Canada Day 2025, Ohrid, Glasgow and a couple of Art Ladies

    Blog # 1653 --- Day 1205 ( That's One Thousand Two Hundred and Twenty Three Days ) Since the Start of the Current ( Second ) Russian Invasion of UKRAINE .        

                                                                

                                                                     GLORY TO UKRAINE 

Yesterday was July 1st  Canada Day . The 158th Canada Day.  I never got to do an update yesterday, but I can not let time pass without celebrating.  I want to wish belated Canada Day greetings to all my Canadian readers, all my family and friends. Celebrating Canada Day this year was more meaningful considering all the noise from the The Orange Head dictator down south. But we are still here , still Independent  -  The True North - Strong and Free. We will Never be the 51st  anything. 

Let me just highlight some of the things that make me proud to be a Canadian. We have Freedom of Speech, Freedom of Choice, Free Medical Care, Northern Lights, Cultural Diversity, Maple Syrup, The Canada Pension Plan, Lacrosse, Hockey, Our Flag - The Maple Leaf, Terry Fox, The World's Longest Undefended Border - although I'm not sure for how much longer, considering the noise from the south, Free Public Restrooms, Tim Hortons, Ketchup Chips, The Canadian Passport - it lets me travel to 172 countries without a visa, I'm proud of Gander - re 9/11, Stompin Tom Connors. Here is a few more great Canadian things ,  things that make me proud to be a Canadian. These would include Our Democracy,  Peace Keeping, Lester Pearson, and The Montreal Expos (sadly they are no more) .We ban guns not kinder Surprises, unlike our neighbours to the south. And finally, just let me say, in my humble opinion, My Canada is one of the Best places to live on this Earth. Hope I didn't piss anyone off with my Canada Day rant, but it is a Free country after all.

 

                                                     So Happy Canada Day , 1 day late. 

                                             Here`s our flag , The Maple Leaf , as we call it. 

Now my first card for today is from Glasgow, Scotland. It was however sent by 2 Canadians. It shows Queen Victoria on Horseback , in George Square. This monument commemorates the Queen's visit to Glasgow in 1849 .

My sister- in- law and her husband , Debbie and Bill,  sent this card. They recently were on a tour of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales. Their card arrived with 2 United Kingdom, Universal Mail, International Postcard stamps. One shows a Scottish Blackface and the other shows a Highland Cow.  

Card 2 arrived from Ohrid, North Macedonia. Alena`s card gives us a look at St. Naum Monastery. It was built in 905 and is located along Lake Ohrid, 29 km south of the city. Ohrid is known for once having 365 churches, one for each day of the year, and has been referred to as the "Jerusalem of the Balkans". In 1979 and in 1980, respectively, Ohrid and Lake Ohrid were accepted as Cultural and Natural World Heritage Sites by UNESCO.

Alena used a number of stamps on her card. The 2 same stamps on the left were issued in 1999 as Architecture definitives. The middle stamp , from 2022 is 1 of 4 in a set of Animals. The right stamp , from 2017, is 1 of 4 in a Flora set.

 

Card 3 arrived from Munster, Germany. It shows art by Margarita Ado. She is a contemporary Lithuanian artist known for her realistic paintings, distinguished by their intricate plots and classical techniques. Each piece she creates tells a compelling story, engaging viewers in a game of interpretation and exploration. In addition to her painting, Margarita is an accomplished sculptor, creating striking metal sculptures from recycled materials, and she is also a poet. To say her work engages viewers in a game of interpretation certainly seems true. I`m sure we would all interprete this painting in different ways. I will keep my interpretation to myself. 

  

Yvonne used a 2025 Pride stamp on her card. 1 of 4 in a set.

 

 

Card 4 - the last for this time. Another  `art `card sent by Yvonne,  form Austria this time.  This one is by the Brazil based creative Fashion Studio  `Paste in Place `. This piece is called Venus Chillout Mood.  Why  - your guess is as good as mine. Guess I`m not a very artsy kind of guy. 

