My Foot!

Letter sent by Imma (PC).

Completely Unexpected Deliveries

The American Museum in Britain
Claverton Manor, Bath

Just the day before the floods of the end of October, unaware of the danger, I posted six pieces of mail in this mailbox. It seems they did not pick them up, and the following week I saw the mailbox was out of service. So, I assumed the box had been flooded and the letters destroyed.

The pillar box has remained unoperational for not less than three and a half months. I had already given up hope but it looks like they emptied it in February. From February 13 to 23, four of the letters and postcards reached their recipients in different countries, postmarked on February 12.

Maybe we can still wait for the remaining two to arrive, right?

States Project | The Lone Star State

One among many other curious thing about this new States Project postcard: Why the Texas states bird is the Northern Mockingbird? (Same as in Arkansas and Florida, by the way).

Oh... And is there a state verb?!?

The flag stamp made me immediately think of the following one, which I love

Sunday Stamps | Women & Music

All styles of musicians & Singers from different countries for today's Sunday Stamps' topic: Famous Women.

Marian Anderson (1897-1993)
Contralto
USA, 2022

Roza Blaglanova (1922-2011)
Soprano opera & pop music singer
Kazakhstan, 2022

Maria Callas (1923-1977)
Soprano
France, 2023

Patsy Cline (1932-1963)
Country and Western singer, songwriter and pianist 
USA, 1993

Eleanor Collins (1919-2024)
Canada's First Lady of Jazz
Canada, 2022

Elisapie - ᐃᓕᓴᐱ (1977)
Musician
Canada, 2024

Mahalia Jackson (1911-1972)
Gospel singer
USA, 1998

Sister Rosetta Tharpe (1915-1973)
Gospel singer, songwriter and guitarist 
USA, 1998

Madurai Shanmukhavadivu Subbulakshmi (1916-2024)
Singer
India, 2015

Bessie Smith (1894-1937)
Jazz & blues singer
USA, 1994

Kate Smith (1907-1998)
Contralto, The First Lady of Radio
USA, 2010

Dinah Washington (1924-1963)
Rhythm & blues singer and pianist
USA, 1993

Mail in February

I am afraid my 2025 postal project consist of counting how many days I get mail. 

Do you think February was any better than January?

Japanese Labels

Do you agree that the cutest mailing labels come from Japan?

Thursday Postcard Hunt | The Mt. Rushmore State

Is not the Mount Rushmore one of the most famous features of the whole country? Not strange that the state takes its nickname from it! It appears also on the stamp, of course.

The postcard got a very clear Happy Holidays pictorial postmark (upside down, but still!).

From May to December 2024, Bryon started a big postal project: sending me a postcard from the capital city on every USA state, with matching stamps: Greetings from America (2002), the state birds (1982) and the state flags (1976). Some postcards are waiting to be uploaded to the blog. See here all the States Project postcards.

By the way, I got last summer this beautiful postcard from Kristi, through the Postcrossing site:

The rushing waters of the Big Sioux River cascade gracefully over tons of smooth pink quartzite, creating the dramatic, enchanting falls that give the city of Sioux Fall (South Dakota) its name.

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Thursday Postcard Hunt
February theme: MAPS

• Week 1 - Country
• Week 2 - City or Metro/Transportation
• Week 3 - With Pictorial Landmarks
• Week 4 - States/Provinces/Counties

Everyone is welcome to share their postcards!

Little Aerogram

Opening these aerograms is always very entertaining (once you have figured out how to start!).

Sent by Laura (the UK).

Postcard from Kazakhstan

It is always nice to get mail from a new country. This postcard was sent by postcrosser Olga from Kazakhstan. It features the impressive architecture of the presidential palace. 

I love that the back was covered with stamps, but there was still room for a friendly message.

Nidos švyturys

I got this postcard from Kamilė (Lithuania) through the Postcrossing site. It is Nida lighthouse, between the Curonian Lagoon and the Baltic Sea. So far, the only Lithuanian lighthouse in my collection. However, this is the second postcard I have received. One would not tell that both pictures are from the same place!

Sunday Stamps | Dutch Books

Featuring no English Words is this week's theme in Sunday Stamps. 

These Dutch stamps belong to the Grenzeloos (Borderless) series, 2013, dedicated to Belgium. They feature a row of books from Belgian and Dutch writers. I guess there are not English words in those!

States Project | Big Sky Country

A new instalment of Bryon's States Project: Montana, a state that really makes me curious. I had received some postcards from there (see here and here, for instance). 

By the way, it took two months for this postcard to be stamped, then another month to arrive here (and another month to be blogged!).

Keep Calm and Read Letters

Collage on an envelope sent by Laura (the UK). I like how the stamp seems to be part of the scene.

Thursday Postcard Hunt | Snail Map

This illustration by Olga Kuleshova was sent by Eduard (Russia). But it is a sort of map, or travel diary, featuring some places in Spain. I can recognise most of the landmarks, but some of the destinations surprised me; for instance, Guadalajara (the only one I have never been to!).

On the back, the sender added some vintage Spanish stamps, just for making it more interesting.

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Thursday Postcard Hunt
February theme: MAPS

• Week 1 - Country
• Week 2 - City or Metro/Transportation
• Week 3 - With Pictorial Landmarks
• Week 4 - States/Provinces/Counties

Everyone is welcome to share their postcards!

It Is Still a Bit Cold Outside

Birthday postcard send by Imma (PC).

Plumbing

When you write a letter about plumbing issues... it is essential to make a collage that matches it.

Sent by Laura (the UK).