Australian Wildlife - Sunday Stamps

I'll admit I took an easy option this week when I saw this set on the local market coin and stamp stall. Not bad for £1.

It's difficult to pick a favourite from these.

Check out other selections on an open theme at Viridian's postcard blog

New Beginning - Sunday Stamps

OK, so I'm cheating. I had never seen stamps heralding the New Year before. When idly searching for New Year material I came across these on the internet.

Russia 1991

And one with a design that does not strike me as much fun for the animal concerned but the source described it as a New Year Stamp.

New Year Stamp - Japan 1957

Happy New Year to everyone. I look forward to seeing your stamps throughout 2012.

Make a resolution to visit others at Viridian's postcard blog

Dogs and Horses - Sunday Stamps

I chose dogs as my stamps for this week, but I've been stamping my foot over this post. My set of dogs was on the same page as another set of stamps. When I came to scan them my scanner decided it would only scan one stamp at a time and cut off all the edges.

So I tried it with some horses instead with no trouble as you can see.

Great Britain - Horses set from 1978

Two hours later I succeeded with the dogs, but only after I had removed them from the album and put them in the wrong order in a presentation set holder. By this time I was champing at the bit to get this post uploaded.

Dogs from the four corners of the British Isles

For other people's selections on Viridian's open theme please visit Sunday Stamps 31

Olympic Games - Sunday Stamps

We are continually being advised that it is less than a year to London 2012. The first Olympics I remember were those in London in 1948. Unfortunately I do not have the set of Great Britain stamps issued then

In 1960 my wife and I were living in a flat in Wolverhampton and we hired our first TV to watch the games in Rome when a boxer named Cassius Clay won a gold. I have two stamps commemorating the Rome games but not from a country that I associate with the Olympics. I'll post them both because I like the shape of one in particular.

Rome Olympics 1960 - Mongolia

Rome MCMLX - Mongolia

I was surprised to find that I do have one Olympic stamp from Great Britain so I have decided to include that as well.

Barcelona 1992 - Great Britain

I could post stamps from other games but there are too many for a single post. Perhaps I can use them another time.

For other posts on Viridian's open them check out: Sunday-stamps-30

Legends of Hollywood - Sunday Stamps.

When on holiday earlier this month I complained to my daughter about the stamps she uses on letter to us in the UK. As I've mentioned before I don't really like those dazzle type stamps where companies 'advertise' their name. When I mentioned this to her she had just been out to buy some stamps.

This is what she gave me:

Legends of Hollywood

It was pure chance that she bought this sheet of stamps but quite a coincidence since her favourite book is 'To Kill A Mockingbird.' Incidentally she has even named two of her dogs G(J)em and Scout after the children in the book - although Gem is a girl and Scout the boy.

For other stories behind collectors' stamps visit Viridian's Sunday Stamps 29

Birds on Sunday Stamps

I'm pleased to be able to rejoin Viridian's Sunday Stamps now I am back in the UK. This week's theme of  'Birds' has given me a problem as I have over 50 bird stamps.

In 1966 Great Britain issued a set of four stamps of which I can present just two, I'm missing the blackbird and the robin.

Black-headed Gull & Blue Tit (1966)

Later issues included waterbirds - again I have two of these.

Dipper & Puffin

 The puffin stamp was issued to commemorate the centenary of the Royal Society for Protection of Birds. The puffin colonies in the UK are threatened by the reduction in availability of sandeels, their staple food.

Another bird whose numbers are decreasing as a result of modern farming methods is shown on my next stamp.

Lapwing (also known as the peewit)

Becaause I've been on holiday in the USA I ought to show some of their stamps. The first one below is a favourite of mine.

Pelican

I have still to research the details about the Pelican Island refuge.

Blue Jay & Ring-necked Pheasant

Finally for this week I must include the stamp commemorating a famous man who painted birds, John James Audubon (1785-1851).

 

You may read all about him and the Audubon Society at John James Audubon You can also follow the Audubon Society on Facebook if you wish.

For more bird stamps visit Viridian's sunday-stamps-27

International Stamp Exhibition 1980 - Sunday Stamps

I have taken the easy way out this week by reproducing Britain's Second Miniature Sheet issued in 1979.

 The explanation mentions a third sheet to be published later - I don't have this!

As this is a week when you may post stamps on any theme, check out Viridian's Sunday Stamps 19   for others' choices.

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.

Poetry in Stamps

"All the world's a stage

And all the men and women merely players;"

This makes an introduction to Shakespeare. My first two stamps of a set of four issued in 1964 commemorate the Shakespeare Festival.

I know it's Spring but John Keats 'To Autumn' always sticks in my mind: "Seasons of mists and yellow fruitfuness"

Issued in 1971, the 150th anniversary of his death.

For William Wordsworth you may have expected daffodils but I prefer: "My heart leaps up when I behold a rainbow in the sky:"

Grasmere - issued in 1970, the 200th anniversary of his birth.

I know it's only May but it's hard to better Burns:

"My love is like a red, red rose,

That's newly sprung in June"

Issued in 1996

Issued 1966

I even found Burns on a Russian stamp which I've copied from the internet:

And stamps for Alexander Pushkin and Alexander Blok

"Black night.
White snow.
The wind, the wind!
It will not let you go. The wind, the wind!
Through God's whole world it blows

The wind is weaving
The white snow.
Brother ice peeps from below
Stumbling and tumbling
Folk slip and fall.
God pity all!"

From Blok's 'The Twelve' (1918)

And finally a stamp of a poet and a diplomat from my Mexico page:

Amando Nervo (1870 -1919) is reputed to be the most noted Mexican poet of the 19th Century.

More poetry on stamps at Viridian's postcard blog