cat and cock

 

CATURDAY

red

 an iconic VW Beetle (something I've always wanted)

an iconic Routemaster

Portland got its streetcars in 2001 with a vintage trolley (replica) operating until 2005

fading

Although this is from China, it seems to be an image of Singapore (I recognize The Merlion).  Turns out it's a joint issue.  I do like the watercolour effect.

And, what looks like a foggy view of Amsterdam beyond the Magere (Skinny) Bridge

jammin'

CATURDAY
 

splashes of colour

Some unusually colourful houses (for Canada) in St John's

 
under less sunny skies, is this street in Helsinki

and some unusual colours on this lighthouse on the North Sea

more yellow in Vienna

coat of arms

 

The Latvian coat of arms  was designed in 1921 after its independence from German rule. The sun, as a symbol of self determination, has 17 rays representing the 17 counties.  There are also symbols of historical regions with the red lion and the silver griffin as well as three stars for Livonia (Swedish and Polish) and Courland.  The branches on the bottom are oaks.  

vibrant

a red-eyed tree (or, leaf) frog

lobsters are not red when they are alive, but this bright red looks more appetizing than their normal, greenish-brown or dark blue-green colour.

I would be happy, too, if I were such a  colourful turtle living in the waters around Hawaii.

 

 

 and, surely a Blue Cat qualifies, even if he may not be "wild"

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

looking skyward

 

sunsets

white on white

grey skies and a rainbow

seats

Mr Woodhouse sinks into an floral patterned chair

Inside the Hermitage though, admittedly, the furniture is shown on the souvenir sheet rather than the stamp itself.

blossoms

sometimes, it seems like among our small group, I live in the area where spring arrives last... but, the cherry blossoms have opened this week! 

and a bit of wisteria

symmetry

 

This stamp has been shown before, but I like it, so here it is again.  It was designed by Yauheniya Biadonik who has designed various stamps, especially on culture and arts

 A deceptively simple Japanese forest

 

More conical trees in front of the horizontal schloss with an even number of vertical windows

some patterns for Sunday Stamps

 

 

tiger family

 artist: Feng Dazhong

 

 

 

 

CATURDAY

tulips

 

Holland is the first country that comes to mind with tulips.  Above is Keukenhof and below are the tulips donated to Canada as a thank you for sheltering the future Queen Juliana during WWII

more tulips can be found at the Royal Botanical Gardens in Hamilton (above) and Butchart Gardens in Victoria (below)

wooden church

St George's Church, one of the oldest and best preserved wooden churches

In honour of  Easter and Orthodox Easter falling on the same day for the first time since 2017.

kittens be born

 c 1910

CATURDAY

catkins

 pussywillows for Easter

artist: Maarit Ailio

bells and bunnies

Easter bells and lilies

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

an egg vase

girl on a swing ... and a bunny

Easter for Thursday Postcard Hunt

from the north

.50a - mountains avens.   1kr - meadow buttercup
1.50kr - bogbean.               2.00kr - white clover

snowshoe hares typically live for only about 1 year

 

 

 

some white for Sunday Stamps

catch of the day

 

CATURDAY

whimsical birds

robin with a crown of flowers

a charley harper oriole

a singing male cardinal

some songbirds for Thursday Postcard Hunt

"thundering smoke"

 

a majestic waterfall for Sunday Stamps (the correct post for this week!)

Southern Rhodesia was the region south of the Zambezi River where Victoria Falls is located.  North of the Zambezi was Northern Rhodesia.  They are now known as Zimbabwe and Zambia.

catnip

CATURDAY

early bloomers

we are having a bit of an ice storm at the moment... so seeing spring flowers will have to wait

Trillium, provincial flower of Ontario, blooms late May, early June.  It is always exciting to see them in the woods, but it is illegal to pick them.

Daffodils, one of the very early bloomers.  Unlike the trillium, these are not native to North America, but aren't considered invasive.