Postcards for the weekend 18: Time/Clock

Friendship Gift Postcard, Sent form Bellaire, Texas
Sent 15 December 2015, Traveled 15,996 km

As the year 2016 draws to an end, I think of those days when I was impatient; when I wish I could have pulled the arms of the clock so time could have gone faster...

But now, I'm reluctant to throw away my old calendar and switch to a new one. Is it perhaps next year is a momentous year for me to bid goodbye to my 20's? But of course, there's no stopping time! So as they say, carpe diem! For all we wish we could accomplish for 2016, I hope we're all able to tick it all off our lists. If it's something that needs to stretch to 2017, I hope we have identified ways towards accomplishment.

Thanks to all of you who has been reading my posts and to all my blogging friends who have been joining me on the postcards for the weekend linky party. I wish us all a happy, healthy, and prosperous new year!

~maria

PS. The linky is again, extended for one more day this weekend ;-)

Postcards for the weekend 17: December holidays

As mentioned last weekend, I'm going to share illustrated December holidays postcards for this weekend. I have three cards for this second set. I love this first card with the Santa Claus and the heart-shaped cookie. I think more than Valentine's Day, Christmas is a season of expressing love to people dear to us. It's always the best time of the year to gather and celebrate with family and friends. Time is such a hot commodity nowadays and for someone to put an effort to give time; it could only mean one thing -- love! I might be putting more perspective into it than necessary but living on a separate country away from my immediate family and on a long distance relationship with my partner, it means so much to me to travel or conversely, for them to travel so we can be together.

NL-2157975, Sent from southern Netherlands
on 31 Oct 2013, Traveled 10,398 km in 52 days

My partner was here in Singapore last weekend. This weekend, my whole family flew in from the Philippines. It makes my heart melt with joy, knowing that their journey by bus - ship - bus - taxi - airplane - train has finally brought them to me. If you dare ask, the whole trip took them two days!

Friendship Gift Postcard, Sent from Kuopio, Finland
Received 1 Dec 2016, Traveled 8,726 km

I think this Susan Wheeler illustrated postcard well represents the joy we have, gathering as a family for Christmas time. We don't have an infant on a pram and snowfall, though. My parents, born and raised Catholic -- asked me over the phone two weeks ago while discussing the trip, "Can we attend a church service there on Christmas day?"

"Well, of course mother!", I replied.

FI-1923136, Sent from Kuopio, Finland
on 11 Nov 2013, Traveled 8, 749 km

I'm happy to find another illustrated postcard to share this family tradition of attending a church service on Christmas. If you notice on the Susan Wheeler card, she had her initials on the lower right portion of the artwork. On this one, Stina Broome, the artist has her name neatly penned on the similar spot (only lower).

I hope we're all having a splendid experience with people we love at this time of the year! Merry Christmas everyone!

~maria

PS. Thanks so much in advance to my blogging friends who will find time to link up this weekend. I'm keeping the linky open for 3 days instead of 2 this weekend to give chance for more of us to link up. For some of you who cannot, please don't feel bad nor apologetic about it. As mentioned before, our linky party is a fun activity; we shouldn't feel tied down by it. ;-)

2016 Finland Christmas stamp

This stamp came with the most recent letter I received from my pen friend Tuija. Inside the envelope came a strip of paper with the information about the stamp:

In response to public demand, Itella Posti Oy published Santa Claus' very own special stamp.

The Joulun Taika (the Magic of Christmas) stamp is based on  Antti Kurola's impressive photograph. In the magical picture, Santa Claus is throwing snow into the air with both hand. Behind the snow-covered spruce tree forest is the city of Rovaniemi. This is considered as the Christmas city in Finland.

For more Christmas stamp shared for today, please check the page See It On A Postcard.

~maria

Postcards for the weekend 16: December holidays

As a Christian, one of the most awaited holiday for me during the year is Christmas. It's when the weather is cooler and the environment is merry almost everywhere.

For these two weekends with the December holidays theme, I will split my postcards between real-life photos postcards and illustrated postcards. For the first set:

Friendship Gift Postcard, Sender: Dr. Arnold
Sent: 5 June 2016 from Greenland, Traveled 11,538 km

This postcard makes me miss hearing children's choir during the mass. The youngest choir I had the pleasure to listen to recently are teenagers. There's just that mesmerizing sweetness and innocence in the voice of children that I long to hear live again.

