Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California

Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California
Scene of the Annual Football Classic

Each year the Tournament of Roses Association invites the western university whose team has made the most outstanding record during the season.  The university in turn invites its opponent of similar standing from the Big Ten.  The game played on New Year's Day is traditional and has become a national classic.  Over 101,000 football enthusiasts crowd this immense stadium for this famous event.  The Rose Bowl is also the setting for many community events and athletic contests throughout the year.
Of interest to the visitors are the 5,000 beautiful rose bushes, some 157 varieties, that encircle the stadium.

Ektachrome color by Fairchild Aerial Surveys

Curteich postcard, unused

Mickey Mouse in His Office, 1961

1961 Walt Disney Productions

Mickey Mouse
A most lovable pal is Mickey Mouse,
He's known and beloved in every house;
He's the only mouse that eats no cheese,
'Cause Mickey is human, if you please!

Litho in canada - unused postcard

Texas Horned Toad (Lizard)

Texas Horned Toad

The Texas Horned Toad is not rally a toad, but a lizard. Adults are about 4 to 5 inches long.

postmarked in 2009 with a 28 cent stamp

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The horned lizard is popularly called a "horned toad", "horny toad", or "horned frog", but it is neither a toad nor a frog. The popular names come from the lizard's rounded body and blunt snout, which give it a decidedly toad- or frog-like appearance. Phrynosoma literally means "toad-bodied," and cornutum means "horned". The lizard's horns are extensions of its cranium and contain true bone.

Although its coloration generally serves as camouflage against predators when threatened it will puff up its body to cause its spiny scales to protrude, making it difficult to swallow. The Texas horned lizard, along with at least three other species of the genus Chromosomal, also has the ability to squirt an aimed stream of blood from the corners of the eyes and sometimes from its mouth for a distance of up to 5 ft (1.5 m). This not only confuses would-be predators, but also the blood is mixed with a chemical that is foul-tasting to canine predators such as wolves, coyotes, and domestic dogs.

50,000 Silver Dollar Bar in Montana

50,000 Silver $ Bar

The largest collection of its kind is displayed in this unique bar in Western Montana.  This 50,00 plus Silver Dollar collection was started by Gerry and Marie Lincoln.  Now in their fourth generation, the Lincoln family continues the Silver Dollar collection.  People from all over the world have their names inscribed.  Over $2,500 are embedded in the bar top with the remainder graciously adorning the surrounding walls.  The total facility includes a restaurant, motel, gas station, convenience store, and Montana's largest gift shop.

the sender writes:

I really enjoy finding oddball and unique sights on my trips, and this place definitely fit the bill.  It was quite an impressive display to see in person!  The coins cover ALL the surrounding walls, not just the walls in the photo.

postmarked in 2012 with three wonderful vintage stamps portraying coins!

 

USA - Stamps from 1975, Banking and Commerce, 10 c 

USA - Stamp from 1978, 1877 Indian Head Penny 13 c

Gibbon Rehabilitation Project in Phuket, Thailand

Sherpa

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Cop and Jom
from the
Gibbon Rehabilitation Project, Phuket, Thailand

Photographs by Toffee Omyim

both postcards are postmarked in 2012 with a Thailand 'Seaside Tourist Spots of Thailand) stamp, 1. Hat Chao Mai 2. Ko Panyi

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The following is from their website: http://www.gibbonproject.org

The Gibbon Rehabilitation Project (GRP) was set up in 1992 by Mr Noppadol Preuksawan, the chief of the Royal Forest Department in Phuket at that time, Mr. Thavrn Sri-Oon, Bang Pae Sub-Station chief, the Asian Wildlife Fund and an American Zoologist called Terrance Dillon Morin. In 1994 the Wild Animal Rescue Foundation of Thailand (WARF) started to support the project, we are now a research division of WARF.

Objectives (more information for each is on their webpage and information on how to adopt a gibbon for a year)...

1. Develop a method to successfully rehabilitate white-handed gibbons back into their natural habitat.

2. End the demand for the illegal use of gibbons as tourists attractions and as pets.

3. To repopulate the last remaining rainforest in Phuket-Khao Pra Theaw Non-Hunting Area (National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department).

