Wildbirds in Light and Shade

Somewhere in Memory

Wildbirds in light and shade

This is postmarked in 2012 with two Taiwan stamps - one of purple flowers and the other is a Longhorn Beetle (Thermistis Taiwanesis)
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I believe this beautiful postcard is of a crane.

 

Black Beauty by Anna Sewell

Black Beauty by Anna Sewell

A Puffin Story Book

Black Beauty, 1954. Cover illustration by Charlotte Hough

postmarked in 2011 with three Australia stamps

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Black Beauty is an 1877 novel by English author Anna Sewell (March 30, 1820 - April 25, 1878). It was composed in the last years of her life, during which she was confined to her house as an invalid. The novel became an immediate bestseller, with Sewell dying just five months after its publication, long enough to see her first and only novel become a success. With fifty million copies sold, Black Beauty is one of the best-selling books of all time.  While forthrightly teaching animal welfare, it also teaches how to treat people with kindness, sympathy and respect.

 

The Dead Sea in Israel

The Dead Sea


Postmarked in 2008 with 11 Israel stamps!

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The Dead Sea, also called the Salt Sea, is a salt lake bordering Jordan to the east and Israel and the West Bank to the west. Its surface and shores are 423 metres (1,388 ft) below sea level,  Earth's lowest elevation on land.

It is 8.6 times saltier than the ocean.  This salinity makes for a harsh environment in which animals cannot flourish, hence its name.

Biblically, it was a place of refuge for King David. It was one of the world's first health resorts (for Herod the Great), and it has been the supplier of a wide variety of products, from balms for Egyptian mummification to potash for fertilizers.

Israel stamps 2001

Hebrew Alphabet - 10

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Israel stamp 2007

Wingate Institute - 3.00

The Wingate Institute is a sports training facility located south of Netanya, Israel, established in 1957. Named after Orde Wingate, the facility serves as the host facility for numerous Israeli national teams as well as a military training base.

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Israel stamp 1986

Dr. Th. Herzl 5

Theodor Herzl (May 2, 1860 – July 3, 1904), was an Ashkenazi Jewish Austro-Hungarian journalist and the father of modern political Zionism.

Swiss Guards in Vatican City

Citta Del Vaticano (Vatican City)

Swiss Guards

unused, bought in 2009

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Swiss Guards is the name given to the Swiss soldiers who have served as bodyguards, ceremonial guards, and palace guards at foreign European courts since the late 15th century. They have had a high reputation for discipline, and loyalty to their employers. Apart from household and guard units, regular Swiss mercenary regiments have served as line troops in various armies; notably those of France, Spain and Naples up to the 19th century.  Today the name Swiss Guards generally refers to the Pontifical Swiss Guard of Vatican City.

The Papal Swiss Guard now in the Vatican City State was founded in 1506 and is the only Swiss Guard that still exists.

'Ballerina in Thought' - Painted by a Foot

'Ballerina In Thought', from an original foot painting by Jui-Chin Liao
Mouth and Foot Painting Artists

postmarked in 2011 with a 29 cent stamp

This is sooooo beautiful, and the fact that it was drawn with only a foot!  WOW

Bugs Bunny Cartoon Revue

A New and Different 

Bugs Bunny 

Cartoon Revue

1953

A feature length laugh riot featuring many of Warner Bros. famous cartoon stars
in color by
Technicolor

shown are:
Daffy Duck, Foghorn Leghorn, Goofy Gophers (Mac and Tosh),  Tweety, Porky Pig
Pepe Le Pew, Hubie and Bertie, Marc Antony?, Hippety Hopper, Sylvester

postcard made by the Museum of Modern Art in New York in 2001

unused

Repulse Bay, Hong Kong

Repulse bay - One of the best and famous beach in Hong Kong.

Color Photograph by Cheng Ho-Choy

This is postmarked in 1969 with a Hong Kong 'Coat of Arms' stamp.

