Mamenchisaurus From China

A fantastic dinosaur mini-sheet from 2017, depicting a mamenchisaurus, a species of dinosaur first discovered in 1952 in Sichuan, China.
And that would be my 200th post :)

Fong Soi Mini-Sheet, Macau

Here a mini-sheet issued in 1997 while Macau was still a Portuguese territory, from a series of commemorative stamps dedicated to Chinese Geomancy, more commonly known as Feng Shui. As wikipedia would tell you Feng Shui is a pseudoscience originating from China, though I am sure many other descriptions can be used, depending on the converser. It is based on using energy forces to harmonise individuals with their surrounding environment.

In my attempt to better my German I am currently translating a Feng Shui book from German to Croatian, as it has long been my wish to learn more about this ancient practice (earliest mention is around 4000 B.C.). I would be curious to know if anyone here has any experience, or is equally intrigued by it? Perhaps someone else might know what the symbols on the sheet mean...

This is my entry for F-letter Sunday Stamps, you can explore more entries here.

Letter Writing Day In Japan

The Letter Writing Day can be a bit confusing...as I found on numerous sites that this 'holiday' falls on 7th of December, then again on the official World Letter Writing Day page the date is 1st of September, and Japan issues LWD stamps each year (for over two decades now) on 23rd of July. In any case, its a nice way of reminding people of the (still) existence of letters. I am hoping to pick it up again as well, just a few pen-pals to keep it going. As usual the Japan Post issue (from 2003) is very cute, plus a Hello Kitty postmark.

This is my latest post for the Sunday Stamps - via the link you can see more entries i.e. stamps for the letter 'L'. In case you want to see my 'L' postcard you can click my blog here.

Gandalf, New Zealand

Another mint mini-sheet swap, because its just so awesome, from the New Zealand's The Hobbit series (2013). Also lovely stamps on the envelope from Malaysia.

Year Of The Monkey, Hong Kong

Not typical for me to swap for mint stamps, but when it comes to mini-sheets like this I make an exception:)
Thanks to Hazel from Hong Kong

Post Boxes, UK

A wonderful side-effect to buying stamps on ebay! I got my shipment in this great cover with Post-Boxes miniature-sheet, issued in 2009. The round cancellations are also not to be taken for granted :)

Roses Of India

Winter Olympic Games Calgary '88, Guinea-Bissau

Sunday stamps theme for this week is sports, and the first idea I had for posting is this recently acquired souvenir sheet - bobsleigh has always been one of my favourite winter sports, maybe I was even watching it back in 1988 during Winter Olympic Games in Calgary, I definitely remember watching the games. Not sure which team this is, but the Golden Medal was taken by the former Soviet Union.

More sporty stamps here:

Thangka Souvenir Sheet

Here is one of the most impressive covers that landed in my mailbox, like, ever :) For my mini-sheet group Wong sent me this recent issue representing Thangka - a Tibetan-style scroll painting on cotton, silk or paper, which is painted or embroidered. This envelope is C5 size (app 23x16cm) so you see this sheet is not exactly 'mini' :) the special postmark is so fine, I wish I'd be able to send something similar one day; I've sent my first special postmarks last week and yet they didn't look nearly as neat. Croatian Post, learn from China..!

Beauty Of Orchids, Czech Republic

Now I have posted this some days ago, but today's theme for Sunday Stamps is flowers and I have no other cover to show here on this topic...and quite honestly, I think this one deserves some more attention ;)

This souvenir sheet on orchids was issued in 2012, when the Czech Orchid Society ("Ceská orchidejárská spolecnost") celebrated its 125. anniversary. Altogether 18 species are shown, but let me point out the four that adorn the actual stamps:

*10 Kc a Dendrobium peguanum is shown which can be found in Nepal, India and Myanmar. She was named after the town Pegu in Myanmar.

*14 Kc you can see a Coryanthes feildingii, whose biotopes are the wet forests from Mexico to Brazil.

