This and That: A Blog

  The Weekend in Black and White  

  Thursday Postcard Hunt 's Shapes theme ends this week with Irregular/Wavy postcards. Sand Dunes near Pismo Beach, CA From the Lake No. 1 by Georgia O'Keeffe, 1924 K9 Kitty , 2001.  According to the reverse of the postcard, this shows " vegetable dye on Mindy, Siamese snowshoe cross ."  However, further research has shown it is digitally altered, no cats were dyed or painted at all.  What a disappointment! One of the postcards in  Why Cats Paint  which unfortunately my thrift store took apart to sell individually.  I have told them more than once I'd pay several dollars for an intact postcard book, more than the 5¢ each price they get taking the books apart.   Mindy's "paint" job is said to have frightened the neighbor's fox terrier into leaving her alone!  I wonder if Mindy even had a fox terrier neighbor?  July brings the new theme of Architecture, with Churches being first next week.

 I went to an estate sale last month.  It was the second day, so items were half-off the stickered prices.  I would have bought more if they hadn't had so many little things (figurines and salt and pepper shakers for instance) in boxes sealed with plastic wrap for one price.  There would be one or two things I liked in a $10 box.  I overheard quite a few other shoppers complaining about this among themselves.  Four things at 50¢ each...  Japanese bone china Persian cat.  A menu cover from an Alaska Steamship Company cruise, copyright 1941.  It's a print by Joesphine Crumrine, called Mageik .  There were at least eight different dog menu covers by Crumrine.  Inside right would be the daily menu, breakfast, lunch, and dinner.   This poor little basset started out life as a pincushion, however he was used as a planter and is quite worse for wear now.  A thrilling find! Rio Hondo pottery bud vase, 1930s - 1940s.  I l...

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...

I went to St. Vincent de Paul to "check out the postcard situation."  They had put out some antique cards since last time I was in.  Not a lot of them, only enough to display in a plastic shoe box.  I don't know if you remember a post I made this past spring (on the old blog) where people having a yard sale had a sign for 100,000, or maybe it was 200,000, postcards.  Really.  The late father had been collecting since he was a teen, so for 70+ years.  Anyway, they donated them to St. Vincent de Paul!  If St. Vincent de Paul puts them out on the floor in quantities like this they will never get them all sold!  I hope the manager is trying to find a buyer for the lot, even if I miss out on some great ones.  She already told me she has Christmas one ready, but won't let me buy them yet.   There were also bundles of hotels and Minnesota strip mining.  The things people used to be proud of!  This is "Jolly Mr. Taconite," "create...

 Illustrations: Animals is the theme this week for Thursday Postcards . Alexander & Diogenes , by Sir Edwin Landseer There's a story behind it !  Springtime Friends , a mouth painting, by Mikolaj Kastelik Cats in Japan (Japan Lucky Cat Club), by Tadanori Yokoo The original poster was created for the Association for Manekineko Japan, a club celebrating maneki neko , the " beckoning cat ."   Postcard 1998. Four Dogs , from a painting by Lilian Chevoit.  Divided Back Era Postmark 1909  Halloween party.  Wedding. "Possum" hunting. Emma, the message writer, had quite a busy social life! Postcard that was included in the 1990 book,  Doggerel: Great Poets on Remarkable Dogs.   Illustrations are from linocuts by Martha Paulos . There's a short story behind my attaining this card. My son often goes thrifting with me.  He knows I love dogs.  He knows I collect postcards.  He knows I read and write and have a poetry blog.  ...