Sunday Stamps II; A-Z 'E'

Last week we were on the Djibouti-Ethiopia railway. This week it's Ethiopia itself.

Ethiopia - 26 July 1968

The stamp shows the Rastafarian Haile Selassie and commemorates the Ethiopian struggle for freedom. Selassie had become the countries emperor and led the country for many years.

My second stamp is also from an African country well know for the pyramids, but this stamp is catalogued on Stamp World as depicting Historical Art & Stone Carving.

Egypt - 1 March 1993

For other stamps this week check out the links at Sunday-stamps-!!-142.

Bizarre or Unexplainable - Sunday Stamps II

In merging stamps from three albums I came across these on an Egypt page. 

I have not succeeded in finding these in stamp catalogues (I normally use the one on Stamp World  online)

I cannot date them or even confirm whether they are indeed from Egypt. They could even be upside down.

Is there anyone out there can point me in the right direction?

For other bizarre/unexplainable stamps visit  Sunday-Stamps-II-98.

Lakes/Rivers - Sunday Stamps II

Struggled with lakes but found some interesting rivers this week.

The longest river in the world had a dam completed on 19 July 1970, but was commemorated first in 1964.

Egypt (UAR) - 15 May 1964

The Aswan High Dam, 11 years in construction and more than 2 miles long, ended the cycle of flood and drought in the Nile region but has also resulted in the loss of fertile soil previously washed down the river.

American river explorers' exploits have appeared on stamps.

USA - 20 September 1968

Marquette, a Jesuit missionary, explored the Great Lakes and the Mississippi Valley with Louis Jolliet. He had founded the St Ignace mission on the north shore of the Mackinac Straits when Jolliet arrived with orders to look for the great river to the west which the Illinois Indians had described.

They set out in May 1673 by way of Green Bay and the Fox and Wisconsin Rivers. They reached the Mississippi and went downstream to the Arkansas River before they returned, convinced the Mississippi flowed into the Gulf of Mexico.

USA - 1 August 1969

Financed by the Smithsonian Institution John Wesley Powell explored the Green and Colorado river canyons in 1869. The federal government financed further explorations in the 1870s which and to the information on public lands in the Rocky Mountain area and laid the groundwork for irrigation and conservation projects.

Back then of course neither Marquette nor Powell could have listened to -

Great Britain - 7 July 2016

 the Pink Floyd album, Endless RIver. (More about this next week)

For other watery offerings visit the links at Sunday-Stamps-II-86.

Weapons, hunting or war - Sunday Stamps II

My stamps this week come from North Africa and Great Britain.

This Egyptian stamp from 1953 shows and Egyptian soldier in uniform, tin hat and with a rifle on his shoulder.

Egypt

The Libyan Revolution of 1 September 1969 which led to the overthrow of the Kingdom of Libya (King Idris) was carried out by the Free Officers Movement with the rebel officers led by Colonel Muammer Gaddafi. I'm sure you know what happened to him.

Libya - 1970

The Royal Mail commemorated the 50th Anniversary of D-Day with a set of five stamps. This is the one I have:

Great Britain - 6 June 1944

One of the earliest poems I learnt at school began:

William the Conqueror 1066

Said to his captains

I mean to affix

England to Normandy

So go out and borrow

Some bows and some arrows

We're starting tomorrow.

This set was issued in 1966 to commemorate the 900th Anniversary of  the Battle of Hastings.

Can you see where Harold got one in the eye in these battle scenes from the Bayeux Tapestry?

For other bellicose offerings check out the links at Sunday Stamps-ii-20.

Tent Warfare - Sepia Saturday

When I saw the tents in the prompts for the next two weeks I knew I was in trouble - which photos do I show when even the sailor suit caused a problem of sorts.

Looks peaceful and a time for fun,

However during wartime in the Mediterranean it was serious business for my brother ashore during his Fleet Air Arm service in WWII.

Tented Accommodation

This was probably in Egypt where it was warm enough to:

Dry that white sailor suit

At another (treeless) location seen from the air I'm left to wonder who used the tents.

Recovering aircraft or operating a desert airstrip was even less luxurious.

Somewhere in the Middle East

I'm left to wonder as I never saw these pictures while he was alive. If I'd asked where, he'd probably have told me I didn't want to know.

After all when he left to go to war I was instructed to tell anyone who asked that he had gone to stick a bayonet up Hitler's arse.

For other experiences under canvas I suggest you check out the links at Sepia-Saturday-246.

Coffee Shops of the (North) East - Sepia Saturday

I have had a interesting time in visiting cafes this week to try and match the photo prompt.

One thing I can say for sure is that, unlike Australia, the cold weather in the North East would not encourage you to lounge about outside. However I did manage to find a:

Grab a cup to help us on our way.

First stop in Egypt where it was warm enough for there to be some men outside.

Men standing in front of an Arab shop

If you travelled in style by rail in America you could take your coffee in the lounge.

Ranch Car of the Empire Builder - 1951

(By Hedrich-Blessing, Chicago - Great Northern Railway photographer)

The combined coffee shop and lounge was part of the 1951 facelift for the train.

Back in the town of Yarm this is the only coffee shop I use; all the other 'branded' establishments take what seems like hours with modern machines to produce a tasteless range of expensive coffees.

