The Witching Hour

 

2022: Europa: Stories and Myths - Guernsey Witches (Design - Keith Robinson)

On the 52p stamp Guernsey witches convene after dark on the headland at Le Catioroc for 'Le Sabbat des Sociers'

then they fly home, but not a broomsticks in sight, for in Guernsey they have invisible wings. Most convenient. They stop for a rest on the way home and conveniently the old houses in the west of the island have a bit of granite sticking out from their chimneys known as 'witches seats'

The bottom row of stamps depict £1.10 'Witch in the Hedge' who flew too low and was discovered at daybreak by a farmer's wife. The witch warned her not to tell a living soul but she could not keep the secret and told her husband and was immediately struck deaf. Next is the story of 'Jean Falla and the Witches'. The local fisherman had unwittingly offended on of the sisterhood and got caught in a storm at sea. In the howling wind he heard unearthly laughter and saw a group of women flying overhead, including one he recognised. After reaching home safely he treated all women from then on with respect. Lastly in the 16th and 17th Century 103 people were found guilty of witchcraft in Guernsey and burnt alive. It is said they still haunt the street steps of the island's capital.

So not a broomstick or black cat in sight. I will have to remedy that...

2020: SEPAC - National Gallery Artwork (Catskin by Frances Lemmon)

Sunday Stamps theme this week is - Scary/Halloween - spooky times are at  See It On A Postcard

Island Lighthouses

 

2011: Lighthouses (Design - Melanie Efstathiadou)

Cyprus's tallest lighthouse built in 1888, not seen on the stamp is its ancient companion a 2nd century amphitheatre

Four of Guernsey's lighthouses,  the Alderney light appears on the FDC and the 11p stamp, it warns of the Alderney Race, a turbulent strait of water between Alderney and Cap de la Hague in France, the strongest tidal stream in Europe.

Lots of rocks to founder on around the coast 

6p - Les Casquets, part of an underwater sandstone ridge, Victor Hugo wrote "to be wrecked on the Casquets is to be cut into ribbons..."; 4p - Les Hanois marks the shoals and reefs off Guernsey and gives a position fix for ships entering the Channel Traffic Separation System; 13p - Sark Lighthouse on Point Robert was designated a 'rock station' so lighthouse keepers got extra pay but unlike the usual isolated postings they could visit the tiny island's pub, The Mermaid Tavern.

2007: Island Jewels

A lighthouse with a sandy beach, now that is definitely heavenly and one of the local residents may be smiling at you on Rottnest Island, the cute quokka

Sunday Stamps theme this week is - Lighthouses of Towers - See It On A Postcard

 

Colourful

 

2022: Commonwealth Games (Illustrator - Charis Tsevis)

Royal Mail has issued a number of colourful stamp sets in 1922 and because it is and has been a very full sporting calendar this year I choose these Commonwealth Games stamps for the Sunday Stamps theme. The full set can be seen here.  I especially like the mountain biking stamp.

1975: Sailing (Design: Andrew Restall)

Sailing is one of the optional sports of the Commonwealth Games but not chosen by landlocked Birmingham but there is always a sailing race going on somewhere in the world. Keeping ones feet firmly on dry land the football World Cup starts on the 20th November.

2014: Zlatan Ibrahimovic

but Zlatan (one of the select group of super star footballers always referred to by just their first name) won't be at the World Cup because Sweden did not qualify. At 41, when most footballers have hung up their boots, it is a thing a wonder that he is still playing at a high level.

Sunday Stamps theme this week is - Bright Colours - brighten up the day at  See It On A Postcard

Space Week

 

Oct 2000: Stamp Collecting Month - Exploration of Mars (Design - Otto Schmidinger)

As it has been World Space Week for today's theme of  'My Choice' I'm heading to the future and Mars.

2016: Planetary Correspondences (Design - Guy Coda)

Take a tour of the Solar System - passing Mars and Jupiter

while the Moon sleeps in the clouds and Venus looks on

but perhaps I will keep my feet firmly on the ground and just enjoy the view.

Sunday Stamps theme this week is -  'My Choice' - See It On A Postcard

UNESCO

 

1932:Airmail

The Great Wall of China built to defend the countries historic northern borders

2020: Roman Britain

and its tiny cousin Hadrian's Wall, the northernmost part of the Roman Empire.

1961: Tourism - Landscapes and Monuments

The monasteries of Meteora took a different approach and built on top of immense natural rock pillars 

2004: Bauhaus

But for more relaxed living the model homes for the Masters at the Bauhaus School in Dessau were a vision for modern living, the large windows creating a link between exterior and interior.

2004: Wattenmeer National Park

Head for the Wadden Sea National Park  and breath the fresh sea air.  The largest national park in Germany, 68% of it is underwater the rest is mainly salt marshes Its UNESCO designation is for its undisturbed inter-tidal ecosystem and unique biodiversity.

Sunday Stamps theme this week is  -UNESCO World Heritage Sites -visit  See It On A Postcard