Belle & Her Book

Facebook Swap, Sender: TerrySent: 20 Oct 2012 from Sherwood, AR
 Traveled 13,552 km in 19 days

This post is inspired by Nancy and Heather's recent entry for Postcard Friendship Friday. She posted a postcard of Mrs. Potts and Chip. Probably Belle got to engrossed with her reading, forgot her grocery list, and Mrs. Potts' smirk at Chip (at Heather's blog) was because he forgot to remind Belle of her list.

Well, I'm wishing I'm like Belle who can focus with my reading. But I just can't. Leafing just a few pages of my books, sleep already gets the best of me. I'm just really extremely tired lately. *sigh* Exam was moved one week later but I still don't think that's enough time to prepare. I've got several important engagements scheduled in between tomorrow and that date. I'll still do my best though to read whenever and whatever I can. I'm feeling a bit blue thinking I'll fail the exam. At the same time though, I think I should cut myself some slack since I'm already completing my residency this year apart from taking that certification. I don't know... For now I'm resolved to take the test, which is good for 4 hours, with 100 multiple-choice questions and 5 essay questions. And then, I guess we'll find out if it's for me to be certified this year or not, two weeks from now.

On a more personal note, I'm rejoicing 'cause it's just 2 days before I'll be with the beau again after not seeing him for 2 months and a half. Yipee!! With that, Happy Blue Monday 'ye all!

~maria

Beacon of Hope

PL-688784, Sender: Ania
Sent: 18 July 2012 from Warsaw, Poland
Received: 24 September 2012, Traveled 9,394 km in 68 days

The Rose-bay Willow-herb Fairy is a beacon of hope. This fairy brightens up forlorn places and neglected spaces with a blanket of bright pink blossoms. Her charity extends to other fairies and humans, as well. She flies to rescue any struggling Flower Fairy and takes pity on troubled humans, sometimes even granting their wishes.

How I wish this fairy will notice me. I know it's a selfish wish as for sure many would want to be noticed by the Rose-bay Willow-herb Fairy, too... But I guess the good fairy will notice us one human at a time ;-) Ania the sender said the fairy gives optimism. True to its description; I strongly agree! I know the fairy will look my way and Big Dad will make my wishes come true if it's according to His great plan for me. So I tell myself to 'relax and just keep on persevering', good things come to those who toil tirelessly while waiting.

I'm enlisting this fairy with Beverly's Pink Sunday roll. Happy weekend ye all!

~maria

Source of fairy description: http://www.flowerfairies.com/US_version/finder/start.htm

Fall Colors

US-1586397, Sender: Lori
Sent: 12 Mar 2012 from Salt Lake City, Utah
Received: 29 Mar 2012, Traveled 11,830 km in 17 days

I'm longing for vacation, I want to go hiking where the leaves are yellow, gold, orange, and red -- On a trail that would hopefully bring me into a surprising view at the end of the path. The Emerald Falls would have been perfect destination, only that it's on the other side of the world for me. At the back of the card, this view is described: Water cascades over a sandstone and shale shelf of at Zion National Park's Emerald Falls... The name 'Zion' meaning "place of refuge", was given to the canyon by Mormon pioneers.

JP-396140, Sender: Ichigo
Sent: 27 Apr 2013 from Kariya, Japan
Received: 9 May 2013, Traveled 2,771 km in 12 days

Another fanciful place to spend a leisurely walk around would be under these maple leaves in Kyoto. And yes, Japan is closer to where I am compared to the USA... But then, it's expensive to go to Japan! Perhaps in the future :) For now, I'm contented to dream about a picnic I'll have Saturday next week along East Coast in Singapore with my beau. Nature there won't be bathed in fall colors but at least there would be fresh air and my favorite scent of grass, leaves, and woods. I just can't wait! For now, I have to tackle another major exam, coming up next week (I'm fervently wishing it will be moved into a later date though!)

Have a good weekend everyone, whether you will be relaxing or still working (like me!)

~maria

The Strawberry Fairy

FB Postcard Swap, Sender: Terry
Sent: 13 August 2012 from Sherwood, AR
Received: 31 August 2012, Traveled 13,552 km in 19 days

The bunch of 22 postcards I received on 18 October included two Cicely Mary Barker postcards. While filing them, I noticed that the Strawberry Fairy card has random strawberry hearts scattered on the page. Awesome for Clytie's Guest Heart Thursday! 

