A Postcard for Surreal Times

Still Life and Street, 1937

M. C. Escher (1898-1972)

Sent by Bryon (USA).

Dutch Lions

After reading this post about lions on stamps, Heleen realised a gap in my collection: Dutch lions! So she sent these stamps:

Plus, the lions on the envelope. Plus... a (sea)lion inside!

Ireland Galore

Shaped cards sent (looong ago) by Heleen (the Netherlands) and Laura (the UK).

And more Irish postcards and stamps, sent by Laura from the UK and Ireland. I guess Saint Patrick's Day is the appropriate time to show them on the blog. Despite the celebrations being cancelled... It is still St Patrick's Day!

To celebrate the Bicentenary of the official opening of the GPO 200 years ago, An Post issued this commemorative stamp which features an image of the GPO engraved by Robert Havell in 1820. The building still serves as the headquarters of the Post Office in Ireland as well as housing the internationally recognised GPO Witness History centre.

 Actually, I didn't received the stamp itself, but this (big!) postcard.

Bedford Tower, dating from 1761 is the centrepiece of Dublin Castle's principle Georgian courtyard. The complex of buildings is generally open to the public as a tourist attraction except when hosting State functions.

View of College Green and the entrance to Trinity College. Dublin City.

This one was sent by Béibhinn (Ireland), through the Postcrossing site.

Vibrant and exciting, Galway City is situated at the mouth of Galway Bay on the west coast of Ireland. It is Ireland's third largest city and the only one in the province of Connaught.  

Clockwise from top left: Eyre Square, bustling city street, traditional pub and the Spanish Arch.

And this one sent by Nora, also thanks to Postcrossing. With a lot of information about the Irish Alphabet.

My friends Lie & Steeve (Spain) visited Dublin and sent me the whole city on a postcard!

"Dublin is the capital city of Ireland with a population approaching 2 million people and covers an area of 115sq Kilometres. Situated on the estuary of the River Liffey and in the province of Leinster, Dublin has more green spaces than any other European city. This card shows the Ha’penny Bridge over the river Liffey, the Temple Bar, Merchants Arch, the Campanile, Trinity College, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, the Spire and O’Connell St. and colourful Georgian Doors."

HitM | Fairy Houses

Tangled, 2010
The Art of Disney: The Renaissance and Beyond (1989-2014)

Without being aware, Bryon (the USA), sent a postcard for the Houses in the Mail project which is very appropriate for these days we spent at home: Rapunzel's House.

[Update: I have never seen the film Tangled. But thanks to this article sent by Bryon, I have realised her quarantine lasted 18 years, and she was living in the Kingdom of Corona - ?!?]

But maybe you would prefer Snow White House in the woods...

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, 1937
The Art of Disney: The Golden Age (1937-1961)

Sunday Stamps | Celebrate

Today's theme in Sunday Stamps is Celebrations. The first stamp that comes to my mind is this one, received last week...

It seems there is few to celebrate these days when, at least in my country, all celebrations have been cancelled. We are longing for coming back to the routine. So let me show a visually similar (Don't you think so?) sheet designed by the artist Michiel Schuurman. The title is Gewoontjes = 'Ordinary'.

Since 2019, PostNL has given the winners of several prestigious design competitions the unrestricted opportunity to design stamps. In the design process, the selected designers are free to use their own inspiration and interests. The sheet, consisting of six stamps for international destinations, is inspired by Schuurman’s fascination with marbles.
 

(More information abut this issue.)

Lighthouses & Hopper

Sitting in the Morning Sun
By Otto Waalkes 

It is really nice when a postcrosser takes the time of sending you a postcard about something you really like. This postcard sent by Ulrike (Germany) is a great addition to my Edward Hopper album. Plus... a lighthouse in the background.
 
Also John (the UK) has sent me two more lighthouses:

Butt of Lewis Lighthouse

New Brighton Lighthouse

Catching Stars

Drawn envelope sent to Phillip (the USA).

Sunday Stamps | Yellow Flowers

Stamps with flowers are always a pleasure for the eyes. Go to Sunday Stamps to see more Flowers!

Canada, 2017

Daisy (Tetraneuris herbacea) and lavender showy fleabane (Erigeron speciosus)

France, 2008 (Pre-cancelled stamp)

Tulip (Tulipa sp.)

Germany, 2017

Winter aconite (Eranthis hyemalis)

Guernsey, 1992

Standard Carnation

Malaysia, 2010

Allamanda cathartica

Malaysia, 2010

Hibiscus rosa-sinensis

United Kingdom, 1988

Yellow Waterlily (Nuphar lutea)

Women on Envelopes

Envelope drawn by Heleen (the Netherlands), recreating this stamp.

Big collaged envelope sent by Imma (PC).

Back of an envelope sent by Julia (the USA).

Winter Sun

Winter Sun in Margate

A beautiful postcard sent by Laura (UK) which perfectly summarizes these days...

Paleoletter

Great dinosaurs on the envelope and a "the greatest fossilist the world ever knew" inside!

a

Mary Anning
1799-1847
By Rachel Ignotofsky

Sen tby Phillip (the USA).

Postcards & Stamps from My Country

 

Postcard sent by Bruno (PC), featuring the village of Xàbia.

Postcard that reproduces a vintage one, sent by Laura (Spain). It shows an idealised workshop where people is preparing the falles...

The province of Valencia on a stamp.

The typical housing near the city of Valencia (nowadays almost vanished): the barraca. The stamp is dedicated to a Valencian writer: Vicente Blasco Ibáñez (he wrote in Spanish language, though).

Sunday Stamps | Lions

Today's theme in Sunday Stamps is Lions or Lambs. Not having found any lamb... I went for lions! (Sorry for a couple of blurry pictures.)

Belarus, 3 July 2017. Towns of Belarus - Mogilev.

China, 16 November 2017. Cangzhou Iron Lion - Joint Issue with Cambodia.

Finland, 14 January 2005. Toys.

Russia, 30 May 2019. The 100th Anniversary of the Arkhangelskoye State Memorial Estate.

Singapore, 5 June 2015. 28th SEA Games.
The lion Nila is the games mascot. His name is probably derived from Sang Nila Utama, a Hindu prince who landed on the island Temasek, saw an animal and was informed it was a lion. So he the city Singapura which means 'Lion City' in Sanskrit.

Spain, 9 November 2018. 40 Years of the Constitution.
In the foreground, the stamp depicts one of the lions that stand at the entrance to the Spanish Parliament, resting on the logo created for this occasion. Around the sculpture, a diagram of the layout of the Congress, with the seats in foil, invites people to join in the celebration.
(See here a better picture of the stamp.)

United Kingdom, 6 May 2010. London 2010 - Festival of Stamps.
This stamp is a reproduction of the Great Britain's first commemorative stamps which were issued on 23 April 1924 - the first day of the British Empire Exhibition at Wembley (More information here.)

Update: After publishing this post, someone decided to send more lions!