Yvonne used 2 stamps from a 2025 set of 12 Tree definitives. The large stamp on the right , from 2022, showcases Kiki Kogolnik , Austrian painter. sculptor and printmaker.

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Well folks , that`s all for this time. Thanks for cards  going out to  Debbie and Bill, Alena , Yvonne and Yvonne again. 

Thanks for dropping in , do so again soon .

  

San Marino, Madrid and a Swissair DC-4

   Blog # 1652 --- Day 1205 ( That's One Thousand Two Hundred and Five Days ) Since the Start of the Current ( Second ) Russian Invasion of UKRAINE .        

                                                                

                                                                     GLORY TO UKRAINE 

Written on Friday the 13th

Published Saturday 14th

Happy Friday The Thirteenth. Watch out for black cats, ladders and try not to break any mirrors, spill salt or walk on any cracks. All signs of bad luck. So there , you've been warned. Now on the bright side, talking about postcards, receiving or sending postcards, and even blogging about postcards will surely bring you only Good Luck. 

The Good Luck starts with a card from San Marino. Located in Southern Europe, it is a landlocked country completely surrounded by Italy. San Marino is the fifth smallest country in the world. Printed on David's card is this fact " San Marino - the smallest and oldest Republic in the world. " Now I agree that San Marino is the oldest republic but not the smallest. I say Nauru is the smallest at 21 sq km, while San Marino is the 5th smallest at 61 sq km.  

David used 3 lovely aviation themed stamps on his card. They are 3 of the 4 in a set issued in 2024 entitled City of Air . This set is one of the best aviation designs I’ve seen in a long time. These four are poster and t-shirt worthy. Can you imagine them mounted on a hallway wall? I’d never get tired looking at them. 

That was a great start for my blog today. 

My next card arrived from Madrid. Francesca's card shows a plethora of buildings and sights in Madrid. 

Francesca's stamps  -- The left stamp was issued in 2020 and shows King Felipe VI. The right stamp marks the 175th Anniversary of the First Spanish Postage Stamp. It was issued this year. 

This will be a rather short blog today, so here's the last card. A nice Swissair card, another one for my ever expanding Aircraft / Airline card collection. This one shows a Swissair Douglas DC-4. HB-ILU was initially delivered to Swissair in 1952. It was the last of five DC-4s that Swissair acquired between 1946 and 1952. The aircraft was later transferred to Balair and then to Aer Turas.

Jean Pierre used 3 Swiss stamps , two of which are Aviation themed stamps. The left stamp is from 2022 and is 1 of 3 in a set showing Swiss coins. The middle stamp if from 2010 and from a set of 4 issued for 100 Years of Aviation in Switzerland. The right stamp , from 2016 celebrates Aerophilately. 

That's another blog in the Blogsphere. Thanks to Francesca, David and Jean Pierre for these cards.

One Turtle Dove, Paris Games, Alfons Mucha, Hallstatt and a Windmill by Barbara

  Blog # 1651 --- Day 1202 ( That's One Thousand Two Hundred and Two Days ) Since the Start of the Current ( Second ) Russian Invasion of UKRAINE .        

                                                                

                                                                     GLORY TO UKRAINE 

Hello once again, good day to all. Here`s a few cards , again from here, there and everywhere. I am starting with a card from Hallstatt, Austria. David`s card shows a nice view of the village. Located on Lake Hallstatt's western shore in Austria's mountainous Sazkammergut region. Its 16th-century Alpine houses and alleyways are home to cafes and shops. A funicular railway connects to Salzwelten, an ancient salt mine with a subterranean salt lake, and to Skywalk Hallstatt viewing platform. A trail leads to the Echern Valley glacier garden with glacial potholes and Waldbachstrub Waterfall. The village has a population of just over 800.

The left stamp was issued in 2023 and signifies Congratulations , while the right stamp , from 2025, signifies Deep Sadness. 

