Where did August go?

This month just flew by for me. I see this is only my fourth blog entry of the month, which is not good. The postcards are gaining on me. I'll begin trying to catch up today. Hold on!

Here is an 1886 painting by Frederick Stuart Church called "Girl With Rabbits". Church served with the Union Army during the Civil War, then decided to devote his life to art afterwards. He became well-known for his ability to depict animals. It's nice that this softness and beauty still remained after the horrors of the war.

Smederevo is a Serbian town on the Danube about 25 miles (40 km) downstream from Belgrade. This card shows both an outside and an inside view of the Orthodox Christian Cathedral of St. George's in Smederevo. Click on this Wikipedia link to see a photo of this cathedral that's actually composed of 14 different images. Cool!

I always love to get cards from China, not just for the cards themselves but also for the beautiful stamps. This card shows the mausoleum of Qin Shi Huang [259 BC - 210 BC], the first Qin emperor. Along the bottom of the card are some of the artifacts excavated from the Qin Mausoleum Garden: a terra-cotta figure of a theatrical performer, stone armor, a bronze tripod, a stone helmet, and a terra-cotta official.

A little music from John Lennon to end this post.

Where's the bird?

A very loose translation of the German on this postcard is "There is a bird somewhere in this picture. Find it."

No problem finding the birds in this family group shot from Ontario, Canada. 

One of those "Awwww" cards. I received this from China.

Anyone for a little pool? I never get tired of these Kliban cat drawings.

This fellow was a Blackfoot Indian named Head Carry. I don't think I want to know how he came to be carrying a head.

A map card showing part of of Denmark's coastline. It's quite appropriate that one of the seaside towns is named "Damp". It probably is.

Time to grab a good book and a good cat and head for bed.

Sweet dreams!

Pleasantly sidetracked

I have been temporarily sidetracked from this blog after discovering that I can create alien life forms on the computer based on postcard images. For example:

I believe this is an owl who somehow became sheriff of an Old West desert town. No one, and I mean NO ONE, in this town causes any trouble because they know the sheriff is one tough hombre. 

In my more meditative moods, I also create mandalas. Here is one with no owls in it.

So anyway, that's where I've been - off in Digital Art land, that refuge for people with great artistic urges but practically no talent. I've been made to feel quite comfortable there, and the sheriff enjoys my work.

So what have I been receiving in my mailbox lately? Take a look.

 Big red trucks from The Netherlands and.....

Little calico kittens from Taiwan and....

Strange and wonderful Canadian humor from Canada (best place to find it) and...

Lots of statues from Vienna and...

Cards that make me want to clean the kitchen and start work on some embroidery and...

Maps of places I have never been. Wait, that's not right! I've been to Chicago, for a VBits (Visual Basic) conference. Have not seen any of the rest of Illinois however.

Have a wonderful week everyone!

Here, There and Everywhere

Even after years of swapping postcards around the world, it's still a pleasure to reach into the mailbox not knowing what I will find. The variety I receive is tremendous: typical tourist cards, art cards, map cards, silly cards, "awwww" cards (cute animals), historical cards, old black & white photographs, and probably something completely different tomorrow. Here are some of my little "pleasures", with thanks to all the swappers who sent them.

Poreč, a very old city in Croatia. Ancient Roman structures and streets can be seen here.

 

I love reproductions of old transportation and advertising posters.

Guess where! Yes, you're right! This is Holland. How could you tell?

Occasionally I get a card from closer to home, for example this reminder to schedule my next dentist appointment. Those dentists - such a sense of humor.

Beautiful Porto, Portugal. One of its famous exports, port wine, is named for this city.

Australian Aboriginal Art

Ontario, Canada

"Awwww" postcards aren't always cute animals. Sometimes they are cute kids. This card came from Belgium.

A street scene in Warsaw, Poland.

That's all for today, folks!