Nasty and Nice Dragons

2015: Dragons (Illustrations - Adrian Chesterman)

On the left, a dragon who hoards gold and destroys people and homes. The hero of this Old English epic poem, Beowulf, goes to kill  the dragon but it will be his last fight,  Knowing he is going to die when the dragon's lethal venom runs through his veins he makes one final effort and kills it, thus good vanquishes evil. On the right St George was luckier for he kills a wicked dragon, rescues the princess and lives to tell the tale.

2024: Year of the Dragon (Illustrator - Professor Jo Davies)

Dragons can also be a force for good.  The Pearl, Yellow, Long and Black dragons try to help the people suffering from drought. The uncaring Jade Emperor is the baddy in this story.

The FDC cover comes with a pretty insert which includes the story... 

Sunday Stamps theme this week is - Dragons/Saints - at See It On A Postcard

Up Hill

 See It On A Postcard's Thursday Postcard Hunt is in search of pedal power

Victorian Advertisement

The bicycle opening up a whole new world.  The road sign says "Caution to Cyclists. This hill is dangerous".  Nothing like a dangerous woman.

Rudge were one of the early bicycle manufacturers and after Daniel Rudge's early death it merged with Whitworth Cycles in 1894.  The card says on the back "In an age when bicycles were heavy, the Rudge-Whitworth looks effortless to use, which must have been very appealing".  Fast forward to the 20th Century and in 1938 Rudge-Whitworth sponsored  Billie Fleming who set the women's record for the greatest distance cycled in a year

Brown's Cycle Works, Dale End, Ironbridge 1900-1920

If this is like most independent bike shops there will be an Aladdin's cave of bikes and equipment crammed inside - the sign advertises repairs, accessories and bespoke bicycles made to order.

Marco Pantini, Tour de France 1998

A very different bike with Pantini (nickname The Pirate) dancing on the pedals

whereas this card says "It does not matter who rides and who pedals. The main thing is to get it rolling".

Tour de France

Keeping it rolling (and breathing) up hill

Tree Time

2011: Europa - The Forest (Design - Alan Johnston)

 Time to take a walk in the woods

1990: Forests (Design - Malcom Waddell, foliage illustration Jan Waddell)

and look at the leaves

2007: 100th Anniversary of Reforestation (Design - O Petursson)

A birch branch and

Sorbus aucuparia

the leaves of the Rowan or Mountain ash, in folklore known as a tree of protection

1979: Forest Fruits and Nuts

Any time of year there is always something to entrance

40: Larch, and its pink 'larch rose' 50: Hazel with its tasty nuts 60: Chestnut, irresistible to pick up their nuts from the ground 90: Blackthorn, its spring blossom is one to look for in the hedgerows as it shows where to find sloes in the autumn, essential knowledge if wanting to make sloe gin.

Sunday Stamps theme this week is - Trees and Leaves - See It On A Postcard

Bus Stop

 Thursday Postcard Hunt is in search of Buses, Trams and Taxis and this week I am on the buses

London 1963

and here is one for all the Dr Who fans. How are the Daleks to get on Routemaster bus without disability access? The BBC have put all available Dr Who episodes online and the early appearance of the Daleks feature some great shots of them trundling around London. These evil schemers were such a success that they used them a lot for publicity, meet them here and you will see my card has a cropped photo.

Buses at Buckingham Palace

This postcard was part of a series of view for the 'Picture Postcard Centenary 1894-1994' issued by Mayfair Cards.  The inscription on the back says "Bus services are not normally allowed in the Royal Parks. However in the late 20s Piccadilly was closed to allow a new gas main to be installed and bus routes were diverted past the Palace through St James Park"

Bus Station, 1950's Helsinki

I don't know what time of year this is but the road looks like a skating rink, everything normal to the Finns.  I always like a bus station, people watching and wondering where everyone is going, once I have found out where I am going from.

Bus Station (Artist - Dave Robinson)

Possibly Preston Bus Station which was saved from demolition by a Save the Bus Station campaign.

Here Comes the Sun

 

1996: Child Welfare Week (Design - Takashi Yanase)

A smiling sun arrives, lets jump for joy

1983: Children's Paintings

 

Bu Hua enjoys a sunny day, she calls her painting  "The sun, birds, flowers and Me" 

 

1996: Tourism

 

The golden glow of the sun sparkling on water, time to jump the waves

1980: Nature Conservation (Design - Heinz Schillinger)

 

and feel the warmth of the sun.

Sunday Stamps theme - Sun and Sunny Days - See It On A Postcard

Sail

 See It On A Postcard's Thursday Postcard Hunt for boats or ferries takes me to the days of sail...

The Norwegian Training Ship 'Christian Radich

It says on the back "one of the last square three-masted sailing ships still crossing the oceans".  That statement is still true since this card was sent from Philex France in 1982.  The stamp shows sailors setting the sail on the Christian Radich.

In more testing conditions here we have "Making the sail fast near Cape Horn swaying on the footrope". Photographed by Alan Villiers in 1929 who first went to sea aged 15, described as writer, adventurer photographer and mariner he said  "There is little man has made that approaches anything in nature, but a sailing ship does."

The 'Iquique' by Herbert Barnard John Everett

Another lover of the sea, John Everett,  his first sea journey was working his passage on the Inquique bound for Australia in 1898, a prolific artist of seascapes.

1983: Old Ships on the Faroe Run

 From sail to steam here is the steamship Laura used as a post boat between Denmark, the Faroes and Iceland

London, Midland and Scottish (LMS) Railway Poster

To the calmer waters of Morecambe Bay a steamer heads to the port of Heysham from Northern Island painted by Norman Wilkinson in 1932.  This is the 'other side' of the bay to me.

Happy Easter

 

2014: Easter Surprise

 Time for an Easter egg hunt and our 'bunny' has a variety to choose from

2016: 150th Anniversary of Beatrix Potter's birth

but Benjamin Bunny prefers the lure of vegetables in Mr Gregor's garden and amusing himself by trying on the scarecrow's tam o' shanter hat.

1990: Winter Birds (Design - Wendy Bramall)

The wren will be glad the winter is behind us and is depicted here with rose hips by the Chapel of St Apolline (patron saint of dentists). Appropriately for this Easter season there is a very faded 14th century painting of the last supper inside

Sunday Stamps theme is Chocolate, flowers, eggs and churches - See It On A Postcard