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In 1841, the bay was used as a base by pirates and caused serious concern to foreign merchant ships trading with China. The pirates were subsequently repulsed by the British Fleet; hence the name. Another theory holds that the bay was named after HMS Repulse which was stationed at the bay at one point.

Beautiful scenery of Repulse Bay.

This card is postmarked in 1974 with a Hong Kong 'Queen Elizabeth' stamp.

The sender writes:

Dear Sister,

I'm sure that you will be surprised to receive a card from Hong Kong; however, we tried to call you twice, but were unable to get thru.  We left home on Oct. 12th to attend a convention in Hawaii.  On the 19th we began our tour.  We had a week in Japan, then on to Taiwan, Bangkok for 3 days and then here in Hong Kong for 4 days.  Each place we have visited has been wonderful, but we are both completely exhausted!  The tours have included just about everything and sometimes began as early as 6:30 a.m.  We will be home next week.  Love Rose and Frank

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They did sell answering machines in 1974, but I think they were still pretty expensive - maybe that is why she couldn't get ahold of her sister - no answering machine! 

A Few Funny Postcards - - Just For Fun

 "Two can live as cheaply as one"
If one doesn't eat
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 "If the shoe fits ... steal it!
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We got along so well for so many years ....
when you turn it over it reads:
-And then we met!

all three are unused Plastichrome postcards

Tai Pak Floating Restaurant in Hong Kong

 This new Vessel "Tai Pak" built in memory of the famous poet of the Tong Dynasty and modeled like a Chinese ancient palace is a most beautiful and modernized Floating Restaurant in the century.  Dining on board the "Tai Pak" is an uniqued experience that should not be missed.  You will enjoy the most delicious sea food which is cooked under very hygienic conditions and provided at reasonable prices.

The Tai Pak Floating Restaurant Co.
Aberdeen, Hong Kong

postmarked with a one dollar 'Queen Elizabeth II' Hong Kong stamp

the sender writes:
Here we are in Hong Kong.  We had an excellent meal at this place.  Various types of sea foods.  Very clean Kitchen.

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Jumbo Kingdom consists of the Jumbo Floating Restaurant and the adjacent Tai Pak Floating Restaurant, renowned tourist attractions in Aberdeen South Typhoon Shelter, within Hong Kong's Aberdeen Harbour. Over 30 million visitors have visited Jumbo Kingdom, including Queen Elizabeth II, John Wayne, Tom Cruise and Chow Yun-fat.

The Tai Pak Floating Restaurant was established in 1952.

Hill of Crosses in Lithuania

Hill of Crosses, Siauliai district 

Lithuania

postmarked with a Lietuva (Lithuania) teardrop shaped stamp in 2008

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The Hill of Crosses is a site of pilgrimage about 12 km north of the city of Šiauliai, in northern Lithuania. The precise origin of the practice of leaving crosses on the hill is uncertain, but it is believed that the first crosses were placed on the former Jurgaičiai or Domantai hill fort after the 1831 Uprising. Over the centuries, not only crosses, but giant crucifixes, carvings of Lithuanian patriots, statues of the Virgin Mary and thousands of tiny effigies and rosaries have been brought here by Catholic pilgrims. The exact number of crosses is unknown, but estimates put it at about 55,000 in 1990 and 100,000 in 2006.

                                                           

Lietuva (Lithuania) stamp  2008

Expo Zaragoza 2008 - 2.45

Historic Route 66 - Metal Postcard from Arizona

Historic Route 66
Association of Arizona
showing cars on the left, gasoline on the right and a map of things to see along the bottom

Arizona, the Copper State, is a storehouse of wonders of nature.  Mineral wealth, the Grand canyon and other extraordinary scenery, and a mild climate are attracting visitors and new residents by the thousands.

by Kopper Card, "A Card to be Treasured"

unused

Senglea, Malta

Malta
The ancient town of Senglea in Grand Harbour
The Maltese Islands
Photography - Jonathan M. Beacom

unused, but has writing on the back

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Senglea is a fortified city in the east of Malta, mainly in the Grand Harbour area. The proper name is Senglea since the grandmaster who built it Claude De La Sengle, gave this city a part of his name.