Elliotts at Yarm

No-one braved the cold to sit outside; sorry about the reflections in the windows.

But when I walk the 3 miles back home to get warm I pass that 'Open Cafe' sign at the entrance to the Spring Bank layby between Yarm and Kirlevington. A little detour takes me here:

Spring Bank Snack Bar

 An ideal place to stop when taking your dog for a walk; of course you have to stand outside.

Meanwhile outside Elliotts someone makes this plea:-

Won't you let me into the coffee shop? I think I see a crumb over there.

 

(By Christoper from San Fransisco - CC BY-SA 2.0)

To pick up others crumbs of comfort go and have a coffee at Sepia-Saturday-170

 Don't stand outside.

Beached - Sepia Saturday

I thought I would explore some beaches found in my archives and take you on a tour from the West of Scotland via the Adriatic coast to Egypt and end up in the South West of England, before a friendly warning.

A seaside postcard from Ayr, Scotland

This card was one of several linked to Robbie Burns but apart from the views contains no other information to help you date when it was taken. It looks prewar to me.

I cannot date my second card from Yorkshire either and you need good eyes to see anything on the South Bay beach.

The Spa and South Bay, Scarborough

I can put a rough date on the next shot taken in the 1940s, probably somewhere in Egypt during the war when the Fleet Air Arm crews were on a beach.

Egypt (?) - 1940s

Sorry that there have been no bathing belles to admire so far; we get a bit closer on the Adriatic coast of Montenegro.

Beach on the isthmus to the island of Sveti Stefan - c1986

Coming back to Cornwall all I have to show are empty beaches.

Camel Estuary, Padstow - May 2011

At least you can see some footprints - I wonder where Man Friday went?

Crantock Beach, Cornwall

That sea is waiting for the surfers to appear.

Meanwhile this little girl is counting her collection.

Hope she hasn't lost count

I wonder if "she sells seashells on the seashore?"

Finally here's that friendly warning that all can see.

I just wish I could remember where this was taken, I must ask my wife to jog my memory - on second thoughts, I had better not.

For more sand and sea take a trip or donkey ride to Alan's place.

Men of War - Sepia Saturday

 Alan has departed on a cruise, Kat has posted a picture of some soldiers for us.

I decided to go to war with the Fleet Air Arm and post more shots from my brother's album.

Fleet Air Arm

I have no means of knowing where this was taken. By straining my eyes I believe that my brother (George Arthur Scotney) is eight from the right on the first standing row. The aircraft is a Swordfish; the photo must have been taken c1939.

Arthur's war service took him to the Mediterranean and Ceylon during WWII. I know he spent time on the carriers Illustrious, Indefatigable and shore establishments at Dekheila in Egypt (now Alexandria airport) and Malta. Post war his service record show him as having been at HMS Daedalus (Royal Naval Air Station Lee-on-Solent), HMS Blackcap (RNAS Stretton) and at several airfields on Malta.

However I am unable to place where the following pictures were taken.

Arthur - informal but smart - on the left

Bearded - in the centre

A Group of NCOs

Among the Palm Trees (Egypt or Ceylon)

And finally the pilots.

Pilots (and a Spitfire?)

What chance is there of someone recognising any of them? These men would all be in their 90s if they are still alive.

For other groups of men you need to dash over to the sergeants at  Sepia-saturday-147

Grounded - Thematic Photography

We have had 36 hours of continuous rain and it's still raining; my golf course is waterlogged so I'm grounded today - Sob!

Carmi couldn't have come up with a more appropriate theme in the circumstances. I have a lot of my brother's WWII photographs which show grounded aircraft like this one in the desert (probably Egypt).

Grounded in the desert

I hope it landed intentionally; this one with a military connection certainly did.

Chalk-Fronted Corporal Dragonfly

This is the time of year in the UK for conkers, a lot of which you find on on the ground.

Horse Chestnuts (Conkers)

OK, so I cheated by throwing them on the grass.

Others though like the dragonfly can choose where they land.

Brown Butterfly and a Bee on Greater Knapweed

I'm sure you'll agree that this one has every right to show off.

Peacock Butterfly

Mind you this one from America is a contender in the grounded beauty stakes.

Red-spotted Purple Butterfly

It seems to have the wrong name as the spots on its wings are orange.

I'm pleased to take part this week and to be able to select subjects that can choose when to be grounded. Not all will have that honour on Carmi's thematic-photographic-214 as you can see.

Silhouette - Thematic Photography

Often photos you take turn out to be silhouettes although that may not be what you intended.

Gargoyle

When taken this came out all dark, so dark in fact you could only see a black shape, but as you can see I tinkered with it a bit. I also tried another on the same garden parapet.

Gargoyles (Yarm 2012)

The next picture comes from my brother's alum of pictures taken during the war. I can safely say no-one else can take this picture today.

Indian War Memorial, Port Tewfik, Egypt - 1940s

The monument silhouetted against the sky was destroyed by Egyptian troops during the war with Israel, in 1967 I think.

Closer to home is this shot I took of Brunel's famous bridge.

 Clifton Suspension Bridge

Finally a shot I took in Norway in the 1980s.

Pulpit Rock

And the same rock on a postcard.

Two silhouettes

For more dark outlines please visit Carmi's thematic-photographic-192-silhouette