Friendship Gift Postcard, Sender: Terry
Sent: 9 July 2015, Traveled 16,656 km

This postcard is from a set from Garvan Woodland Gardens at the University of Arkansas. Annually, around 1.7 million sparkling lights are arranged throughout the gardens for the holiday feature. By the look of the postcard, it must be enchanting when the lights shine bright against the dark.

US-4376395, Sender: Nancy
Sent: 1 Dec 2016, Traveled 15,145 km in 14 days

This card is among the most recent Christmas cards that I've received. It came this week. According to the postcard, each year, hundreds of thousands of visitors flock to the Country Club Plaza for the spectacular Christmas lights. The installations last from Thanksgiving night until the end of the holiday season. The fireworks on this postcard makes it look like even more radiant!

Friendship Gift Postcard, Sender: Tuija
Sent: Dec 2013, Traveled 8,726 km

This last card for this weekend is half real life and half illustration postcard. The dog on this postcard is Vilma, pet and companion of my penfriend Tuija, Vilma is a litter reject Mittelspitz but my sweet friend took her and they've been with each other for many years now. I always love reading news about Vilma on each and every letter Tuija sends to me. 

Until next weekend for more Christmas postcards!

~maria

Postcards for the weekend 15: Winter Scenes

Before I moved to Singapore back in January 2014, I scanned all the postcards I have. Both the front and the back were scanned. That was a rush project with all the other things that needed to be taken cared of prior to moving. When I resumed my blogging activities three months ago, I realized that some of the cards are missing the back side scan. The postcard above is one among those without the back side scan. It makes me disappointed as it always delight me whenever I review the back side scan, re-reading the message from the sender and looking up how long and how far the postcard traveled to get to my mailbox. 

Friendship Gift Postcard, Sender: Tuija
Traveled 9,160 km

Moving on, I've never seen snow nor experienced winter. Or perhaps I did, early February this year in Korea but there was no snow ... I've never seen snow. Winter scenes with snow always look magical to me. December is the time of the year when I normally get winter scene postcards. Often, they come with holiday greetings like these two. Do you get winter scene postcards in other months of the year, too?

~maria

Stamps: Wild animals

I'm quite pleased to share these wild animal stamps where two are illustrated and the other two are actual photos.

The two stamps on top were part of the series Australian Bush Babies. The kangaroo was issued in 1 July 2011. I can't find the exact issue date for the dingo, though. The illustrations were designed by Elise Martinson. Other stamps from the series can be found on her page. I find these illustrations well-detailed and it seems like they're out from the pages of a nice children's book with a beautiful story about animals in the wild.

On the bottom left, the bear stamp was issued 21 February 2008 as part of Wildlife in Norway III series. The label Bjorn on the stamp is an old Norse term for bear. On the bottom right, we have a lynx with its young. It's issued in 2012 as part of Native Animals series from Germany.

For a collection of stamps featuring wild animals, please check See It On A Postcard.

~maria

Postcards for the weekend 14: Lighthouses

Direct Swap, Sent: 21 Nov 2012
Sent from Black Forest region, Germany, Traveled 22 days

A maritime gem; this lighthouse is the first building to be erected on the sea floor. The lighthouse was decommissioned in 1986. It's accessible though for day trips and for rent to those who fancy a night or two in an isolated hotel.

NL-2074177, Sent: 19 Sep 2013
Sent from Utrecht. NL, Traveled 10,084 km

As mentioned in the websites where I read about the Roter Sand or Red Sand Lighthouse / Hotel -- staying here is back to basics as there's no electricity nor heating system. 

Direct Swap: Sent: 29 July 2012
Sent from Cuxhaven. Germany, Traveled 10, 406 km in 14 days

This third card looks like a nice marketing poster for Roter Sand. I'm not sure I'm brave enough for that experience even though this image looks enticing. 

~maria

PS. I'm very sorry for accidentally deleting the linky for the previous week. I searched for a way to revert it on the linkytools website but to no avail. I am sending a message to the admin and we'll see from there :(

PFF: Christmas month!

Friendship Gift Postcard, Sender: Tuija
Sent: 01 Dec 2014, Traveled 9,160 km 

It's Christmas month! Although in my home country, the jolly atmosphere of Christmas starts as early as September. Here in my host country Singapore, I think it's right after Deepavali. 

I received my first Christmas card for this year two days ago. It's also from Tuija, my Finnish pen friend who also sent me this red & white postcard 2 years ago. 

Are you excited for the holidays? For more pretty postcards, please visit my friend Beth's page for Postcard Friendship Friday. She always have very nice vintage postcards to share.

~maria