4. To create awareness of the importance of conservation of the environment.

5. Provide the opportunity for volunteers to study the white-handed gibbon. 

 

Teapots for Tea Time

 Tea-Time

French enamel Contemporary
Parisian Napoleon III
French Contemporary
Japanese
French 19th c.
English Contemporary
Chinese Contemporary
French enamel 19th c.
Parisian Porcelain 19th c
French Contemporary
Parisian Porcelain 1860
English Contemporary
English 1930
Traditional Chinese
English Silver 1890
English late 19th c.
Chinese Contemporary
Japanese 1960
USA 1930
French 1950

from Nouvelles Images 1998

postmarked  in 2012 with three Netherlands stamp

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History of the Teapot:

The teapot probably derived from the ceramic kettles and wine pots which were also made in bronze and other metals and were a feature of Chinese cultural life for thousands of years. The earliest example of a teapot that has survived to this day seems to be the one in the Flagstaff House Museum of Teaware; it has been dated to 1513 and attributed to Gongchun.

Early teapots are small by western standards because they are generally designed for a single drinker and the Chinese historically drank the tea directly from the spout. The size reflects the importance of serving small portions each time so that the flavours can be better concentrated, controlled and then repeated.

From the end of the 17th century tea was shipped from China to Europe as part of the export of exotic spices and luxury goods. The ships that brought the tea also carried porcelain teapots. The majority of these teapots were painted in blue and white underglaze. Porcelain being completely vitrified will withstand sea water without damage, so the teapots were packed below deck whilst the tea stayed on top in the dry.

Tea drinking in Europe was initially the preserve of the upper classes since it was very expensive. Porcelain teapots were particularly desirable because porcelain could not be made in Europe at that time. It wasn't until 1708 that Ehrenfried Walther von Tschirnhaus devised a way of making porcelain in Dresden, Germany, and started the Meissen factory in 1710. When European potteries began to make their own tea wares they were naturally inspired by the Chinese designs.

In colonial America, Boston became the epicenter for silver production and artistry. Among the many artists in Boston, there were four major families in the city's silver market, including Edwards, Revere, Burt and Hurd. Their works of art included silver teapots.

 

Merry Christmas!

Best Christmas Wishes
Featuring a Little Girl Praying and Santa Listening

Best Christmas Wishes (early 20th century).

back reads: From the collection of Gabriella Oldham - 1989

This is a reproduction postcard - unused

I love this postcard ! !

Merry Christmas from Around the World

Season's Greetings
Frohes Fest (German - Merry Christmas)
Meilleurs Voeux (French - Best Wishes)
Buone Feste (Italian - Happy Holidays)
Prettige Feestdagen (Dutch - Merry Christmas)
Boas Festas (Portuguese - Happy Holidays)
Felices Fiestas (Spanish - Happy Holidays)
God Jul och gott nytt ar (Swedish - Merry Christmas and Happy New Year)
Yeni Yiliniz Kutlu Olsun (Turkish - Happy New Year)

Globale Weihnachten (Global Christmas)
Foto: Mauritius Images / Van Ravenswaay

postmarked in 2011 with two Germany stamps
 

Angry Birds and Pigs Celebrating Christmas Together

Angry Birds 2009 - 2011

Helsinki, Finland

postmarked in 2011 with a Finland winter scene stamp

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Angry Birds is a puzzle video game developed by Finnish computer game developer Rovio Mobile. Inspired primarily by a sketch of stylized wingless birds, the game was first released for Apple's iOS in December 2009. Since that time, over 12 million copies of the game (as of 2011) have been purchased from Apple's App Store.

In the game, players use a slingshot to launch birds at pigs stationed on or within various structures, with the intent of destroying all the pigs on the playfield. As players advance through the game, new birds appear, some with special abilities that can be activated by the player.

My daughters got me hooked on the game and I won three stars in all levels with no 'eagle' or cheating.  Then they told me about Angry Birds Rio - now I have to start all over again  :D

Kerstinkopen (Christmas Shopping) by Anton Pieck

Kerstinkopen (Christmas Shopping)

by Anton Pieck

postmarked in 2012 with three Netherlands (Nederland) stamps - two are Christmas stamps (one of them matches part of the postcard!) 

The bottom stamp is: 

100 Jaar Genootschap Nederlandse Componisten - 1

(100 Years of Dutch Composers Society)

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Anton Franciscus Pieck (19 April 1895 – 24 November 1987), was a Dutch painter, artist and graphic artist. His works are noted for their nostalgic or fairy tale-like character and are widely popular, appearing regularly on cards and calendars.

Camel and Rider - Typical Scene of M'Hamid, Morocco

Marruecos Tipico
Typical Morocco

Meharistas de M'Hamid
Meharistes of M'Hamid

postmarked in 1979 with two Morocco (Royaume Du Maroc) stamps featuring old currency

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Mehariste is a French word that roughly translates to camel cavalry.