 

My next card arrived from s`-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands. It shows a drawing , by the sender of the card, of a windmill that was located behind her parent`s house in Overasselt. The mill was originally built in 1736 and moved a number of times . It was rebuilt in Overasselt in 1982 where Barbara`s Mom was the miller.

Barbara used 2 stamps on her card. The left stamp was issued in 2023 in a sheet of 10. The stamps were issued to highlight the Windmill Preservation Society. Each stamp was attached to a windmill label. The second stamp is a mystery to me. I couldn`t locate any info on it, no year of issue either. 

Here`s a card from Germany . It is a reproduction of Alfons Mucha color lithograph `Emerald ` from the cycle `The Gemstones  ` from 1900. 

A Postcrosser named Carolin sent this card and used 2 copies of a 2022 definitive showing Paper Letters as Birds. 

Time now for a card issued by LaPoste for the 2024 Olympic Games . 

Jean Pierre`s card is postmarked Bora Bora in French Polynesia. He used 2 stamps and they are . On the left, from 2023, a stamp celebrating Heiva Tuàro, a cultural festival that brings together cousins, brothers and friends from throughout the Polynesian Triangle. The right stamp was issued this year and celebrates the Paris Olympic Games. It was issued for the Surfing event held at Teahupo`o Reef on the island of Tahiti. Located 15,716 km from Paris, it was the longest distance in history between an Olympic event and the host city. 

Here is the last card for today. It is from Salisbury, England, An interesting city to  a medieval cathedral city in the southern English county of Wiltshire. It’s 9 miles south of the iconic prehistoric stone circle at Stonehenge, which stands on the grassland of Salisbury Plain. An interesting city to be sure, but not the subject of Vickie`s card. Her card shows a Turtle Dove , on a reproduction of a British stamp . 

Seven swans a-swimming
Six geese a-laying

Five golden rings
Four calling birds
Three French hens
ONE turtle-dove
And a partridge in a pear tree

ONE turtle-dove ------ doesn`t quite sound the same  with just one turtle dove.  I know, it`s only June  and not December.

Vickie used a couple of Queen Elizabeth II definitives from 2022. They are 2 of 7 in a set.  The other stamp is from 2023, showing Paddington Bear. 

There you have it , my latest entry in the Blogosphere. Thank for today`s cards go to David, Barbara, Carolin, Jean Pierre and Vickie. Drop in again soon. 

Haguenau, Moose Jaw, Salzburg, The Dress Stamp, Prime Minister Trudeau, and Don Quixote

 Blog # 1651 --- Day 1185 ( That's One Thousand One Hundred and Eighty Five Days ) Since the Start of the Current ( Second ) Russian Invasion of UKRAINE .        

                                                                

                                                                GLORY TO UKRAINE

Here`s another update of The Blog. I have cards from Here, There and Everywhere. 

I am sstarting today with a card from France. It`s a look at an area of Haguenau. 

Dominique used a 2005 stamp featuring the City of Nancy, site of the 78th FFAP Congress.  FFAP is the French Federation of Philatelic Associations. 

My next card is one showing the Moose Jaw, SK Public Library. It is a very grand building, built in 1913. Even though I lived in Moose Jaw for a short time a number of years ago, I do not recall ever seeing this library, much less ever visiting it. 

And now the stamp -- there is no stamp . I don`t know if this card left Moose Jaw without a stamp, but on arrival here in Airdrie, it was without a stamp and the card showed no sign of a stamp ever having been attached. I guess that`s all well and good, the card did arrive, that`s all that really matters. 

Now here`s a card from Salzburg, Austria. It`s a look at Hohensalzburg Fortress with Mount Unterberg in the background. 

Hohensalzburg Fortress is a large medieval fortress in the city of Salzburg, Austria. It sits atop the Festungsberg mountain at an altitude of 506 m. It was erected at the behest of the prince-archbishops of Salzburg. The fortress is 250 m long and 150 m wide making it one of the largest medieval castles in Europe. It was built in 1077. 

