Icebergs off the South Pole, Antarctica

Postcard Book
The Earth From the Air
Yann Arthus-Bertrand

Icebergs off the Adelie coast, South Pole

These drifting icebergs recently detached from the glacial platforms of Antarctica, as can be seen from their flat shape and the ice strata that are still visible on their jagged sides. Like the rest of the 480 cubic miles that detach every year from Antarctica, these icebergs will slowly be eroded by the winds and waves before disappearing. Antarctica is a place of extremes: temperatures reach as low as -94 degrees F (-70 C), and winds reach speeds of 200 miles (300 km) an hour. The continent has an area of 5,500 square miles (14 million km2) and contains 90 percent of the ice and 70 percent of the freshwater reserves of the planet. Antarctica has been governed since 1959 by the Washington Treaty, which gives it international status and restricts its uses to scientific activities. The Russian station at Vostok has extracted, from a depth of 11,800 feet (3,623 m), chunks of ice that have made possible the reconstruction of more than 420,000 years of history of the climate and atmospheric composition. The atmosphere's current content of carbon dioxide - the main gas responsible for global warming - is higher than it has been for 160,000 years.

unused, from 2002

Royal Viking Star in the Panama Canal

The Panama Canal - a fascinating trip through jungle-lined lakes and huge locks that raise each ship 85 feet, then lower it to sea level again.  The three all First Class ships of Royal Viking Line cruise the canal throughout the year.

Royal Viking Star, Royal Viking Sky, and Royal Viking Sea

Of Norwegian registry. And spirit.

postmarked in 1981 from Antigua & Barbuda with an Antigua 'Hibiscus' 25 cent stamp

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On May 1 1976 the Royal Viking Sky and Royal Viking Star became the first sister ships to have transited the Panama Canal simultaneously in different directions, the Sky sailing westbound and the Star eastbound.

Lunchtime by Steffen Deutch

Lunchtime
by Steffen Deutch, 1954

postmarked in 2010 with two Germany stamps

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Steffen Deutch was born in Europe, but worked most of his life in Chicago, Illinois.

Some 13,000 of Deutch's photographic prints, transparencies and negatives dating back to 1932 are now held in the archives of the Chicago Historical Society, where they will be available to show future generations how Chicago was-and how human nature in all its heartbreak and humor never changes.

Glorieta Baptist Assembly in New Mexico

Postcard 1) Plans for the building (1953)

Postcard 2) You can see the new building being built in the background on the right (1953)

Postcard 3) The Glorieta Baptist Assembly (1958)

"New Mexico Hall"

(Administration Building)

Glorieta Baptist Assembly

Glorieta, New Mexico

Lobby-Lounge 210', contains four of world's largest fireplaces constructed of native flagstone, dimensions: 16' wide by 30' high.  Building is 750' overall in length, it will house Assembly Business Offices, Library, Stores and Shops.  This building is now partially completed and will be a fine south-western style structure, when entirely finished.

postmarked on July 29, 1953 with a 2 cent John Adams stamp

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"Presenting Glorieta - In the Land of Enchantment. Comprised of some 1,300 acres, nineteen miles from Sante Fe,  New Mexico.  Home of the Baptist Assembly of 22 states and the District of Columbia.

Color photo by J. Hobson Bass

postmarked in 1953 with a 2 cent John Adams stamp

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New Mexico Baptists gave the funds with which to erect this first unit of the Assembly Administration Building.  Two additional units of equal size are to be added later.  In this building are located the Registration Desk, Post Office, Snack Bar, Photo Counter, Gift Shop and Book Store.