Suva, Fiji

Suva's Busy Harbour
Cruise ships call regularly at Suva in the course of their Pacific runs and bring many thousands of visitors to the Capitol.

Postmarked in 1976 with a Fiji 10 c stamp

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Suva is the capital and largest city of Fiji.

It features a tropical rainforest climate. Average temperature ranges in Suva are from 20 to 26 degrees Celsius (68 to 79 degrees Fahrenheit) in August to 23 to 30 degrees Celsius (73 to 86 degrees Fahrenheit) in February.

The Rifle Song - Poland's Patriotic Song from the Polish-Soviet War 1919-1921

Piesn Strzelcow (Rifle Song)
a Polish Patriotic song

unused, made in 1920

I found the English lyrics on line .....

Hey, shooters together, white eagle on us,
and against our mortal enemy, and one hundred.
Soon the roar of our guns lightning shots.
Let the flight of bullets headed savior God!
So I cook a gun and bullets hit deep
The fathers grave poostrz steel bayonets.
At the sound of trumpets, your rifle to take the eye!
Hey! Attention! Goal! And in your head, or heart burn!
Hey, trumpets! Hey, trumpets trąbko shooting away!
A prick, a clearing, and the head or the heart burn!
Increased leaf pine, so top scorers faith.
Do you have a gun in his hand, and breast the holy fire.
Hey, Moscow here, and hangman Come here!
From our bullets do not shelter kniaźni car.
Once there already played the trumpet sounds
Polish shines weapons, like ears stalnych waves.
Today, we pay you the tears of mothers and widows' groans.
Hey! ... Guard

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The Polish–Soviet War (February 1919 – March 1921) was an armed conflict with Soviet Russia and Soviet Ukraine pitted against the Second Polish Republic and the Ukrainian People's Republic, four states in post–World War I Europe. The war was the result of the belligerents' desire to expand their territories and their influence over them. Poland, whose statehood had just been re-established by the Treaty of Versailles following the Partitions of Poland in the late 18th century, sought to secure territories it had lost at the time of partitions; the aim of the Soviet states was to control those same territories, which had been part of the Russian Empire until the turbulent events of World War I.

The war ended on March, 18, 1921 when a formal peace treaty, the Peace of Riga, was signed dividing the disputed territories between Poland and Soviet Russia.

St. Patrick's Day Greetings

With Best St. Patrick's Greetings

Tis the Shamrocks on St. Patrick's Day

That bring back Memories Dear and gay.

postmarked in 1920 with a 1 cent stamp

The Dominican Republic

Republica Dominicana
(Dominican Republic)

postmarked in 2000 with $10 Correos stamp

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The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries.

Both by area and population, the Dominican Republic is the second largest Caribbean nation (after Cuba), with 48,442 square kilometres (18,704 sq mi) and an estimated 10 million people.

Financial District of Singapore

Singapore
The eye-catching day and night view of Singapore Financial District
(I love that the 'night view' is during the day!!)

This is postmarked in 2008 with a 'Blue-crowned  Hanging Parrot' stamp for 55 cents.

Bonaire in the ABC Islands

 Bonaire

Sights of the beautiful island of Bonaire
Photos 2011 by Ray

postmarked in 2012 with a Netherlands 'Postcrossing' stamp

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Bonaire is a special municipality (officially public body) of the Netherlands. Together with Aruba and Curaçao it forms a group referred to as the ABC islands of the Leeward Antilles.

Bonaire's economy is mainly based on tourism. The island caters mainly to scuba divers and snorkelers, as there are few sandy beaches, while the surrounding reefs are easily accessible from the shore. 

                                               

Netherlands (Nederland) stamp 2011

Postcrossing (The Postcard Crossing Project) 1

Mannequins Used to Guage the Effects of an Atomic Bomb, 1955

Mannequins used to gauge the effects of an atomic bomb blast on the human body, 

Yucca Flat, Nevada, 1955
Life Magazine
Photograph by Loomis Dean

unused, bought in 2011

Singing and Trumpet Playing Poodles

Twinkle Star. The singing poodle with over 30 T.V. appearances.