M'Hamid is a small village in Zagora region of Morocco, one of the two places in Morocco where Sahara begins (another is Merzouga). M'Hamid gets fewer visitors than Merzouga and is arguably more "authentic."  It is "The end of the road" (the last point of The route national N°9), after it is only sands of Sahara, shepherds and caravan trails.

 

Gene Autry

Gene Autry

unused, printed in 2002, however, the picture was taken before that

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Orvon Grover Autry (September 29, 1907 – October 2, 1998), better known as Gene Autry, was an American performer who gained fame as The Singing Cowboy on the radio, in movies and on television for more than three decades beginning in the 1930s. Autry was also owner of the Los Angeles/California Angels Major League Baseball team from 1961 to 1997.

Although his signature song was "Back in the Saddle Again," Autry is best known today for his Christmas holiday songs, "Here Comes Santa Claus" (which he wrote), "Frosty the Snowman," and his biggest hit, "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer."

Christmas 'Drawing by Mouth' - Mailed from Taiwan

This Merry Christmas postcard is a small greeting card that was never folded and mailed like a postcard.  (open it is the size of a standard postcard) 

The sender writes that this is the artwork of Nishioka Ryosuke.  He is a person with a physical disability and uses only his mouth to draw.  

postmarked in 2011 with three Taiwan stamps 

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Ryosuke Nishioka broke his neck when doing floor exercises during a gym lesson at the age of 17. He has since been unable to move his legs and has only minimal use of his arms. Subsequently he spent two years at a rehabilitation centre for the severely disabled, where he also started to paint with his mouth. 

I can use my hands and still can not draw. I have a high respect for this man! 

 

Tangier, Morocco

Souvenir de Tanger
(Souvenir of Tangier)

This was postmarked in 1956.

The sender writes:

This is really a place to see and you can't appreciate it unless you do see it.  I'm on a short trip to Gibraltar and North Africa and now I'm on my way back to Bordeaux.

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Tangier is a city in northern Morocco with a population of about 700,000 (2012 estimates). It lies on the North African coast at the western entrance to the Strait of Gibraltar.

The city is currently undergoing rapid development and modernization. Projects include new 5-star hotels along the bay, a modern business district called Tangier City Center, a new airport terminal and a new football stadium.

Grima, Lord of the Rings, The Two Towers

The Lord of the Rings
The Two Towers
Grima

This unused postcard was printed in the Czech Republic.

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Gríma, called (the) Wormtongue, is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings. He appears in the second and third volumes of the work, The Two Towers and The Return of the King. He is introduced in The Two Towers as the chief advisor to King Théoden of Rohan and henchman of Saruman.

The name Gríma derives from the Old English or Icelandic word meaning "mask", "helmet" or "spectre". It is also possible to link the name to the English word "grim", which among other characteristics means sinister in character.

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The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, released on December 18, 2002, is a epic fantasy film directed by Peter Jackson based on the second volume of J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings. It is the second film in The Lord of the Rings trilogy, preceded by The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) and concluding with The Return of the King (2003).

Continuing the plot of The Fellowship of the Ring, the film intercuts three storylines:
1. Frodo and Sam continue their journey towards Mordor to destroy the One Ring, meeting and joined by Gollum, the ring's former owner.
2. Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli come to the war-torn nation of Rohan and are reunited with the resurrected Gandalf, before fighting at the Battle of Helm's Deep.
3. Merry and Pippin escape capture, meet Treebeard the Ent, and help to plan an attack on Isengard.

Union Station in St. Louis, Missouri - Decorated for Christmas

On September 1, 1894, St. Louis Union Station opened as the largest and most beautiful train terminal in the United States.  Over twice as large as its nearest competitor, this enormous project was built at the cost of $6.5 million.

postmarked in 2011 with a 29 cent Lavender stamp

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St. Louis Union Station, a National Historic Landmark, was a passenger train terminal in St. Louis, Missouri. Once the world's largest and busiest train station, it was converted in the early 1980s into a luxury hotel, shopping center, and entertainment complex. Today, it is one of the city's major tourist attractions and serves only local rail (Metro) transit passengers.
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Here is a postcard of it when it was a Station....

Union Station St. Louis, Missouri, Showing Plaza and Fountains

In front of St. Louis' famous Union Station is the Aloe Plaza which features a beautiful $50,000 fountain in which a series of 19 bronze figures by Carl Milles, noted Swedish sculptor are used to depict the meeting of the waters, the Missouri and the Mississippi.  It is named for the late husband of Mrs. Louis P. Aloe, who started the movement for the fountain and made a large contribution toward it.  The Aloe Plaza was dedicated in 1940. 

