Patterns

 

1986: International Day of Handicrafts

On the left, Qalamkar, a type of textile printing using carved wooden stamps, a skill which originated centuries ago in the city of Isfahan. On the right Balochi needlework made by the Balochi people who today are found in Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan.

1999: Folk Art

A Rockblad or rock blade, a bride's gift carved from a single piece of wood often with many hearts. These would be put in a bride's box so she could sort through linen and wouldn't have to touch anything with her hands.  This one is from the 19th Century.

2006: Beetles

Always fun to count a ladybird's spots, this one has seven

2021: Jersey Seabirds and Marine Life

A creature full of nature's patterns swimming the oceans, a Loggerhead Turtle, always drawn to warm waters unless following a drift or smack of jellyfish. One could say a smack means a snack although Loggerheads have the widest food range of any sea turtle and eat both animal and plant life.

Sunday Stamps theme - Patterns - more at  See It On A Postcard

Spring Flowers

 Its Spring and See It On A Postcard's Thursday Postcard Hunt is in search of gardens

Daffodils and Pewter Jug (1963) by Winifred Nicholson

Winifred Nicholson has just come in from her garden arranged the flowers she has picked and painted them, you can just see the bare bones of a spring garden and colour in the background. This window view with flowers was one of her favourite subjects.

Taking a walk through one of Scarborough's gardens on the esplanade and its bold municipal planting. The lady on the right has come colour coordinated for daffodil season. Both the clock and shadows tell us it is midday. The clock tower was built in 1911 for George V's coronation and has recently undergone major renovations.

Churches

 

1973: Landscapes

Somewhere in central Switzerland you will find this unnamed church with its onion tower.

2014: Christmas (Artist - Judy Joel)

Snowy day outside St Mary's Episcopal Cathedral which was designed by the Victorian architect George Gilbert Scott in his familiar soaring gothic style.

2016: Churches of the Parish Walk (Photographs Peter Killey)

Here are some of the churches used as checkpoints on the 85 mile Isle of Man Parish Walk held every June. As the name implies the walk passes through every parish on the Isle of Man starting in Douglas and eventually, after the circular walk around the island, finishing in Douglas.

Sunday Stamps theme - churches - visit  See It On A Postcard

Easter Greetings

 See It On A Postcard's Thursday Postcard Hunt is feeling Easter-y

An early Happy Easter on Maundy Thursday. Don't open those Easter eggs yet!  Perhaps these Italian children will be in church over Easter

The bells of Verona Cathedral may draw them here to enter and enjoy the the view inside.

All White

 

The Secret of Life (50th Anniversary of Discovery of DNA)

Completing the genome jigsaw

1995: Europa - Peace and Freedom

Peace Dove and the Phoenician princess Europa with Zeus disguised as a bull.

2006: Animal Tales (Favourite Children's Book Animals)

The White Rabbit, follow him and find Wonderland.

1996: Children's Drawing Contest

A postal pigeon. The year 2000 cancel celebrates both Basel Stamp Day and 150 years of the Federal Trademark Office.

China '99 World Philatelic Exhibition and UPU Anniversary

Two stamps were issued for the UPU Anniversary and in addition this special issue with logos for China '99

\Sunday Stamps theme - The Colour White - See It On A Postcard

Song Birds

 See It On A Postcard's Thursday Postcard Hunt  is looking for Song Birds

 

A warm sunny day and to see skylarks soaring to sing is bliss indeed. Valentine's published a popular series of postcards featuring Winifred Austen's bird paintings. This card was sent to a Mrs Roxby Hall languishing in  Leeds Infirmary hospital in the 1950s wishing her a speedy recovery and to soon rise from her bed and be singing like the skylark. Austin (1876-1964) was an illustrator, painter, etcher and aquatint engraver known for her detailed depictions of small mammals and birds portrayed in their day to day life. 

Bringing happiness, a birds chorus.

Spring Flowers

 See It On A Postcard's Thursday Postcard Hunt - Spring flowers

Sigriswil, Thunersee mit Niesen, Switzerland

The coming of spring in the Bernese Alps,  snowy flowers and peaks; a view of Lake Thun and Niesen, a draw for the artist and photographer. The mountain (7,749 ft; 2362m) may be dwarfed by the Eiger and Jungfrau but they don't have a funicular that can take one to the top and the longest staircase in the world, all 11,674 steps of it.

Furness Abbey, Cumbria

At sea level the daffodils are in bloom in the ruins of a 12th Century Cistercian  Abbey in the Valley of the Deadly Nightshade, once a remote place now on the outskirts of my town.

Hold April by Jesse Stuart

Hold on to April; never let her pass!/Another year before she comes again/To bring us wind as clean as polished glass/And apple blossoms in soft, silver rain./Hold April when there's music in the air,/When life is resurrected like a dream,/When wild birds sing up flights of windy stair/And bees love alder blossoms by the steam./Hold April's face close yours and look afar,/Hold April in your arms in dear romance;/While holding her look to the sun and star/And with her in her faerie dreamland dance./ Do not let April go but hold her tight,/ Month of external beauty and delight.