David used a rather unusual stamp on this card. It was issued on September 22, 2016 and features the female version of the local Austrian outfit -- the Dirndle. The stamp was not printed but embroidered. It is made from over 40 meters of thread, and made with three colours --- white , red and green.

This time  I have a card from Yellowknife, Canada and it bears a picture of Justin Pierre James Trudeau, who served as Canada`s 23rd Prime Minister. He was in office from November 4, 2015 until March 14, 2025. 

Danny used a Total Solar Eclipse stamp from 2024. Nice cancellation from Yellowknife.

It`s that time again, time for the last card. This one arrived from the Canary Islands, Tenerife , Spain. It`s a card highlighting Don Quixote. "Don Quixote" is a Spanish novel written by Miguel de Cervantes, widely considered the first modern novel. It tells the story of an aging gentleman who, obsessed with chivalric romances, sets out on his own adventures as a self-proclaimed knight. 

Nadine used a large stamp issued in 2023. It honours Luis de Unzage, onetime Spanish Governor of Louisiana, then Captain General of Venezuela and later Governor of Cuba. 

There you have , another edition of GemsWorldPostcards. Thanks for cards today go out to Dominique, Joyce, David, Danny and Nadine. 

Take care , see you again soon. 

Karolyi Castle, Edward Hopper Art, Vietnam Airlines ATR-42, King Charles, and Walking in the Rain

 

Blog # 1650 --- Day 1183 ( That's One Thousand One Hundred and Eighty Three Days ) Since the Start of the Current ( Second ) Russian Invasion of UKRAINE .        

                                                                

                                                                GLORY TO UKRAINE

Hey there, here we go again. A few cards, a few stamps , what more could you need ? 

My first card is from Carei, Romania , a city of just around 20,000 in the northwestern part of the country. Alena's card highlights Karolyi Castle, a  Gothic Revival castle located in Carei. Originally built as a fortress around the 15th century, it was converted to a castle in 1794, undergoing further transformations during the 19th century. The manor is surrounded by an arboretum which contains a great variety of species of trees and plants.

Alena used 2 stamps from a set of 9 showing Personalities. These stamps show Henri Coanda, Romanian Inventor. Coanda was the builder or inventor of an experimental aircraft , the Coanda - 1920, which never flew and which Coanda claimed was the world's first jet . It was not, nevertheless , it did get him on these stamps. 

My next card is from Illinois, in the states. It shows Automat an Edward Hopper oil on canvas painting from 1927.

 

Loral used a 2025 Compass Rose - the latest Global Forever stamp.

 

Here's an aircraft / airline card for all you aviation enthusiasts out there. This card arrived from Da Nang, Vietnam, and shows a Vietnam Airlines ATR-72. It was  registered as F-OKVN and the picture was taken at Toulouse in May of 1995.  F-OKVN flew for Vietnam Airlines from May 1992 to August 2009. Then it saw service with Calm Air here in Canada from Jan 2010 to February 2025. It has been parked since then. 

All three stamps on this card were issued in 2024. The 2 Snake stamps on the right celebrate Chinese New Year 2025, Year of the Snake. The stamp on the left , which you make have to turn you head a little to look at it, celebrates the 300th Anniversary of the Birth of Le Huu Trac, a 18th century physician in Viet Nam.

Next up is a card from England. The card shows a new stamp featuring King Charles III in the upper right corner. 

Josep and Assumpta used 2 copies of the recent King Charles definitive , from a set of seven. The larger stamp on the right  was issued this year and is 1 of 8 in a set , highlighting Armour Treasures from the Royal Armouries. 

Warning ---- last card call !    This one arrived from San Francisco in the U.S. It's entitled April Showers. There's not a lot to say about this card, other than it brings to mind the old English proverb " April showers bring May flowers " .

Krystal used a 2022 U.S. Global Forever stamp. It is a round stamp with a photograph of an orange African daisy. 

So ends another update of The Blog. Thanks for today's cards and stamp go out yo Alena, Loral, Hean Pierre and Rafal, Josep and Assumpta and Krystal.