Postmarked in  1949 with a one cent Washington stamp 

Swallow's Nest Castle in the Ukraine

 Swallow's Nest

postmarked in 2012 with a Ukraine stamp

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The Swallow's Nest is a decorative castle near Yalta on the Crimean peninsula in southern Ukraine. It was built between 1911 and 1912 in Gaspra, on top of the 40-metre (130 ft) high Aurora Cliff. The castle overlooks the Cape of Ai-Todor of the Black Sea and is one of the most popular visitor attractions in Crimea.  It has become the symbol of Crimea's southern coastline.

It's A Small World - From the New York World's Fair to Disney World

 Pepsi-Cola Pavilion
New York World's Fair 1964 - 1965
"Peace through Understanding"

Animated figures representing children in national costumes entertain visitors on a Walt Disney - created cruise taken in specially designed boats.  A UNICEF exhibit is also included.

Unused - Official World's Fair Postcard

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"It's a small world" is now an attraction at all five Disney Magic Kingdom-style parks, and its theme song (provided by the Sherman Brothers) is among the most popular on the planet.
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Walt Disney World
Singing children dressed in native costumes take guests on an enchanting journey around the globe to discover It's A Small World after all!

unused

Here is a video of this at the New York Worlds Fair...

Fishing in Palm City, Florida (Exaggeration Postcard)

 There are some fish around here.

Greetings from Palm City, Florida

postmarked in 1931 with a one cent Franklin stamp

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Palm City, Florida is a beautiful community located just west of Stuart Florida.  Its close proximity to both I-95 and the Florida Turnpike, makes commuting easy. Palm City is just 2 hours southeast of Orlando (Walt Disney Area).

Palm City borders the St Lucie River witch makes for beautiful waterfront communities and many of them also have golf courses.

Palm City residents enjoy an excellent quality of life with good schools and low crime rates.  Here, the golf and tennis are great and the fishing is legendary. (As you can see in the postcard above :)

Inge Look - Maximum Card with Stamp from Aland

Maximikort nr / Maksimikortti nro / Maximum card no. 70
Utgivningsdag / Ilmestymispaiva / Dave of issue: 8.10.2010

Illustration / Kuvitus Illustration: Ing Look
Frimarke / Postimerkki / Stamp: Ing Look

so the picture and the Aland Stamp are illustrated by Inge Look

Click on the "Inge Look" tag on the right to see more of these two old ladies  :D

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Aland has its own flag, postage stamps and vehicle registration plates.
It is made up of more than 6500 islands and has a population of approximately 27,000 people.

Hot Air Balloons from Finland

Hot Air Balloons

postmarked in 2012 with a Finland Hot Air Balloon stamp!  (The stamp is from the Autumn Dream Series)

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The hot air balloon is the oldest successful human-carrying flight technology. It is in a class of aircraft known as balloon aircraft. On November 21, 1783, in Annonay, France, the first untethered manned flight was made by Jean-François Pilâtre de Rozier and François Laurent d'Arlandes in a hot air balloon created on December 14, 1782 by the Montgolfier brothers.

Hot air balloons that can be propelled through the air rather than just being pushed along by the wind are known as airships or, more specifically, thermal airships.

Ringing Bell for the Salvation Army

We realize the sacrifice you make when you support The Salvation Army.  That's why we are deeply committed to doing the most good with your contributions and maintaining your trust.

postmarked in 2009 with a machine stamp

This is a Thank You postcard sent from the Salvation Army.  This was not for ringing the bells at Christmas, but for something else.  However, I did ring bell again this year.  And I would like to 'say' a few things.

1.  I donate almost every time when I see the red kettle at Christmas time.  My husband and I were soldiers for the Salvation Army for many years and we know that the money is going where it is needed, not to pay a CEO salary.  However, there are times when I walk past a kettle and have no cash, so I don't put anything in.  So if you walk past me ringing bell without donating, don't worry about it.  :D

2.  To all the mothers who hand money to their child and have them put the money in the kettle I would like to stand up and applaud!  You are teaching your child how blessed it is to give.  Yesterday I rang bell for 5 hours and this happened many times.  Each and every time it blessed me very much.  Bravo to all of you for doing this!

3.  Thank you to each person who walks past and smiles and says Merry Christmas.  I love those two words!!

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The Salvation Army is a Christian denomination and international movement known for its charity shops and other charity work, operating in 126 countries. The organization was founded in 1865 in the United Kingdom by William and Catherine Booth as the North London Christian Mission, operating with a military-style structure, which has been retained to the present day. The theology of the Salvation Army is Christian beliefs, and its articles of faith emphasise God's "saving purposes".