A Postmark Can Turn a Squirrel into a Biting Dog

Building Our Future Together

The United Nations is a global intergovernmental organization established by the signing of the Charter of the United Nations on 26 June 1945 with the articulated mission of maintaining international peace and security, to develop friendly relations among states, to promote international cooperation, and to serve as a centre for harmonizing the actions of states in achieving those goals.

24 October is United Nations Day: it marks the anniversary of the entry into force in 1945 of the UN Charter. 

To mark the 80th anniversary, some postal administrations issued special stamps, like the one Bryon sent. 

I am not especially fond of the Spanish design, tough.

Thursday Postcard Hunt | Illustrated Places

Thursday Postcard Hunt is dedicated to Illustrations this week. Have not you noticed that lately, finding illustrated postcards when you travel is easier than finding traditional photos? Which ones do you prefer?

Qibao Old Street is located in Qibao Ancient Town, Minhang District, Shanghai. The entire street boasts a rich variety of local snacks and antique architecture. Qibao Ancient Town, like many other ancient towns in the Taihu Lake region of southern China, is a picturesque town within a city, and also the closest ancient town to downtown Shanghai. Qibao originated in the Later Han Dynasty, developed in the early Song Dynasty, and flourished in the Ming and Qing Dynasties, boasting a history of over 1000 years. As a historically important town known as Songdu, Qibao possesses a profound cultural heritage.

The Tudor Gatehouse. The Priory Church of St Bartholomew the Great (Smithfield, London). From the COVID lockdown sketchbook of Peter Delaney.

Stable Yard. Hatfield House (the UK).

Cass Art. Hamspead (London, UK). Illustrated by Nina Cosford.

Minster Church, Thanet (UK).

Ohio (USA).

Postcards sent by Yingzhen (China), Laura (the UK) and Heleen-Phillip (the Netherlands-USA).

Are You Buying Letters?

A few years ago, when letter subscriptions started popping up here and there, I tried a couple out of curiosity. The first one never really got off the ground, for sad reasons. I received six letters from the second one, but I did not renew the subscription afterwards.

I cannot say the letters disappointed me (although the fact they did not choose better stamps was a bit of a letdown). I just discovered that buying letters is not my thing. Not because of the letters themselves, but because faking the connection is, quite simply, impossible. If buying things gives you any pleasure, it cannot compete with the experience of having something —however brief—sent specifically to you.

Before reading this blog post, perhaps because I do not use Instagram, I had not realised that letter subscriptions were so popular. And I had never thought they could turn into a sort of addiction!

What do you think? Have you tried these services? Would you do it?

Postbox Saturday | Freshly Painted

Freshly painted. Do not touch

I know you were really eager to hear about the latest adventures of my mailbox. Well, this week it got a new outfit. Does not it look great?

Women on Postcards | M Is for Matryoshka

Сергиев Посад or Sergiyev Posad is the Orthodox capital of Russia and the birthplace of the matryoshka dolls during the 1890s, which have become one of the symbols of the country. Matryoshka is a diminutive form of Matryosha (Матрёша), in turn an affectionate form of the Russian female first name Matryona (Матрёна)

The postcard was sent by Eduard (Russia), and included on the back two matching stamps: more matryoshka dolls, and the coat of arms of the city. 

 

The shape of the postmark is very curious!

[Women on Postcards 2026]

There Is Nothing Better Than a Typewritten Letter

This is one of the typewriters I own, and the one I use more often for my letters (actually, this photo is taken from here and shows the same model and colour; mine is a bit more worn). It has been in use for over 60 years.

Olivetti Lettera 44

Typewriters have always fascinated me. I just love the sound of the keys and how they allow me to fous solely in writing. Today I came across (old) article about Ten Ways a Typewriter Will Improve Your Writing, with most of which I agree.

Do you use a typewriter? And, in any case, do you like receiving typewritten letters, or do you prefer handwritten ones?

Is Your Mailbox This Rusty?

Herberto Smith, from the exhibition Interferências. Culturas Urbanas Emergentes ('Interferences. Emerging Urban Cultures') in the MAAT (Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology), Lisboa.

Postcard sent by Pedro (Portugal).

Every Week Is "Thinking of You Week"

Collage on an envelope sent by Laura (the UK). The postmark made it even more interesting.

