History of living in the Great Smokey Mountains

Great Smoky Mountains National Park

from the 'Great Smoky Mtns: Natural History Association'
all cards are unused

Settlers in the Smokies lived off the land around them. Fishing was both a way to put food on the table, as well as a pleasant way to spend a hot summer day.

There was seldom enough money to buy toys, but with a little imagination, a saw, and a pocketknife, a wagon could materialize right out of the woodpile.

For many, the secluded life in the mountains meant small homes and large families. Since several kids often slept in one bed, mattresses had to be aired frequently and without fail.

Hunting trips in the mountains meant fun for the men, meat for the table, and plenty of tall tales back at the store.

Michael Jackson

Michael Jackson - Portrait

Photographic credit: S.F./Zuffante

in small print on the back it read:
This card is made from Totally Chlorine Free pulp, sourced from sustained forests, without the use of optical bleaching agents.

This vintage postcard is unused.  The edges are lightly turning brown with age.

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Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009)

Here are a few things about Michael you might not know ......

1. Jackson's Billie Jean was the first video by a black artist to air on MTV.

2. Jackson received a Presidential Humanitarian Award from Ronald Reagan in 1984 for his support of charities helping people overcome alcohol and drug abuse.

3. Michael Jackson is the seventh of nine children.

4. Three of Jackson's albums - Bad, Dangerous and Thriller - are among the bestsellers of all time.

5. Jackson's favourite superhero is Morph from the X-Men.

6. Jackson once dated Brooke Shields and Tatum O'Neal.

7. Jackson won an MTV Movie Award for Best Movie Song in 1994 for his song Will You Be There from the movie Free Willy.

8. Jackson really is a King in West Africa - he was given a royal title by villagers in Gabon, Ivory Coast in 1992.

9. Jackson's pre-concert ritual includes drinking Ricola candy dissolved in hot water. He claims the beverage helps to keep his throat and his singing voice clear.

10. Jackson owns the patent for a stage shoe device that allows performers to lean forward and appear to defy gravity.

11. Movie star Macauley Culkin is godfather to Jackson's two eldest children, Paris and Prince Michael.

12. The directors of Jackson's videos have included Martin Scorsese, John Singleton and John Landis.

13. In 1999 Jackson paid $1.5 (#810,000) for the 1939 Best Picture Oscar, which was presented to producer David O. Selznick for Gone With The Wind.

14. An extensive 1997 survey declared Jackson was the Most Famous Person in the World.

Omar el Muktar Park, Tripoli, Libya

Tripoli - Libya

View of Omar el Muktar Park

postmarked in 2009 with two Total Eclipse 29.3.2006 - Libya stamps

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Tripol is the largest and capital city of Libya. It was founded in the 7th century BC by the Phoenicians, who named it Oea.

Tripoli is the principal sea port, and the largest commercial and manufacturing centre in Libya. It is also the site of Al-Fateh University. Due to the city's long history, there are many sites of archaeological significance in Tripoli. The climate is typical Mediterranean, with hot, dry summers, cool winters and some modest rainfall.

Typical Fishing Boat, Ha Long Bay, Vietnam

Vietnam
"Peach Fruit" Island on Ha Long Bay
Mont de peke

Photo: Van Phuc

postmarked within the USA with a 'Forever' stamp

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Ha Long Bay (literally: "Descending Dragon Bay") is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and a popular travel destination, located in Quảng Ninh province, Vietnam.

The bay consists of a dense cluster of over 3,000 limestone monolithic islands (although locals claim there are only 1,969). Several of the islands are hollow, with enormous caves. Hang Đầu Gỗ (Wooden stakes cave) is the largest grotto in the Ha Long area. French tourists visited in the late 19th century, and named the cave Grotte des Merveilles. Its three large chambers contain large numerous stalactites and stalagmites.

Historical research surveys have shown the presence of prehistorical human beings in this area tens of thousands years ago. The successive ancient cultures are the Soi Nhụ culture around 18,000-7,000 BC, the Cái Bèo culture 7,000-5,000 BC and the Hạ Long culture 3,500-5,000 years ago.

Railroad State Park, Cass, West Virginia

Cass Scenic - Railroad State Park - Cass, West Virginia -

A ride aboard a Cass steam-driven locomotive is an unforgettable thrill. The park, located in Pocahontas County offer scenic excursion trips that give train lovers a glimpse of the state's vast Potomac Highland wilderness area. Restored, early 1900's Shay, Climax, and Heisler engines, pictured here, make Cass Scenic Railroad State Park America's authentic operating museum of lumber railroading.

postmarked in 1992 with 19 cent deer stamp

Ron Sargent Feeds a Bear in Maine

Rangeley Lakes, Maine
Suppertime at Ron Sargent's

Photo by D. Karkos

The sender writes, " Although I don't know all the specifics, Ron Sargent, a Maine Guide from the remote area of Rangeley Lakes befriended a black bear he named "Blackie". Blackie and Mr. Sargent enjoyed a regular suppertime date for over 10 years!"

This postcard was postmarked in 2008 with a 27 cent 'Star Fruit' stamp.

