Via Airmail

Sunset: Alberta, Canada

This striking photo is of the sunset in Alberta, Canada.  I've yet to travel to Canada, but the more I see and the more books I read, makes me want to travel there someday soon.  A few interesting facts about Alberta:  It is one of only two provinces which are landlocked, is one of three provinces to border only a single US state (Montana), and it was named after Queen Victoria's fourth daughter--Princess Louise Caroline Alberta.

I think these little guys must be from the Baby Wildlife series.

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Postcrossing card #88

Year of the Tiger, 2010

This is a commemorative postcard from Canada celebrating the Chinese New Year, Year of the Tiger, in 2010.  It's a postage paid card with the stamp being a detail of the illustration--the tiger sculpture in the foreground. 

I love this design--it's quite an attractive and unusual illustration!

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Postcrossing card #87

Cezanne in Provence

I've read that French painter Paul Cézanne is the bridge between late 19th century Impressionism and Cubism of the early 20th century.  "The Gardener Valltier" painted in 1905-06 feels far more modern than Impressionistic to me.  I'd not seen this painting before and am always happy to get a new art card to add to my collection. 

The stamps include another from their Beneficial Insect series and a White Tailed Deer that is paired with the Atlantic Walrus from their Wildlife series.

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Postcrossing card #64

O Canada: Country Map

Isn't this a great map card of Canada?  It's actually slightly oversize so I had to shrink it down a little to fit here, but the details up close are very cool.  Did you know that in terms of total area Canada is the second largest country after Russia?  There are ten provinces and three territories, and I'd love to collect map cards of all of them eventually.  It's my third country map, but only two of them show the entire country.  I've never been to Canada, but I (of course) want to go.  Would love to see Vancouver (have heard it is a gorgeous, very cosmopolitan city--plus it is on the coast) Quebec, Newfoundland and Nova Scotia (oh and Prince Edward Island, too!).  Someday!

The stamp is from the Baby Wildlife series.  Definitely one of those aww, how cute stamps!

Cool Canadian Stamps

I recently bought a few postcard off eBay (am cautious of repeating that experience as I have found the postcards there to be overpriced . . . ), and the seller, who is Canadian, sent them in a mailer with these lovely stamps.

The stamp on the left is in honor of the Lunar New Year 2011, Year of the Rabbit.  I couldn't find the stamps on the right, but they might be part of their Beneficial Insects series as they are very similar in design.

I've gotten very few postcards from any Canadian Postcrossers (or postcard swappers), but maybe I'll eventually get one comemorating the anniversary of the Titanic (though then again maybe not as those are domestic stamps).

They're quite nice and somehow even managed to miss the cancelation mark, which means you can actually see the picture on the stamp!

To see more Sunday stamps check out Viridian's Postcard Blog and follow the links.

Art Deco Detail

Love this card.  It is a detail from the Supreme Court of Canada in Ottawa.   The stamp matches (it is already pre-printed on the card).  According to the Canadian Postcrosser who sent it, Art Déco was a series issued in 2011 by Canada Post.  You can read more about them here.

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Postcrossing card #5