Postcards for the Weekend: Winter scenes

This weekend's Connections to the World theme is 'Winter scenes'.
At the moment it is cloudy, here in the Netherlands. Sometimes rainy, and when going outside one could think it to be not only winter, but also autumn or spring. In the start of last December there were some days full of snow, and the weather forecast says it might be snowing next week, or not.
At least there are postcards who show snow. And thanks to 'Postcards for the Weekend' I was triggered to share them with you.

The postcard above I received from Margit from Germany, a cute one of Little Mole, or Krtek, and his woodland friends.



Although I dislike the cold and slipperiness of snow, sleighing is fun. This postcard is an illustration by Fiep Westendorp.

The postcard below I had made out of a photo I took some winters ago, from footsteps of our feathered friends on the pathway next to our home.



And this is a regular postcard, showing a winter scene in the province of Drenthe:



I used it for a chaincard, and after a journey via the USA, Indonesia (without melting!) and Russia the card returned home safely, the backside filled with snowmen:




See more winter scenes at and via Postcards for the Weekend!

In: from the UN and the US

It is fascinating to see how Finnbadger manages to send mail from... er, as many countries as the United Nations do count!

The stamps show three of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, the successor of the eight Millenium Goals (which alas haven't been accomplished in 2015).

Inside the envelope, besides a kind message from the sender, a vintage written back of a postcard, and this wonderful mailbox collage by Craftgasm.



Thank you very much, Finnbadger!

Postcards for the weekend: Trains / trams

This weekend's Postcards for the weekend's theme is dear to me, too: trains and trams. In the past I've sent and received several postcards (and stamps) on this subject, see trams, and trains (and of course the corresponding subject: railway stations).

This postcard I got at the Railway Museum in Utrecht (which happens to celebrate its 90th anniversary tomorrow).
Some years ago we visited this nice museum and that day there was an additional theme: safety on and besides the railways:



I must say that I prefer the present (electric) trains to the older (steam) ones. The main reason is the fact that these modern electric trains remind me of my trips to and with my late grandparents in the seventies.



An other reason is of course that the old, steam engined, trains produced a lot of smoke.
Nevertheless I was very happy to receive these postcards:

From John, from the United Kingdom:



On the back he added this matching stamp:



From Nomi, from Sri Lanka:



From Ravindra, also from Sri Lanka:



Be sure to check Ravindra's train blog, he collects postcards of trains and trams and has received many, from all-over the world!



And here a modern Japanese high speed train, I received from Hana, who designed this maxi/postcard by herself:





Finally a few trams:

From Natalie, a double deck tram sent from Hong Kong:



From John, also a double deck tram:



And this horse power driven tram:



The following postcard is Dutch and has been sent by me to Ravindra. It shows three historical trams. These - and other historical trams - still ride in summer between Amsterdam and Amstelveen, thanks to the people from the Tramway Museum:



See more trams and trains on Maria's Postcards for the Weekend blog and follow the links mentioned there.

Postcards for the weekend: December Holidays

This weekend's 'Postcards for the Weekend' theme is 'December Holidays'.

The reason of my crashed computer appeared to be an amount of dust in the desktop's ventilation system. So thanks to our vacuum cleaner I am able to scan and post postcards and stamps again!

The coming period I have some days off from work so I can spend my free time... writing cards! There is a delay in my outgoing season's greetings mail, despite of the fact that my computer didn't function during the past two weeks (by which I should have had more free time), and despite of the important message on the following card (thank you, John!).



The back side of the card shows matching stamps:



What else one can do in the December holidays? When there is snow, one could take a sleigh :



(Although made in Danmark and sent from Spain, I discovered the Fox speaks a nice season's wish in Dutch!.. Thank you, Eva, for the great card and matching stamps!)

One can buy some food and make some music:



Put on your best dress:



And while there still is no snow in the Netherlands, this pretty christmas penguin-in-snow was sent to me from Malaysia (thank you, Shufen):



On the back a nice stamp showing, among others, the Tapir, one of my all-time favourite animals, so it is always a great addition, even to a christmas card.



