This and That: A Blog

I got an email this morning letting me know it's my 2 year Postcrossing anniversary, or as they call it, Postcrossingversary.  I've been " teleporting joy across the globe with tiny rectangles of paper for 730 days... "  2 years isn't long, some have been at it for many more than that; Postcrossing began in 2005.  By 2008 it reached its first million exchanged postcards, and as of January 2025 hit over 80 million!  There are countries around the world that have issued official Postcrossing postage stamps. In my two years I have received 80 postcards from 30 different countries.  That means postage stamps from 30 different countries too!  I have sent 81 postcards to 27 countries.  Today I received a Postcrossing postcard from India.   The senders enjoy birdwatching, and while waiting for birds will see wildlife such as Indian leopards.  I guess that's like my sighting a mountain lion, but a leopard sound so much more exotic!   T...

 This week's Thursday Postcard Hunt is all about the color Purple.   A Postcrossing card from the Czech Republic from Michal. Forever Thine German, c. 1908-1912  Purple Petunias, Georgia O'Keefe, 1926 "I decided that if I could paint that flower in a huge scale, you could not ignore its beauty." Georgia O'Keefe, a quote from the 1920s . Blue is next week. 

  Y ellow is the Color of Spring this week for Thursday Postcard Hunt . Cottonwood Tree in Spring , Georgia O'Keefe, 1943 Nora in Ireland sent me this yellow Postcrossing postcard. Yellow Goldenrod is the state flower of Nebraska. From 1916 comes this yellow postcard.  This "Gold Nugget" was one of German-American minister and public speaker, William J. H. Boetcher's moral maxims.  These were published in a series Inside Maxims . Next week our postcard color will be Green .

 April's theme for Thursday Postcard Hunt is Colors of Spring.  This week the color is Pink .  This bull terrier has a lot of p ink!  I got this Postcrossing card from Dirk in Germany. Pink Peonies Peonies are the official state flower of Indiana. Pink Tulips on an antique greeting postcard.  Pink Shell With Seaweed , Georgia O'Keefe, 1937 Next week the color will be Yellow .

  Thursday Postcard Hunt asked us to find some Pets this week for the Animal theme.  I had a hard time narrowing it down; pets are my favorite postcard topic!   These were all bought from my favorite postcard seller on eBay.  No, I won't tell you who, as he doesn't list many, and lets me know when animals are coming up!  Cats in a Hammock - postmark 1907, undivided back. First Drive - postmark 1906  Happy Days, Lucky Days, All the Best, Always! c. 1910s Little Miss White - copyright 1903, C.E. Bullard Two Poodles - postmark 1907 Then, I received this Postcrossing one from Germany.  It will always be my favorite Postcrossing as the sender drew my pet, Mickey, as seen in my old profile picture!  He had a bottomless nursery pot on his head. Next week finishes up March with Animal Young.

🥳Happy New Year🥳 c.1900 Happy and Prosperous New Year While four-leaf clovers have been symbols of good luck for centuries (the earliest known written record was in 1620, but it dates to long before that, to ancient Celtic times) pigs represented prosperity in the Victorian age. They doubled their odds of luck by often including four-leaf clovers with the pigs, as here. 1907 Two from 1909 c.1910 "... Auld Acquaintance " is from the an old Scottish folk song, later immortalized by Robert Burns, a Scottish poet.  Thistles are the national flower of Scotland, and the lion rampant (on hind legs, forelegs with claws extented) represents the Kings and Queens of Scotland.  You may be surprised to see this next postcard (actually a postal card) today and not last week for Christmas. It was sent to me recently from Russia, however it's an older card, c.1970s Soviet Era.   Religious holidays had been discouraged or outright banned after the 1917 Revolution.  New Year's ...

 The Colors of Autumn is the theme for October's Thursday Postcard Hunt . This first week is the color Orange .  Mt. Hood, Oregon and pear orchards in autumn. Postcrossing card from Belarus Autumn can become warmer than summer when it is dressed in love. Harvest Time in Massachusetts  Next week's autumn color postcards will be Yellow .

 I'm a little late posting for the 20th Anniversary of Postcrossing .  It was the 14th.  In this case, better late than never is appropriate.  We are invited to "... take a special photo featuring you and 20 postcards ."  I chose 20 of the postcards I have received from Postcrossing members from around the world.   I joined May 2, 2024 and have send 39 postcards, and received 40.  There must be one still traveling.  You like getting mail?  You like sending mail?  You like postcards?  Postcrossing is free to join, you just have to get postcards and stamps.  You get the addresses of random people to send postcards to.  I chose international addresses, no USA.  Once your first postcards arrive and the recipients register them (you write a given id number on them), you will start getting postcards. I've gotten cards from China, Belarus, Ukraine, Brazil, Japan, UK, Russia, Germany, and others!  The top one under...