Arkansas - Large Letter Postcard from 1956

Greetings from Arkansas

Key to views on the other side:

A - State capitol, Little Rock
R - Arkansas River, Petit Jean State park
K - Highway 16, near Fayetteville
A - Observation Tower, Hot Springs Nat. Park
N - Pinnacle Mountain, near Little Rock
S - Lake Catherine, near Pine Bluff
A - Spring River, near Hardy
S - Lake Sanderson, Hot Springs

postmarked in 1956 with 2 cent 'Jefferson' stamp

Tokaj, Hungary - Wine Country

Tokaj, Hungary

Front of card:
Foter a rom kath templommal, Erzebethid, Gorog kath templom
(Main Square of the Catholic Church ruins, Erzebethid, Greek Catholic Church)

Back of card:
Foter - Erzebethid - Allomas - Gorog katolikus templom
(Main Square - Erzebethid - Station - Greek Church kaolikus)

1920 - as evek
1920 - as it was past years

This is postmarked in 2010 with two Magyarorszag (Hungary) stamps.

The sender writes:
Greetings from Hungary, I'm on a wine trip and having a wonderful time!

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Tokaj-Hegyalja is a historical wine region located in northeastern Hungary.

The region consists of 28 named villages and 7,000 hectares of classified vineyards, of which an estimated 5,000 are currently planted. Tokaj has been declared a World Heritage Site. However, its fame long predated this distinction because it is the origin of Tokaji aszú wine, the world's oldest botrytized wine.

Iguazu Falls, Brazil

Iguacu - Brazil

postmarked in 2009 with three Brazil stamps

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The sender writes:

Iguazu Falls are waterfalls of the Iguazu River located on the border of the Brazilian state of Paraná and the Argentine province of Misiones. The falls divide the river into the upper and lower Iguazu.

Legend has it that a god planned to marry a beautiful aborigine named Naipi, who fled with her mortal lover Taroba in a canoe. In rage, the god sliced the river creating the waterfalls, condemning the lovers to an eternal fall.

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The long white line you see is the card almost cut in half by the post office. I'm glad the card made it to me though!

Rovinj, Yugoslavia

Rovinj, Yugoslavia (now Rovinj, Croatia)

Postmarked in 1969 with two Jugoslavija (Yugoslavia) 1,25 stamps

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Yugoslavia is a term that describes three political entities that existed successively on the western part of Balkan Peninsula in Europe, during most of the 20th century.

The first country to be known by this name was the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, which before 3 October 1929 was known as the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes. It was established on 1 December 1918 by the union of the State of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs and the Kingdom of Serbia. The Kingdom of Yugoslavia was invaded by the Axis powers in 1941, and because of the events that followed, was officially abolished in 1943 and 1945.

The second country with this name was the Democratic Federal Yugoslavia, proclaimed in 1943 by the Yugoslav Partisans resistance movement in World War II. It was renamed to the Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia in 1946, when a communist government was established.

The last country to bear the name Yugoslavia was the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY) established on March 27, 1992. It was a federation on the territory of the two remaining (non-secessionist) republics of Montenegro and Serbia. On February 4, 2003, it was renamed to the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro, and officially abolished the name "Yugoslavia".

On June 3 and June 5, 2006 respectively, Montenegro and Serbia declared independence, thereby ending the Yugoslav state.

Croatia - Island of Love

Croatia

postmarked in 2009 with two Croatia stamps

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Chapel of Holy Trinity and St. Martin on the Island of San Marino (also called 'Island of Love'), one of the 1,264 Croatian Islands.

The Grand Ducal Royal Family of Luxembourg

LL.AA.RR. Ie Grand-Duc Henri et la Grande-Duchesse Maria teresa entoures du Grand-Duc Heritier Guillaume, des Princes Felix, Louis et Sebastien et de la Princesse Alexandra.

From Google Translate:
TRH I Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa surrounded 'by their children' Grand Duke Guillaume, Princes Felix, Louis and Sebastian and Princess Alexandra.

postmarked in 2010 with a Luxembourg Olympics stamp from 2006

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Grand Duke Henri Albert Gabriel Félix Marie Guillaume of Luxembourg is the current Grand Duke of Luxembourg. He was born on April 16, 1955. He was married on February 14, 1981 to Maria Teresa Mestre and became grand duke when his father, Jean, abdicated on October 7, 2000. Their children are:

Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume Jean Joseph Marie of Luxembourg, the Grand Duke's eldest son, born on November 11, 1981. He is the Hereditary Grand Duke of Luxembourg, Hereditary Prince of Nassau and holds the title Prince of Bourbon-Parma.

Prince Félix Léopold Marie Guillaume of Luxembourg, born on June 3, 1984.

Prince Louis Xavier Marie Guillaume of Luxembourg, born on August 3, 1986. He is Prince of Luxembourg and Prince of Nassau. He was married on September 29, 2006 to Tessy Antony, who was born on October 28, 1985. Upon marrying, Prince Louis renounced his right of succession to the Luxembourg throne.

Princess Alexandra Joséphine Teresa Charlotte Marie Wilhelmine of Luxembourg, born on February 16, 1991.

Prince Sébastien Henri Marie Guillaume of Luxembourg, born on April 16, 1992.
                                                  

I used to be indecisive ...

I used to be indecisive ... Now I'm not sure.

postmarked in 2010 with a USA Love stamp