many characteristics with the cartoon character Woody Woodpecker

year of the horse

in celebration of the Lunar New Year, a trio of running horses sculpted by Joe Fafard

Gong Xi Fa Cai (Mandarin) or Gong Hei Fat Choi (Cantonese)

paintings

 rock paintings from Zimbabwe

the last of this series of stamps A to Z

I have so thoroughly enjoyed all that was offered, I thought we'd go through the alphabet again.  So, next week  another 'A'

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

Canadian women

issued for the centenary of the Young Women's Christian Association and the National Council of Women.  the photograph on the left is of Adelaide Hoodless (bottom left) ca 1887

Pitseolak (Inuit artist) she produced thousands of drawings depicting monsters and spirits, early Inuit life and other sentiments close to her heart;  Helen Kinnear (legal pioneer) the first federally appointed woman judge in Canada, she showed special interest in juvenile crime and family legal affairs

Adelaide Hoodless (educator) "Educate a boy and you educate a man. But educate a girl and you educate a family." she helped form the YWCA, the NCWC, and the VON;  Marie Gerin-Lajoie, (social reformer) combined a commitment to social work and reform within the framework of a religious vocation

leaves, flowers, stars

 

I know you've all seen the Canadian flag.  It is promoted shamelessly, endlessly, and is slapped on any and all products that are Canadian, as well as many, many stamps.  But, unlike the Americans, we are not a flag waving from your front porch kind of country.  That is changing as, in light of current ... issues, we are being encouraged to fly it proudly this weekend.  Flag makers have been furiously sewing like crazy to keep up!  This FDC shows the very first stamp of the flag that has its 60th anniversary on Feb 15th.  I like the 'simplicity' of this, though remember well having to learn how to get all those points right - which was challenging for a seven year old (but then getting the crosses correct on the Union Jack was equally challenging)

An even simpler design is the Japanese flag, which was adopted as a civil flag in 1858 and as a national flag in 1999. I like how this stamp includes the chrysanthemum imperial seal and the cherry blossoms.

Since 1972, New Zealand has discussed changing their flag, to get rid of the colonial Union Jack, but also to distinguish it from the similar Australian flag. (hint, NZ has red stars inside its white stars. It also only has 4 of these stars of the Southern Cross)

 

flights

 

Birds are a favourite theme and I was thrilled to find this first day cover featuring a barn owl and a kestrel in flight.  This makes me think of those flip books.  Photography is by S Dalton and the series dates to 2003.

Wishing you all a year of fanciful flights in 2025

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. 

semi finals part deux

thing three

 

 

 

England v Netherlands

thing four

Colombia v Uruguay

summit shapes

 

2002 was the United Nations International Year of Mountains.         Here we have Kilimanjaro (Tanzania), Elbrus (Russia), Puncat Jaya (Indonesia), Everest (Nepal)

return of the sun

We are in the exciting grips (and endless media coverage) of Eclipse fever in my part of the world and are praying for a clear day - or at the very least, a clear hour between 3 pm and 4 pm tomorrow!

this is called 'return of the sun' by Inuit artist Kenojuak (1980)

and below, we have the Europa 'flaming sun' from 1972

showing the sun over Niagara Falls, Hopewell Rocks, and Spillars Cove in Newfoundland and Labrador

I have my glasses ready!  Happy viewing to anyone who is in the path of totality, or even in the outskirts (sorry, Eva!)

light up the sky

A last view of the Christmas season. I love all the lights at this time of year and wish they stayed glowing to cheer us up during the dark of January and February.

and this is the last lights of 2023 for Sunday Stamps

HAPPY NEW YEAR, EVERYONE

snowy scenes

 

It is perhaps a little ironic that these snow laden landscapes are this year's Christmas stamps. All week, the news has been about how most of us are going to have a green Christmas.

 a nostalgic Christmas

Merry Christmas to one and all

lighthouse

 

North Reef, Queensland, built in 1878. It lies 100 km offshore at the southern end of the Great Barrier Reef.  It is the only lighthouse in Australia with accommodation inside the tower that is still standing in its original location.  It was originally on a small sandbank over the coral reef, but over time the structure caused sand to build up around it and now it stands on a substantial sand island complete with vegetation.

a lighthouse for Sunday Stamps

eid

This year's stamp features a 700 year old Iranian bowl from the Royal Ontario Museum collection.

Inside are poems that talk about wisdom, but also forgetting the world's sorrows for a moment to enjoy the food at hand.

sunday drive

There is so much I love about this - the focus on the grilles, the positioning of each car in an alternate direction, and the odometer cancel. And, of course, the cars themselves, from the 1950s/early 60s: a Triumph TR3; MG TD; Austin Healey; Jaguar; Morgan Plus Four (issued 1996)

 and then these interesting beauties issued in 1993

Henry Seth Taylor Steam Buggy (1867); Ford Model T (1914);  McLaughlin Buick (1928); Russell Touring Car (1908); Studebaker Starlight Coupe (1950); Gray Dort Luxury Sedan (1924)

from Germany, a more modern car: a lovely blue Porsche circa 1965
 

something to consider for your Sunday drive

supernatural

 

release the kraken

issued in 1990 and illustrated by Allan Cormack and Deborah Drew-Brook

We have the larger than life Sasquatch, the Kraken, the Werewolf and, finally, but not least, Ogopogo who is said to live in Okanagon Lake (BC)

The lake monster has been mostly described as being a serpentine creature with smooth dark skin with a large body thicker than a telephone pole and being up to 50ft in length. The monster has said to move at incredible speeds coiling it’s body in vertical undulations and propelling itself with a powerful tail. 

some scary apparitions for Sunday Stamps

sea creatures

 Four whales frolicking in the water

a whale, sea lion, sea otter, and dolphin

 

some graceful swimmers for Sunday Stamps

sails

sailing ships from Ukraine

and, something unusual from Bermuda - green sails!

sails for Sunday Stamps

light upon light

one of the common inscriptions on Eid lanterns is "light upon light", a phrase referencing God's light illuminating heaven and earth as divine guidance for all humankind (from CanadaPost website)

my choice for Sunday Stamps

(and, I now realize this is the second time I've posted an Eid stamp/FDC this year!)