Super Star. A celebrity that blows his own trumpet.

unused

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I read that Ken and Vesta Grimaldi (also known as Vesta and Ashton) were part of Clyde Bros Circus tour and they had these two dogs as part of their act in the 1970's.

Cheetah and Cubs

Exotic Wildlife

Cheetah (Asinonyx jubatus). - (error with the letter s, should read: (Acinonyx jubatus)
The fastest land animal, the cheetah can reach speeds up to 70 mph.  It hunts by day, preferably at dawn and sundown.  The cheetah is not an aggressive animal and has often been tamed and used as a hunting aid.
Photographers - Gerald & Buff Corsi

unused, bought in 2011

Ed Anato Hayes, Anatomical Wonder

Anato Hayes: Anatomical Wonder 

Capable of reducing his stomach to a depth of one inch.  He can reveal the outline of his spine through the abdominal wall.

unused, printed in 1997

Here is a 12 second video:

University of Coimbra, Portugal

Coimbra, Portugal
Universidade de Coimbra
University of Coimbra

from a Postcrossing meet-up and signed by 10 members
postmarked in 2011 with a Portugal 'ship' stamp

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The University of Coimbra is a Portuguese public university in Coimbra, Portugal. Established in 1290, it is one of the oldest universities in continuous operation in the world, the oldest university of Portugal, and one of its largest higher education and research institutions.

The University of Coimbra has approximately 20,000 students.
(The above postcard is a view of the old courtyard.)

The Bomber (Texaco) Gas Station / Restaurant

The Bomber Gas Station (this is now The Bomber Restaurant)
Highway 99 E, Milwaukie, Oregon

unused, printed in 1997, however the picture is older than that

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From their website:
Our World War II B-17G Bomber was originally flown to Oregon by Art Lacey. From 1947 until its closing, the "Flying Fortress" you see in Milwaukie, OR. sheltered one of the nation's largest filling stations.

Currently, there are under 20 intact examples of B-17s world wide. After 64 years of weathering Oregon's climate, birds and suffering from wanton vandalism, Milwaukie's Bomber is being restored! This is a long term project that will lead to the education of generations to come about the World War II era.

The memorabilia displayed in the family restaurant are reminders of a history, not to be forgotten. The Bomber family is dedicated to the preservation of this "flying Fortress" christened the "Lacey Lady". She stands in honor of the men and woman who fought so valiantly during WWII to save our freedom.

Which is it - Moree or Armidale??

 Moree, New South Wales
Australia
Horseman taking in the view of an early morn.

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Moree is a large town in Moree Plains Shire in northern New South Wales, Australia. It is located on the banks of the Mehi River in the centre of the rich black-soil plains and has a population of around 8, 100 people in 2006.

It is a major agricultural centre, noted for its part in the Australian cotton growing industry which was established there in the early 1960s.

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then, about 3 1/2 to 4 hours driving distance later is .........

Armidale, New South Wales

Australia
Horseman taking in the view of an early morn.

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Armidale is a city in the Northern Tablelands, New South Wales, Australia and had a population of 19,485 people according to the 2006 census.  It is located approximately half way between Sydney and Brisbane at the junction of the New England Highway, national route 15, and Waterfall Way.

both postcards are unused and from 2011

Happy Birthday from Statler and Waldorf of the Muppets

Ich fuhle mich alt! (I'm feeling old)

Was? Du kannst noch fuhlen? (What? you can still feel?)

Herzlichen Gluckwunsch, Oldie! (Happy Birthday, Oldie!)

Postmarked in 2012 with two Austria stamps 

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These two are Statler and Waldorf from the Muppets!  - love the puppet pigeon on the background

 Austria (Osterreich) stamp 2007

Haus Des Meeres (House of the Sea)

Clown Fish with Glitter on the dark lines of the fish and clear glitter at the bottom 55

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Austria (Osterreich) stamp 2010

Alfons Maria, Mucha 115