Sunday Stamps | M Is for Mukhina

Vera Mukhina (1889 – 1953) was a famous sculptor, the creator of the monument Worker and Kolkhoz Woman, the winner of the  the Grand Prix at the exhibition in Paris for a collection of women's clothing decorated with painted peas and, according to the legend, the designer of Russian faceted glass.

The stamps was sent by Eduard (Russia) on the back of this matching postcard:

Portrait by Mikhail Nesterov

My Sunday Stamps A-Z is dedicated to women on stamps. See here more M-stamps!

Autumn Envelopes

Envelopes sent by Laura (the UK).

Bishop's Rock Real Photograph

The Bishop Rock Lighthouse is located in the westernmost part of the Isles of Scilly. The Guinness Book of Records lists it as the world's smallest island with a building on it.

The original iron lighthouse was begun in 1847 but was washed away before it could be completed. The present building was completed in 1858 and was first lit on 1 September that year. Before the installation of the helipad, visitors to the lighthouse would rappel from the base (with winches installed at the lamp level and at the base) to boats waiting away from the lighthouse.

On the back of these black and white postcards you can read: "Guaranteed real photograph".

Postcards sent by Alan and John (the UK).

Thursday Postcard Hunt | Autumn in Paris

I got this postcard from Germany, thanks to Postcrossing. I found the picture very pretty, and I wondered where it had been taken. There were no clues on the back. After a short online research, I found that the photographer is Daria Obymaha (Vilnius, Lithuania). The city is Paris (France) in 2015.

It had been posted here with the indication "free to use". Which mean it has been used in all kinds of articles, magazines and who knows what. Even for postcards!

I would like to know why the sender choose it.

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Thursday Postcard Hunt
October theme: COLOURS OF AUTUMN

• Week 1 - Orange
• Week 2 - Yellow
• Week 3 - Red
• Week 4 - Brown
• Week 5 - Halloween or Black

Everyone is welcome to share their postcards!

Time and Miracles

«Les cartes, perquè puguin arribar al seu destinatari, necessiten temps i miracles. El camí és incert i ple d'emboscades. Si l'afortunat —suposant que sigui una carta desitjada— la rep, necessita un temps abans de respondre. La guardarà, la llegirà unes quantes vegades. Tu segur que la tornaries a llegir alguns cops abans de respondre. Després el destinatari es transforma en remitent, i quan finalment la resposta assoleix el seu objectiu, haurà passat un temps més o menys llarg. Què farem, amb aquest espai buit? És temps d'espera perdut?»

Leila Kasra, Nusos entre els dits

PC Meet-ups

Postcard sent by Jutta (Germany) on World Postcard Day.

I got this postcard from Heleen (the Netherlands), with an identical stamp on the back. Cool!

Same with this one!

This one is from a 2020 meeting, but it was sent and received this month (not by the first time). Snail mail is all about slowness, isn't it?

Indian Gods

Lord Ganesh, the son of Lord Shiva and Paarvati, was blessed by Lord Shiva that he will be worshipped first in all the religious functions and festivities. 

Radha-Krishna in a Lotus Pond.

Kali, the goddess of transformation (or so the back of the card says).

Postcards sent by Amita (India) and Phillip (the USA).

Sunday Stamps | L is for Lewis

Edmonia Lewis, also known as "Wildfire" (1844 – 1907), was an American sculptor. She was the first African-American and Native American sculptor to achieve national and then international prominence. Among her more popular works: Old Indian Arrowmaker and His Daughter, Forever Free, Hagar and The Death of Cleopatra.

This is my L-entry for this round of A-Z Sunday Stamps.

This Girl

Sometimes she is lost in her dreams...

...and sometimes she has to go down on earth, take the tote bag, and do the shopping.

She loves reading and tea/coffee, and then reading a bit more, and having another cup. And writing letters, of course, mostly with her fountain pens. Also, taking care of indoor plants and the garden, knitting or just sitting in front of the fireplace... Unfortunately, her life is not as perfect as one might think; she studies a lot and sometimes has housework or plumbing problems. Anyway, she is very happy all year round: autumn, winter, spring and summer. And Christmas! Oh, and she can fly. Do you think she is always the same girl?

Thursday Postcard Hunt | Autumn Reading

Postcard sent by Bryon (UN).

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Thursday Postcard Hunt
October theme: COLOURS OF AUTUMN

• Week 1 - Orange
• Week 2 - Yellow
• Week 3 - Red
• Week 4 - Brown
• Week 5 - Halloween or Black

Everyone is welcome to share their postcards!

250 Years of US Postal Service (5, 6)

In 2025, the United States celebrates a milestone: 250 years of postal service. This collection of postcards have been released one a month. All 12 align to form a timeline spanning from 1775 to 2025.

5.

Rural Free Delivery (RFD) was established in 1902 to provide direct mail delivery to rural areas, eliminating the need for residents to travel to distant post offices.

6.

Introduced in 1913, Parcel Post made it easier and more economical for Americans to send and receive packages.

Postcards sent by Bryon, the USA.

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[1-2, 3*, 4...]

*Not arrived yet

Mushroom Time

Letter sent by Alan (the UK). 

