M11

This stamp was issued by Correos on 11 March 2024 to commemorate (?) the 20th anniversary of a terrorist attack in Madrid. As you can read in Correos website:

[...] Twenty years later, it is important to remember and honour the victims, as well as reflect on the legacy of this tragic event. The collective memory of those dark days should serve as a reminder of the fragility of peace and the importance of solidarity and unity in times of crisis, something that should strengthen the social fabric that unites us as a society. [...]

It seems to me, however, an odd and sad issue.

States Project | The Beehive State

There must be a reason why the Utah state bird is the California Gull and not the Utah Gull... But I do not know it. The States Project postcards never cease to surprise me!

Sunday Stamps | Les Rencontres d'Arles

The EUROMED postal theme in 2023 was Mediterranean Festivals. France issued a stamp about the photographie festival Les Rencontres d'Arles.

The stamp is based on a photograph by Alessandro Mosalini. It shows a visitor looking at a photograph by Mitch Epstein, exhibited at the Montmajour Abbey during the summer of 2022.

Today's theme in Sunday Stamps is Warm Vacation Locations. I hope it looks warm enough to you!

Women Belong in All Places

Women belong in all places where decisions are being made.

Card sent by Phillip (the USA), with a quotation by Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who was the first Jewish woman and the second woman to serve on the Supreme Court of the USA.

The stamps honouring her were issued on 2nd October, 2023.

I got this postcard on 8 March 2024.

Year of the Snake (I)

Sent by Phillip (the USA). I love the bright accents of these New Year stamps!

Thursday Postcard Hunt | Medieval Hardworking Women

Female labourers bringing in the harvest, from the Luttrell Psalter, 1325-1340.

Herrad of Landsberg and her community, a lithographic facsimile of the Hortus Deliciarum de Herrade Landsperg: Miniatures du XIIe siècle, 1877.

Postcards sent by Laura (UK).

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Thursday Postcard Hunt
March theme: WOMAN

• Week 1 - Working
• Week 2 - Relaxing
• Week 3 - Reading, Handwork
• Week 4 - Famous Women

Everyone is welcome to share their postcards!

My Foot!

Letter sent by Imma (PC).

Completely Unexpected Deliveries

(Updated)

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 March 21, four five all  the letters and postcards reached their recipients in different countries, postmarked on February 12.

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

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*March 8: It is unoperational again!

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.