Photo by Merrill Moore.

postmarked in 1958 with a 2 cent Jefferson stamp

Christmas, Michigan, World's Largest Santa

The back of both cards read:

Christmas, Michigan

On Highway M-28, 3 miles west of Munising

The spirit of Christmas can be found at 'Santa's Workshop' in the heart of Christmas, Michigan.  Home of the World's Largest Santa Claus which stands 32 feet high, and 17 feet across the skirt, towering beside the North Pole.  He is a welcome sight to all who are young at heart.

both are postmarked in 2010 with this 32 cent stamp (Flowering Trees)

I have this card too from there:

Christmas, Michigan

Christmas Zoo

On hwy. M-28, 3 miles west of Munising

Santa's Gift Shop in the heart of Christmas, Michigan is the home of Santa's Reindeer, where these beautiful animals play the year.

posmtarked in 2010 with a 32 cent stamp

I Love Lucy - Return Home from Europe, 'Cheese Episode'

I Love Lucy

"Return Home from Europe"
(on the set May 14, 1956)

unused, made in 1997

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Return Home from Europe is the final leg of the European Tour story arc on I Love Lucy.  As the group plans to go home to New York City, when they receive mail that’s been forwarded by Lucy’s mother, Mrs. McGillicuddy, who’s been watching Little Ricky.  True to form, Mrs. McGillicuddy has forwarded an urgent telegram, inviting Ricky to perform at New York City’s famous Roxy theater.  Ricky quickly calls to make sure that the offer is still open, but now instead of taking a leisurely boat ride home, they have to take an expensive airplane flight home.  This means that Ricky is going to be watching expenses more than usual, and Lucy can’t afford to bring home a special souvenir to her mother—a 25-pound piece of cheese.  So the question then becomes, how to ‘smuggle’ the cheese aboard the plane flight?

Lucy’s creativity is up to the challenge, however.  She wraps the cheese up in a blanket, and tries to pass it off as a baby—this leads to a wonderful segment where she is seated next to Mary Jane Croft, who has her own baby, and the contrast between how she takes care of her baby and how Lucy takes care of her ‘baby’ is very funny—until Lucy finds out that babies don’t travel for free on international flights.  Now the question is, how to dispose of the cheese?  After an aborted effort to eat it (with Ethel’s help), she comes up with a different idea ... but Mary Jane is terrified now that Lucy’s ‘baby’ has disappeared!

This leads to a problem with the customs officials, who are trying to find out what happened.  At the same time, a newspaper reporter wants to take photographs of Ricky and his band, and their deadline is approaching.  But where did Lucy hide the cheese?  Ricky’s band provides the answer, in a very gooey fashion—a very funny ending to a funny episode.  (You can see on the above postcard where she hid the cheese :)

Navy Yard, Bremerton, Washington

Noon Hour at the Navy Yard, Bremerton, Washington

postmarked in 1911 with a one cent stamp

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Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility (PSNS & IMF) is a United States Navy shipyard covering 179 acres on Puget Sound at Bremerton, Washington. Historically it was known as Navy Yard Puget Sound, Bremerton Navy Yard, and Puget Sound Naval Shipyard.

It is the Pacific Northwest's largest naval shore facility and one of Washington state's largest industrial installations. PSNS & IMF provides the Navy with maintenance, modernization, and technical and logistics support. Perhaps the most visible feature of the shipyard is its huge green hammerhead crane, built in 1933. The PSNS hammerhead crane is 250 feet (76 m) tall and 80 feet (24 m) wide with a lifting capacity of 250 tons. The hammerhead crane has not been used for many years.

Christmas Stamp Puzzle Postcard from 1989

Christmas Stamp Puzzle Postcard from 1989 - 25 cents
Santa's Sleigh
United States Postal Service

The back reads:
"Greetings" Christmas Contemporary 1989
This stamp was created by Stevan Dohanos, a noted artist and illustrator of Westport, CT.  He was attracted to this 19th century sleigh during a visit to the Fenimore House Museum in Cooperstown, NY.  The illustration of the sleigh was chosen by the U.S. Postal Service as 1989's Christmas 25-cent stamp.  The sleigh which has never been exhibited to the public. is on display at the Fenimore House until January 1, 1990.

This postcard is unused.  The instructions are to peal off the protective plastic on the front, then use it as an actual puzzle.

Little Girl on Santa's Lap with a ... Sword ?!?

Nothing says Christmas like a little girl sitting on Santa's lap holding a dagger! 