Fly agaric (Amanita muscaria)

The fly agaric (Amanita muscaria) seems to be popular on stamps. Last year, I got it from the Netherlands:

Vliegenzuam (Amanita muscaria)

And other mushrooms:

Inktzwam (Coprinus comatus)

Orange Birch Bolete (Leccinum rufescens)

Wise Words (IV): On Controversial Correspondence

«Sec. 3. How to go on with a Letter

[...]

A few more Rules may fitly be given here, for correspondence that has unfortunately become controversial.

One is, don't repeat yourself. When once you have said your say, fully and clearly, on a certain point, and have failed to convince your friend, drop that subject [...]

Another Rule is, when you have written a letter that you feel may possibly irritate your friend, however necessary you may have felt it to so express yourself, put it aside till the next day. Then read it over again, and fancy it addressed to yourself. [...]

My fifth Rule is, if your friend makes a severe remark, either leave it unnoticed, or make your reply distinctly less severe: and if he makes a friendly remark, tending towards 'making up' the little difference that has arisen between you, let your reply be distinctly more friendly. [...]

My sixth Rule (and my last remark about controversial correspondence) is, don't try to have the last word!»

Lewis Carrol, Eight or Nine Wise Words about Letter-Writing

Sunday Stamps | K Is for Kirchbach & Knef

Esther von Kirchbach (1894 – 1946) was a German journalist, poet and chaplain of the Confessing Church.

Hildegard Knef (1925 – 2002) was a German actress, singer, and writer. Her two best-known film roles were in Die Mörder sind unter uns ('The Murderers Are Among Us'), produced in 1946  and the first film released after the Second World War in East Germany; and in Die Sünderin ('The Sinner'), in which she performed a brief nude scene, the first in German film history, which caused a scandal in 1951.

Go to Sunday Stamps to see more K related stamps!

Reading a Letter on a Letter

Illustrated envelope sent by Imma (PC).

Refreshing Postcards

Postcards are my main way of travelling these days, so the my preferred postcards to get through Postcrossing are tourist, traditional ones, But I always list a few more things I like on my Postcrossing profile, because some senders need more ideas, or cannot find tourist postcards in the places they live in. And one of these things is citrus fruits. I love oranges and lemons, and they never fail to cheer me up. So, from time to time, I receive some, like this postcard sent by Yesim (Germany).

Besides the postcard, the nice stamp and the friendly message, she took the time to decorate the back. How cool is it?

The same day, I received this postcard by Fleur (the UK). A lot of citrus and lighthouses and Christmas stamps on the back, too. Postcrossers trying to do their best really rock!

Thursday Postcard Hunt | Yellow Autumn

A view of Ithaca Falls (Finger Lakes, New York, the USA) from the East Shore Drive Bridge. Sent by Phillip (the USA).

Up Ahead, by Marc Todd. Card sent by Laura (the UK).

Segonzano Castle (Italy). Sent by Alberto.

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Thursday Postcard Hunt
October theme: COLOURS OF AUTUMN

• Week 1 - Orange
• Week 2 - Yellow
• Week 3 - Red
• Week 4 - Brown
• Week 5 - Halloween or Black

Everyone is welcome to share their postcards!

250 Years of US Postal Service (4)

In 2025, the United States celebrates a milestone: 250 years of postal service. This collection of postcards have been released one a month. All 12 align to form a timeline spanning from 1775 to 2025.

4.

This postcard highlights the Private Mailing Card Act, enacted by the U.S. Congress on May 19, 1898, which marked a significant milestone in the history of postcards.

This legislation allowed private companies to produce postcards that could be mailed at the reduced rate of one cent, matching the rate for government-issued postcards and lower than the two-cent rate for letters.

Sent by Bryon (the USA)

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[1-2, 3*...]

*Not arrived yet

Lighthouses from the World

Greifswalder Oie ('Greifswald's isle')
Germany

This one arrived with matching stamps on the back:

Lighthouses near Gdynia, Poland

Charlotte-Genesee Lighthouse
Rochester, New York, USA

Cape Hatteras, North Carolina
USA

Cape Hatteras lighthouse protects one of the most hazardous sections of the Atlantic Coast, known as he "Graveyard of the Atlantic". Lit on December 1, 1870, the lighthouse is the tallest brick lighthouse in North America, standing at 195.8 feet. In 1999, due to threatening beach erosion, the lighthouse was moved 2,900 feet to its current location.

Photographer - Michael Ver Sprill

(Odd lights on this illustration!!)

Postcards sent by Cardeaux (Germany), Ania (Poland), Violet (Canada), Bob (the USA) and Fleur (United Kingdom).

Toads & Frogs

European Green Toad (Buffo viridis)

Who knows what a Flickerdick is?

Sent by Bryon (Canada) and Heleen (the Netherlands).

Oh, and there is another one on the selvedge of this French stamp!

Sunday Stamps | J Is for Jordan

Barbara Jordan (1936 – 1996) was an American lawyer, educator, and politician. A member of the Democratic Party, she was the first African American elected to the Texas Senate since Reconstruction and the first southern African-American woman elected to the US House of Representatives.

More J-stamps on A-Z Sunday Stamps.