Here's a part of the Strawberry Fairy's Song:

Strawberries small,

And wild and sweet,

For the Queen and all

of her court to eat!

How many small, wild, and sweet strawberries can you see on the card? ;-)

~maria

Spire of St. Stephen's Cathedral

Friendship Gift Postcard, Sender: Sensei
Sent: 9 October 2013 from Vienna, Austria
Received: 17 October 2013, Traveled 9,880.5 km in 9 days

Friendship Gift Postcard, Sender: Sensei
Sent: 9 October 2013 from Vienna, Austria
Received: 17 October 2013, Traveled 9,880.5 km in 9 days

As mentioned in my post from yesterday, I got 22 postcards on Friday and these 2 are among them. My sensei (former professor and thesis advisor at the Graduate School) traveled to Austria and Germany recently and sent me 5 postcards from Vienna and 2 from Braunschweig. It's really cool cause I've only got 2 official postcards from Austria so far. I've got a lot from Germany but the two he sent me are the only ones I have from Braunschweig.

These cards features the spire of the St. Stephen's Cathedral. According to Uncle Wiki, it is the mother church of the Roman Archdiocese of Vienna and the seat of Archbishop of Vienna. It's of Gothic and Romanesque architecture and one of the most recognizable symbols of Wien (Vienna).

On the second card, it's seen from the palace complex of Belvedere, which means 'beautiful view'. 

I am dreamy right now of walking on the streets of Vienna under a clear blue sky. Hopefully, in the future!

~maria

Puijo Tower on a Finnish Autumn Card

Two days ago, I came home from a 5-day out of town work and found 22 postcards on my study table. Teehee!! Just the perfect stress-buster! One of the most interesting stamps that came with the cards is the Puijo Tower. It's an observation tower in Kuopio, Finland which boasts a revolving restaurant with 100 seats! Oh wow! That's one of a kind dining experience for sure. Now I really wanna go see Finland and will probably aim to go there during autumn when the place will be bathed in orange and red - my favorite color. Speaking of, this stamp came with this autumn postcard:

Friendship Gift Postcard, Sender: Tuija
Sent: 9 October 2013 from Kuopio, Finland
Received 18 October 2013, Traveled ~9,160 kn in 9 days

My penpal Tuija wrote: It's the international day of the stamp today [9 October 2013]! Many cities in Finland including Kuopio have published their own special stamp today and the postage stamp celebrates the day of the stamp as well and can be gotten only today. I hope you'll like them as well as the card. I chose you an autumn card as it's autumn now in Finland and it looks like in the card here now!

Tuija, know that I just didn't like the stamp and the postcard you sent me, I loved them!

~maria

PS. I'm sharing this for Viridian's Sunday Stamps where the theme for today is 'anything you wish'. Hop on to her page to check out more nice stamps :)

Inspiration from bluebells

FI-1858485, Sender: Paula
Sent: 10 Sep 2013 from Vaasa, Finland
Received: 20 Sep 2013, Traveled 9,032 km in 10 days

Life again is moving in a quicker pace than usual. In a more precise way of saying it -- I returned from an out-of-town work late in the evening of Saturday and in a few hours I'll be in the airport again for another assignment. Time check, 01:05 AM on a Monday. So far, I'm happy to have slept 5 hours since I was back. As to why I wasn't able to get more rest than I wish I could, well... there's tidying up of my stuff, laundry, and urgent documents for my clinical residency that needed much of my remaining energy and attention (not to mention the noisy neighbor).

I can really feel my body leaning down at its own already, like those bluebells on the postcard. I picked this card to gain inspiration. I really hope, like those bluebells hanging on their stems, I can still manage to be strong/not to fall down, to be able to do everything that has to be done, despite fatigue and this persistent flu. Yes I'm extremely tired (and sick) right now, in much need of more sleep and rest but I want to post this entry first for Blue Monday, with the thought that no matter how pressing the situation is, there's always a brighter way of looking at things and from there, positive energy pours in and you're able to carry on. Happy Blue Monday everyone!