Send A Card
Deliver A Smile for
Thinking Of You Week
21-27 September 2026

Year of the Fire Horse [VIII]

Horses at Dusk, from an original painting by Leah Mendenhall. Sent by Phillip (USA) with matching stamps. Perfect for the Year of the Horse!

By the way... It suffered a small accident in way. Or maybe it was attacked by mail monsters...

Ciclo Carta

This letter sent by Pedro (Portugal) was posted on 11 September and reached me a week later, on 18 September. Not bad, considering it travels by bike!

For some reason, letters and postcards to Portugal travel faster than from Portugal. Also, I have noticed that the first CicloCarta took 9 days to arrive; the second, 8 days... What does this means?

I Smell Like Chocolate

Micu (Hungary) sent a lovely letter with interesting contents and stamps. The most surprising was the following one that states "I smell like chocolate":

And it really does! Which seems incredible, because it was issued in 2023, to commemorate the centenary of the Szerencs Chocolate Factory.

I like that Hungary issues so many stamps dedicated to children books' and characters, like these ones:

TV Maci

Manócska (Mazsola és Tádé)

300th anniversary of
Gulliver's Travels 

Dove of Peace

In September 2025, the United Nations Postal Administration (UNPA) in conjunction with the Universal Postal Union (UPU) and 10 other postal organizations will jointly issue Dove of Peace embroidered stamps to celebrate the International Day of Peace and promote the value of peace to people all around the world. (More information about this issue.)

Bryon (UN) sent me the stamps from the three UN postal administrations, on the back of the same matching postcard:

Women on Postcards & Stamps | Little Women

Envelope made by Bryon (the USA), with the selvage of the Barbie stamps. It included the firefighter and the paleontologist Barbie (you can be anything). And, suitably, a Little Women stamp (where they are reading a letter!!):

And yet, weeks later... a postcard with the same theme! A postcard with a quotation of Louisa May Alcott:

With a matching stamp, and two more little women on the back: the surgeon and the astronaut Barbie.

And still another related postcard, sent by Marina (the USA)!

When Barbie was introduced in 1959, women were expected to be full-time mothers and homemakers, and toys reflected this. The market consisted mostly in baby dolls. Portraying everything from astronauts to surgeons to reporters and rappers, Barbie has enabled girls to aspire to other careers through role-play.

Update: 7 October 2026

Coffee Collection

 

This stamp is dedicated to the Café A Brasileira (='The Brazilian Café) in Braga (Portugal), opened in 1907. It belongs to the series Cafés Históricos II.

Sometimes I think I would need all the time in the world to grow a thematic collection of all the topics that interest me!

Thursday Postcard Hunt | Old & Modern

The Ponte 25 de Abril (='25th of April Bridge') is a suspension bridge connecting the city of Lisbon, capital of Portugal, with the municipality of Almada on the left (south) bank of the Tagus River. It has a main span length of 1,013 metres.

At the time of its inauguration in 1966, the bridge was named Ponte Salazar (='Salazar Bridge'), after the Portuguese dictator António de Oliveira Salazar, who ordered its construction. After the Carnation Revolution in 1974, the bridge was renamed for April 25, the date of the revolution.

Postcard sent by Pedro (Portugal).

Pont de les Mores in Olot is a bridge built in the second half of the 19th century over the Fluvià river. It is made with volcanic stone, while the five arches are made of brick.

The sender told me this is a beautiful city but an ugly postcard. What do you think?

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Thursday Postcard Hunt
September theme: BRIDGES

• Week 1 - Over land
• Week 2 - Over water
• Week 3 - Railway
• Week 4 - Moveable

Everyone is welcome to share their postcards!

Big in Russia

The post K Is for Karabanovo was the second of the Women on Postcards series. I did not imagine that it will end featured in a newspaper. Let alone in a Russian newspaper!

Eduard wrote an article in the local newspaper Александровский голос труда about the mail art exchange, which included references to that post and Mail Adventures.

He sent me pictures and later the real newspaper, inside the cool envelope above.

Women on Postcards | K Is for Kahlo

Postcard and handmade envelope sent by Fabienne (France). I am glad to add it to this collection!

[Women on Postcards - 2026]

Happy/Sad

Happy when you get a letter...

...Sad when you do not get any.

Postcards sent by Bryon (UN).