Horses - Sunday Stamps II

This proved a harder theme that I thought as I have used all my stamps of real horses before.

However Iceland and Sweden rode to the rescue with a horse or two, even if the Iceland stamps show a pony.

Iceland - Icelandic pony 1958

My Swedish stamps are slightly newer, the first from a postal history and nature series.

Sweden - 16 October 1967

From an earlier time in history a block of four,

Sweden - Horse & Viking ship, 26 April 1973

A mosaic embroidery sheet  issued on 26 November 1974 depicted some horses. I don't have that sheet but one of the horses is in this pair.

Sweden - 1974?

Now you may ride over to Sunday-Stamps-II-85. and follow the links to some splendid 'real' horses.

Softness - Thematic Photography

When my life model refused to pose I felt I had been frozen out and reverted to; 

Soft fruit instead

Which didn't need a scarf to keep it warm.

 To combat any excess stress you may squeeze two 

Soft balls

There's no need to get 

Stoned

Just resort to the cosmetic cabinet

Pampered softness

But even softness comes to an end.

For other softness contributions you need to visit the links at Carmi's thematic-photographic-377.

Food - Sunday Stamps II

I have had problems with this topic before. Two stamps from a previous post were:

USA - Berries

I must admit that these are fruits that I enjoy and I understand that blueberries are now regarded as 'superfoods'. 

I have since acquired the other two stamps that were issued with those above in a se-tenant block on 10 April 1999.

USA

The four stamps were issued in different formats as well in 1999, and as strips in 2000. You have to check the date in the bottom left corner to know which you have for single stamps.

For other food feasts please check out the links at Sunday-Stamps-II-84. Meanwhile I'm happy with my fruit.

Science - Sunday Stamps II

One thing we have in common, even if it's different in each one of us, is DNA.

Great Britain - Millennium Series, The Scientists' Tale

Mike Curtis is a sculptor whose depictions are shown on this 1999 stamp. Unfortunately these show a spiral and not the DNA double helix. I wonder why the Royal Mail has, so far, not had stamps for Watson and Crick - perhaps they have to be dead first!

USA commemorated a number of its scientists at least three of whom were Nobel Prize winners for their work

USA - 16 June 2011

Watson and Crick have appeared on Swedish stamps if not the British.

In 2006 the Distinguished American series included scientists who developed polio vaccines. One was for Dr Jonas Salk and the other - 

 USA - Dr Albert Sabin, 8 March 2006

I believe it's time British scientists were commemorated too. There have been few so far.

Check out the links at Sunday-Stamps-II-83 for other science related issues.

Kirklevington Scarecrows

Another selection of entries in June's annual scarecrow competition in the North Yorkshire village of Kirklevington.

Batman had a task to - 

And protect

Red Riding Hood

Others had a windbreak

While Jack climbed 

The Beanstalk

or went to tea with

The Mad Hatter

While someone scared off 

Peter Rabbit

from inviting his friends for tea.

Sounds like a job for

Batman again

There are still more entries to come in the weeks to come before you decide which scarecrow you like best.

Red - Sunday Stamps II

Last year I was given an old album printed in 1962. It contained a stamp from 1960 commemorating the 50th anniversary of an  aeroplane's first flight.

Romania - 17 June 1960

This was the anniversary of the first flight of the plane built by Romanian engineer Aurel Vlaicu. He built four planes before he was killed in 1913 attempting to be the first to fly across the Carpathian Mountains.

I guess millions of planes have flown over the white cliffs of Dover, although as a young boy in wartime I associated them with bluebirds and did not expect to see them feature on a red postage stamp.

Great Britain - 3 May 1951

That was the year, as a schoolboy, I went to London to see the Festival of Britain on the South Bank of the Thames.

Great Britain - 3 May 1951

I've always been surprised that neither the Dome of Discovery nor the Skylon from the Festival have ever appeared on stamps.

For more red stamps check out the links at Sunday-Stamps-II-82.

Signs - Thematic Photography

Last week's theme was 'Time'; perhaps this week it should be signs of the times. 

These appear in many more unexpected places

This one is past it's sell-by date.

Shillings ceased to be legal tender in 1971, but I'm sure you get the message.

For dog walkers every where - 

Even if it's summer let's hope the callers get the message.

If you could only keep them off your phone.

Don't be too harsh in your judgement if people forget your wedding.

And if it's you that abandoned this caravan in a local lay-by.

Someone is after you!

Do not leave your car at these times, cos they will be after you again.

You do not need to pass this way - 

Rather follow in this direction - 

On a Tuesday or Thursday evening.

I wonder whether they have Wi-fi there.

And the price has gone up again!

For other signs that may apply to you, follow others at Carmi's Thematic-Photographic-376-signs.

Kirklevington Scarecrows III

Here is another batch of scarecrows entered in the Kirklevington village competition this year.

Scarecrow wedding

Gangsta Grannie

Jane Eyre

And one explained to me in great detail by a young girl, as well as the book.

The Cat in the Hat

Don't forget to check out earlier posts and those that follow to see whether your favourites won prizes.

Paintings - Sunday Stamps II

This has been an interesting theme for me and has sent me on a wide search for details of the painters - as you will see.

Great Britain - 12 August 1968

'Pinkie' by Thomas Lawrence is a depiction of an eleven year old girl named Sarah Barrett Moulton. The portrait hangs in the Huntington Library, San Marino, California.

John Egerton Christmas Piper became an official WWII artist and visited Coventry after the city and its cathedral was raised to the ground. His paintings of churches included the 'Ruins of St Mary le Port, Bristol. The stamp is from the same set as that by Lawrence.

St Mary Le Port 

A set of Ulster 71 paintings included the stamp, 'A Mountain Road.' 

Great Britain - 16 June 1971

All I have been able to discover about the artist, T P Flanagan, was that he became the fourth (I think) President of the Royal Ulster Academy of Arts.

Details of Francis Calcraft Turner, who produced an aquatint of the Liverpool Great National Steeple Chase 1839, were even more difficult to find. The stamp was one of a set of Horse Racing Paintings & the Bicentenary of the Derby issued on 6 June 1979.

For more paintings please check out the links at Violet's Sunday-Stamps-II-81.