See more December Holidays postcards at and via this weekend's 'Postcards for the weekend'.

Sunday Stamps: Canines

This Sunday Stamps' theme is 'canines', which I would freely translate into 'dogs'.

I happen to have joined a 'dogs' themed chaincard project recently. Four people (including me) sent a postcard in February 2016, with stamps matching to the theme.
The four postcards made the same journey, be it that each started in a different country: from (and to) the Netherlands, Taiwan, Japan and Russia. All cards arrived home, in the four countries respectively, provided with stamps and postmarks from all countries.

I scanned the other participants' cards, too, when they passed my home. So I am happy to be able to show you the dog stamps I had in my hands for while. Hope you won't mind there are some doubles, however the combination with the other stamps and the postmarks make each stamp unique.

The first card to arrive at my place (and to be sent the next day) I received on the 3rd of March, from the Russian participant (click image to enlarge):



The Dutch stamps I added are from a ten stamp sheet, dedicated to the photography of Charlotte Dumas.

On the 26th of March the postcard arrived, which has started its journey in Japan:



The same day also the postcard from Taiwan arrived, with two Taiwanese, one Japanese and seven Russian dogs united:






All of the cards above I've forwarded, to have them finally arrive at the first senders' places.
And the 29th of April my postcard returned, with this variety of dog stamps:

(left side)
(right side)

See more canine stamps at today's Sunday Stamps blog post and by clicking the links mentioned there.



[Front side of my postcard, collage made for postcrossing years ago. Luckily for me many postcrossers don't want handmade cards, so I could keep this postcard, which finally made a long journey and now is retiring at my place.]

Out: to Sri Lanka

I was happy to find these maxicards on the internet. The stamps have been issued in 1989 for the 150th anniversary of the Dutch Railways.



The card below shows a mail train!
I haven't seen trains like this anymore for the last decades. Probably mail is carried in common cargo trains without logo, or by road in vans. I think the latter, as I see many mail vans on the highway.



On all back sides there is a prominent 'R' printed at the place where the stamp has to be sticked.
It is clear to whom I have to send these cards!

Sunday Stamps: Mountains

Today's Sunday Stamps theme is 'Mountains'.

In the Netherlands there aren't real mountains (the highest one is a 322 meters high hill) but fortunately elsewhere in the world there are beautiful ones.
The following mountains all happen to be covered with snow.

For instance the famous mount Olympus in Greece. As a child I loved to read mythology stories, and according to these, the ancient Greek gods and goddesses had their home on this mountain:



(See more Greek mountains on Joy's blog post of today.)

A snowy mountain in Norway:



Australian Alp in Victoria, Australia:



And simply but beautifully designed Austrian Alps from Austria:



See more beautiful mountains on beautiful stamps at and via Sunday Stamps.

In: from Spain

Some years ago Eva sent me a postcard made out of a colouring pencils package, and a year later she surprised me with a new package 'card', which contained pencils!

Similar to Eva I love colouring materials. I have a lot of colouring pencils and felt pens at home (too much, I'm afraid..). Despite of that I love to visit art supply shops, where I have to force myself not to buy them.
When walking in the street and seeing a usable pencil on the ground I have to pick it up and take it with me.

So also the packages I love to see, and it won't surprise you that I was very happy when I opened my mailbox today to find this beautiful postcard, made out of an Alpino felt tip pens package!

The back of this card is a delight, too. First Eva's message, not only because of what she wrote (about this package, among others) but also she added great little drawings to it. As the message is personal I of course will keep it offline. The stamps are great, too, these paintings by painter Goyo Domínguez:



Thank you very much, moltes gràcies, Eva!

In: from Sri Lanka

It's always a pleasure to send train and lighthouse postcards and cars and lighthouses on stamps to Ravindra in Sri Lanka. And also a pleasure to receive the beautiful views of his country in return.





And of sea life in the ocean around Sri Lanka (do you spot Dory?!):



The postcards arrived with beautiful stamps on the back:











In the past year we exchanged much more postcards, among them these also:













Thank you very much, Ravindra!