*18 Kc two different orchids are shown. On the one hand there is a Cattleya aclandiae which can be found only in Brazil, the other a Cattleya maxima with her large blossoms (maxima) whose biotopes are in Columbia, Ecuador, Brazil and Amazonia.

*20 Kc we even see three species of Paphiopedilum - the Paphiopedilum charlesworthii from Myanmar, Thailand and SW-China; the very hirsute or scrubby (hirsutissimum) looking Paphiopedilum hirsutissimum grows in NE-India and Myanmar. The glorious (insigne) Paphiopedilum insigne is native in NE-India.

Now let me enlarge for a better view:

Year Of The Horse, China

This is actually a lot more than a YOTH cover, including an additional horse stamp and a fantastic sheet, but I haven't been able to recognise what it represents. Just wonderful, thank you Chao :)

 

World Stamp Championship Mini-Sheets, Indonesia

There is really not much more I could desire in a cover! My favourite theme of fauna, especially a lizard (komodo dragon) and an endangered species (Javan rhinoceros), and that in a form of a mini-sheet, supplemented with MORE fauna stamps. AND the first cover has the 11-12-13-14 cancellation. I wish I could provide such perfect covers for my friends, thanks so much Juned!

The Orchids Of Peru

Another mini-sheet that I wanted to share is this flowery set from Peru issued in 2010, showing four types of orchids that can be found on this country's soil. I wish to see them 'in person' one day...

Amazon Alive

I just realised that I have a few mini-sheets that fit the se-tenant category :) I have only now spotted that Royal Mail issued this set as Europa stamps for the 2011 theme International Year Of Forest. I just love the brightness of colours! And the message that reminds us how important the Amazon Forest is for our planet...

Palestine Authority Mini-Sheets

This week I break from the habit and post the stamps alone - I am fairly new to collecting covers but I've been collecting stamps ever since I was a kid and have a reasonable collection in about a dozen albums :)

When I read that mini-sheets will be this week's topic on Sunday Stamps, I remembered my favourites and took a photo with my mobile (as I don't have a scanner at home, I hope you will forgive the irregularity!): I visited Bethlehem almost four years ago, the Post Office was nearby and I went a little beserk heh, I found so many beautiful stamps and the man working there was superfriendly! It must be one of my favourite 'postal moments' :))

Some stamps I've sent on postcards, this lot found its place in an album. The first mini-sheet was issued for xmas 1996 and shows the Nativity Scene. The second one,  Worship Of The Virgin Mary, is from 2004. The cacti under title Living Reservoirs are from 2003, and the sheets from 1998 show a representation of a Semitic Lord called Baal, and the last one of the admission of Palestine Authority to UN. 

You can see some fantastic mini-sheets on various blogs via the link below ;)

Wild Asses, India

How awesome is this cover??!! I am over the moon :))) This is a recent issue showing Kiang (the largest of the wild asses native to the Tibetan Plateau) and Khur (Indian wild ass, a subspecies of the onager native to Southern Asia). Thank you so SO much Saujanya xD

Bob Marley, Jamaica

I have been wanting this stamp for years - and Pat made it a reality, with the whole sheet! Thanks so much :)

Postojnska Jama, Slovenia

Postojnska Jama or Postojna Cave on a fantastic mini-sheet from Slovenia, thank you Mateja :)

Calgary Stampede, Canada

This was an absolute surprise in my mailbox from dear Bryon! Amazing mini-sheet, thanks so much :)) This issue from 2012 celebrates the 100th anniversary of Calgary Stampede, an annual rodeo, exhibition and festival held every July and lasting 10 days. Must be a fun event :)

Horses Of India

Another great cover for the animal group, representing four Indian horse breeds. Issued in 2009. Additional stamp is from the series 'Personalities', with Surendranath Jauhar. There is also a special sparrow cancellation, to raise the awareness that this little bird is actually not as common as it used to be...Thanks Sauj! :)