Wishing you a Merry Christmas (early 20th century).  From the collection of Gabriella Oldham - 1989

This is a reproduction postcard - unused

Peanuts Harvested in Georgia

Georgia Peanuts

This versatile crop is grown in abundance in Georgia.

unused, from 2010

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Harvesting peanuts occurs in two stages. In mechanized systems a machine is used to cut off the main root of the peanut plant by cutting through the soil just below the level of the peanut pods. The machine lifts the "bush" from the ground and shakes it, then inverts the bush, leaving the plant upside down on the ground to keep the peanuts out of the dirt. This allows the peanuts to dry slowly to a bit less than a third of their original moisture level over a period of 3–4 days. Traditionally, peanuts are pulled and inverted by hand.

After the peanuts have dried sufficiently, they are threshed, removing the peanut pods from the rest of the bush.

Lviv, Ukraine

I Love Lviv, Lemberg, Leopoli

the sender writes:

Hello from Ukraine!

On this postcard you can see parts of churches and buildings in the historical part of Lviv.

postmarked in 2010 with a Ukraine quill and ink stamp

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Lviv / Virmenska Street

photo by Yurko Dyachyshyn

postmarked in 2010 with a Ukraine Candles stamp

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Lviv is a city in western Ukraine. The city is regarded as one of the main cultural centres of today's Ukraine. The historical heart of Lviv with its old buildings and cobblestone roads has survived World War II largely unscathed.

The city is also a home to many world-class cultural institutions, including a philharmonic orchestra and the famous Lviv Theatre of Opera and Ballet. The historic city centre is on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Gibraltar, Straits of Gibraltar, Hercules

Gibraltar a British colony since 1704 is a bold mountainous promontory 3 miles long, 3/4 mile broad, 1,396 feet high protruding into the Mediterranean and joined to Spain by a narrow isthmus.

postmarked with a Gibraltar stamp

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Gibraltar became known as one of the Pillars of Hercules, after the Greek legend of the creation of the Strait of Gibraltar by Heracles. 

the legend:

According to Greek mythology when Hercules had to perform twelve labours, one of them was to fetch the Cattle of Geryon of the far West and bring them to Eurystheus.

According to some Roman sources, while on his way to the island of Erytheia, Hercules had to cross the mountain that was once Atlas. Instead of climbing the great mountain, Hercules used his superhuman strength to smash through it. By doing so, he connected the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea and formed the Strait of Gibraltar. One part of the split mountain is Gibraltar and the other is either Monte Hacho or Jebel Musa. These two mountains taken together have since then been known as the Pillars of Hercules. some say however,  that instead of smashing through an isthmus to create the Straits of Gibraltar, Hercules instead narrowed an already existing strait to prevent monsters from the Atlantic Ocean from entering the Mediterranean Sea.

Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree

Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree: New York City

postmarked in Dec. 2009 with a 28 cent stamp


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The Tree at Rockefeller Center is an annual Christmas tree lighting that takes place in New York City's Rockefeller Center. The tree is erected and lit in early December or late-November. In recent years, the lighting has been broadcast live nationwide on NBC's Christmas in Rockefeller Center show. The tree, usually a Norway spruce 75 to 90 feet (23 to 27 m) tall, has been put up every year since 1931.

The tradition began during the Depression-era construction of Rockefeller Center, when workers decorated a small balsam fir tree with "strings of cranberries, garlands of paper, and even a few tin cans" on Christmas Eve, December 24, 1931.


David Murbach, Mgr. of the Gardens Division of Rockefeller Center, scouts in a helicopter for the desired tree in areas including Connecticut, Vermont, Ohio, New Jersey, and even Ottawa, Canada. Once a suitable tree is located, a crane supports it while it is cut, and moves it to a custom telescoping trailer that can transport trees up to 125 feet (38 m) tall.

Once at the Rockefeller Center, the tree is supported by wire attached at its midpoint, and by a steel spike at its base. Scaffolding is put up around the tree to assist workers in putting up 30,000 lights attached to 5 miles (8 km) of wiring.
The star that has topped the tree since 2004 is 9.5 feet (3 m) in diameter and weighs 550 pounds (249.5 kg).

The decorated Christmas tree remains lit at Rockefeller Center until the week after New Year's Day, when it is removed and recycled for a variety of uses. In 2007, the tree went "green," employing LED lights. After being taken down, the tree was used to furnish lumber for Habitat for Humanity house construction.