~maria

Go Green: Share Rides

Here's one of the USA's 16 Go Green Forever stamps issued in 14 April 2011. The sheet  was designed by award-winning illustrator Eli Noyes, in collaboration with art director Derry Noyes. The designs on the sheet illustrated simple things we can do everyday to save the environment. An example shown here is the carpooling.

Sharing this green car for Viridian's 142nd roll of Sunday Stamps, for the theme 'cars'.

~maria

Source: USPS.com - Go Green

International Day of the Girl Child

Postcrossing Direct Swap, Sender: Jack-Liu
Sent: 4 Aug 2012 from Shaanxi, China
Received: 28 Aug 2012, Traveled ~1,847 km in 24 days

I am following Shiela at A Postcard A Day's theme on International Day of the Girl Child for this post. This international day of observance was declared by the United Nations last year and is celebrated on 11 October.

This girl child wearing a traditional costume was sent to me through a direct swap in Postcrossing.com. Jack-Liu wrote: ... in China, people won't wearing clothes like this although it's very gorgeous [sic]  

I have a very close friend who has a Chinese boyfriend. I wonder if she gets me as a bridesmaid on her wedding, I might be able to wear a gorgeous dress like this. ;-)

The postcard came with a nice stamp from the Overseas Chinese Culture set issued in 10 July 2011. It makes me smile that Jack-Liu picked a matching pink stamp for the pink skirt and ribbon on the dress of the girl child.

For more postcards, check Beth's Postcard Friendship Friday and for more pinks, hop on to Beverly's Pink Saturday.

    

~maria

Sampaguita Gardens

I got this postcard back in early June I believe, as 'pasalubong' or souvenir for me from a friend who visited the Sampaguita Gardens in New Washington, Aklan. This place is the home in the Philippines of the famous Precious Romance dolls, created by Mr. Sam Butcher. More information about the place can be found here.

I am here in Aklan for work since Monday until Saturday. Today, I had the chance to see Sampaguita Gardens: the place where it's always Christmas! Yes, you read it right. That's the tagline of Sampaguita Garden -- the place where everyday is Christmas. They have a Christmas Cottage that I have on another postcard but I'll share that one around December. For now, I'm sharing this card which features some really 'authentic Pinoy culture' on the drawing -- like the tricycle for transportation and the hanging native chicken (to be prepared into a delicious dish for sure!)

My visit at the gardens was a bit sad because I see the place is no longer well-maintained. I really hope they will do something about it. I heart to go back there one day in the future, and hopefully I can say 100%, "We all had a wonderful time!" Speaking of "heart", can you count how many hearts are in this postcard?

~maria

Nobel Laureates in Chemistry & Physics

Petrus Josephus Wilhelmus Debije, a Dutch-American physicist and physical chemist, Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 1936.

Melvin Calvin, an American Chemist, Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 1961.

Frits Zernike, a Dutch physicist, Nobel Prize for Physics in 1953.

Maria Goeppert Mayer, a German-American physicist, Nobel Prize for Physics in 1963.

The theme this week for Viridian's Sunday Stamps is Industry, interpreted broadly. I honestly had to look up the meaning of industry -- The Merriam-Webster online defined it as noun, the process of making products by using machinery and factories. I decided to feature scientists, more specifically Nobel laureates for this theme. Their discoveries are the core concepts of many processes in production of almost everything in factories. 

I am a physicist in profession but whenever I read about the works of other scientists, I am ashamed to call myself one... much respect and admiration for their brilliant minds!

~maria

A burden well borne

Facebook Postcard Swap, Sender: Bochenek PL
Sent: 26 July 2012 from Pawlowice, Poland
Received: 4 Sep 2013, Traveled 9,738 km in 38 days

The burden that is well borne becomes light. - Ovid

Life has been a bit faster again than normal; it feels like there's so much to do but there's so little time... I pray I can continue to carry on with my tasks with a light heart.

It's not exactly happy today 'cause Monday had been a demanding day for me but still... I'm happy that at the end of the day I can take a bit of time to work on my hobby. Looking at this postcard of cheerful boy diligently pushing a cart of teddy bears against a blue sky background makes me less fatigued. Plus blue is calming to stare at so it's a helpful color to make me relax.

Sharing with Sally for Blue Monday. Good luck for all of us for the coming new month of October! 

~maria