Sunday Stamps - The Colour Yellow: Czechoslovakia, Romania

Yellow proved a more difficult theme than I expected once I discarded birds and flowers, many of which I have shown before.

However then colias palaeno fluttered in from Czechoslovakia - 

Czechoslovakia - 23 May 1966

This is a Moorland Clouded Yellow.

In Romania I found an exhibition pavilion with a yellow background from the Fourth Bucharest Fair.

Romania - 12 October 1962

For more yellow related stamps, including Romania, start at Sunday Stamps and follow the links.

Sunday Stamps II A-Z 'Z' Romania, South Africa

Following a suggestion on my 'Y' post for a Zeppelin I searched my stamps in vain.

South African flowers allow me to present arum lilies as a tribute to the work that Violet puts in each week hosting Sunday Stamps now that we have ended the second A-Z round.

South Africa -20 November 1974
Zantedeschia aethiopica

Bucharest Zoological Gardens  has some splendid birds as shown on this stamp from 1964.

Romania 14 October 1964
 Black Crowned Cranes

I've enjoyed this second A-Z, to round it off all that's left is the check on Sunday-stamps-z to see what others have contributed this week.

Pets - Sunday Stamps II

I just knew I should not have used that 'Pet' series from the USA a few weeks ago Pets (USA)

That has left me struggling for something to show this week, until I remembered lots of cats.

Bulgaria - 19 June 1967

And from slightly earlier from the same part of the world.

Romania - 20 March 1965

I've used up all my stamps of dogs before and I'm not really a cat person but now I'm surprised at how many cats appeared.

To see more pet just follow the links at Sunday-Stamps-II-128.

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.

Fish in the sea - Sunday Stamps II

I've gone fishing in Romania this week although all my fish may be found in wider surroundings.

Romania issue a set of 8 fish stamps on May 10 1964; here are five of them.

Romania - 1964

• 5 bani - Scorpaena Porcus, the black scorpion fish. It's found in the Eastern Atlantic, the Mediterranean and the Black Sea.Normally around 6 inches it may be 15 inches long.
• 10 bani - Blennius Pavo Risso, the comb tooth or peacock blenny also frequents the Eastern Atlantic, the Med and the Black Sea.
• 50 bani - I'm sure you all recognise Hippocampus Hippocampus - the short nosed seahorse which is endemic to the Mediterranean and the North Atlantic.

Romania - 1964

• 55 bani - Trigla Lucerna, the tub gunard is a bottom dwelling coastal fish found in the Med, the Atlantic, Black and Southern Baltic Seas,. It has a spiny armoured head and finger like pectoral fins used to walk along the bottom.
• 1 lei - Huso Huso is the beluga or European sturgeon from the Caspian and the Black Sea. It has been heavily fished for its roe - beluga caviar.

The three stamps I don't have are the horse mackerel, the Russian sturgeon and the common sting ray.

If you are looking for more fishy stories just cross to the links at Sunday-stamps-ii-37.

Food - Sunday Stamps II

This week's food and/or drink theme proved harder than I thought.

I had to visit the local market where I knew there would be plenty to chose from. The coin and stamp stall came up trumps again with vegetables from Romania issued in 1963.

Romania - 1963

Even I can recognise what they are. I believe that there was another stamp (cucumber) in the set.

If you are not a vegetarian but have a sweet tooth then perhaps it's the mithai confectionery/sweets that are more to your taste.

Singapore - 2009

I have no drink for you to wash it down but perhaps you will find some by following the links at Violet's Sunday-Stamps-ii-34.

Buses and Public Transport - Sunday Stamps

It's rather ironic that this week's theme is 'Buses and Public Transport.' 

Yesterday our bus services were withdrawn and now the village where I live has no public transport at all, despite the railway track crossing a bridge over the lane where our house is located.

That's why I am going by bus on a world tour with my stamps.

Hungary

Romania

In Singapore we'll go for a ride on a trolley bus.

Singapore

And finish up on a double-decker.

Singapore

Don't you just hate it when two buses come along together, not that there's much chance of that happening where I live unless I have walked 3 miles first!

Perhaps others at Viridian's Sunday-stamps-164 have had better luck.

A Hemulen's Collection - Sunday Stamps

This week theme of hobbies proved difficult for me until I came across the Hemulens, a species of characters created by the Finnish author Tove Jansson.

Hemulens tend to be obsessive characters devoting themselves to one interest - skiing, stamp collecting, butterflies or whatever. Does anyone recognise themselves?

It may have been a coincidence but in Saturday's Daily Telegraph an article appeared about the author Vladimir Nabokov who wrote 'Lolita.' Apparently Nabokov was an accomplished lepidopterist.

Now I had something to work with. I wouldn't say I am a Hemulen, but I have a butterfly or two.

USA Common Buckeye

Of course a lepidopterist is also interested in moths.

Romania - Saturnia pyri

The Saturnia pyri is a native of Europe, but not Britain, and is also known as the Great Peacock Moth or Giant Emperor Moth.

Mexico - Helasus

Malaysia

Malawi - Parasa moth

If I wanted to be obsessive about butterflies the one set of stamps I'd like are these from much nearer home.

Great Britain - Butterflies 1981

Shame that I have had to scan them from a catalogue. Oh well, I guess I shall have to remember the Tortoiseshell and Peacock flying round my garden in the summer.

Peacock butterfly on knapweed.

 

But now it's time to explore the hobbies from others on Viridian's Sunday Stamps 94

Planes, Trains and Automobiles - Sunday Stamps

First an apology. As I will be without internet access until next Saturday, I will be unable to comment on any more posts until then. I will check out all your posts next weekend.

I find my albums are inundated with planes. I don't have any commemorating the Wright brothers but I can cover the first non-stop Atlantic flight:

 

This first day cover for the Postal Union has planes, a ship and a PO van:

I like this next stamp in particular for its clarity and colour:

But my favourite plane has to be the supersonic Concorde, alas now defunct:

The plane may be British, but the colourful stamp is from Malawi:

I spent a number of years working in Norway and that accounts for my final plane(s):

For trains I have to start with Stephenson's Locomotion:

 

The meeting that established the world's first railway was held in my local town. Yarm Town Hall boasts this plaque:

Trains would not be complete for me without the Flying Scotsman (shame about the postmark):

From abroad there are trains from Mexico and New Zealand:

I was very disappointed when I looked for automobiles and only came up with this First Class stamp:

I had to resort to stamps combining the theme from USA:

And from Romania:

There's not even a car on here.

If I haven't put you off there are more on view at: Viridian's Sunday Stamps 18.