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| Reminder: Daylight "Saving" Time begins tomorrow morning at 2:00 AM (March 9, 2025) in USA |
100 years ago there were no smartphones to check for accurate time. At that time, the most accurate time was provided by Western Union Time Service. This little folder (cover image above) was issued to advertise their service to banks, stores, and offices. How did they know the exact time? They got it from the United States Naval Observatory, where a telescope was used to track time by looking at the stars. How did they get time from the stars? By measuring the time it takes for the Earth to rotate exactly once a period of 24 hours could be determined precisely. (I know, if you're a Flat-Earther this is problematic, but just go with the Earth is round this time. 😉) What does all this have to do with Western Union? Once accurate time was determined at the Naval Observatory a signal was sent daily over the Western Union Telegraph System to update clocks all across the nation.
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| Click on image for larger image ... possibly readable. |
Learning Table Manners, postcard from 1939 ...
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| An old postcard from my collection. This one is titled "Learning Table Manners" |
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| Postmarked July 17, 1939 To Mrs Lucy Graves, PO Box 94, LeMoille Illinois no ZIP code 😉 |
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| Ok, I flipped the card so you can read the message. I love the way J. E. Stelzer signed the card with his nickname "BROMO" as in Bromo-Seltzer ... a headache remedy invented in 1888. |
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| I love the title and description. Enjoy more critters at Saturday's Critters! |
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| Same Daffodils, different days. A little over a month from breaking ground to bloom. [Click on image for larger view.] |
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| Nature makes an ordinary traffic circle look pretty good. |
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| 10 Stamps Wonderland Series 7 |
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| Clockwise from top left: In the Heart of the Cascade Range At Canon Beach Near Astoria, Oregon On the Summit of Mt Hood, Oregon 11,225 Feet High A Glimpse of the Columbia River |
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| Clockwise from top left: Mt Rainier Wash 14,408 Feet High From the Summit of Mt Spokane The Gallatin River Montana Sport on a Mountain Trout Stream The Celilo Falls Columbia River Green River, Cascade Range Wash |
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| March 5 - Clouds and Sun near sunset looking across Puget Sound to the Olympic Mountains |
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| Another March 5 capture after sunset. The thing that interested me ... the shadows of the rain falling from clouds in the distance. The Chopper was a happy coincidence. 😊 |
This week's question ...
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| By Richard Paul Evans |
Hello John,
ReplyDeleteAre there still people that think the earth is flat, maybe the same people do not believe about the moon landing. I like the cute bear postcard. Great stamp collection, I have been to most of the places. I loved Cannon Beach, Mt Hood, the Cascades NP, Mt Rainier NP, all along the Columbia River. They were all some of my favorite places to visit. Beautiful sky captures! Thank you for linking up and sharing your critter post. Take care, have a great weekend. PS, thank you for leaving me a comment. I know google is following me all around the internet, there are so many ads. Thank you for linking up and sharing your critter post. Take care, have a great weekend. PS, thank you for leaving me a comment.
I always enjoy my visits and look forward to seeing that you're posted. Your posts are mini Americana history lessons and always interesting.
ReplyDeleteMy Daffodils are just starting to poke through the ground. I planted some last Fall for the first time, because the tulips that I planted out by my fence near the road were all (almost all) eaten by gophers. Those little rascals are not suppose to eat daffodils. They must be afraid to come up near the house because the tulips planted there were not disturbed. I'm so grateful for that:)
Thank you again for another wonderful post.
Connie :)
...during the part of the year when we have more hours of sunlight, I enjoy DLST. The opposite is true when we fewer hours of sunlight. If bears can learn table manners, why can't some humans learn? On March 8, our daffodils are up but not as much as your on January 31. Wonderland Series 7 is wonderful. Keep looking up at the beautiful sky. Yep, Fisher wouldn't be interested in your $1! Make you statement count! Thanks John.
ReplyDeleteTom, just wanted to let you know you are exactly right. Fischer would not be interested in my $1. I deleted the word "Million" ... it just seemed like a lot. Thanks for stopping by and your comment! John
DeleteNice to see the daffodils. None around here yet, we got more snow today.
ReplyDeleteAs always, I enjoy your posts so much. And I'm glad someone else figured out what you changed in that one bit. I am truly happy to be one of your followers. I always learn something and am entertained as well.
ReplyDeleteI love the lengthening hours of daylight this time of year. Now if the snow was done…
ReplyDeleteThe postcards are interesting. I would like to have kept ones we received over the years. Too late!
What a fascinating mix of history, nature, and collectibles! I never knew Western Union played such a big role in keeping time synchronized across the country—what an incredible system before the digital age. Also, those daffodil photos are a beautiful reminder that spring is on its way. And I love the old postcard—BROMO is such a fun signature! Thanks for sharing these treasures, John!😊
ReplyDeleteWhat a fascinating mix of history, nature, and humor! The daffodil collage and sunset photos are beautiful.
ReplyDeleteJohn, you've been saving many topics for this post. I like the explanation of how accurate time was calculated and communicated. When I was a child on the farm in the forties, the clock would sometimes stop when we forgot to wind it. We had to phone the neighbors to get the time. Radios improved things when they gave the time between programs.
ReplyDeleteGood morning, John: When your name pops up in my reading list I know that there will be an interesting post. True to form you have given us one again. I think that most of the flat earthers are now in Washington so they can all be confused together! That’s their default condition, in fact. I can only begin to imagine the incredible collection of interesting artefacts you have and it’s always a delight when you bring them out to share with us. Have a great day and don’t forget to advance your clock by an hour. And you know how to make sure it’s accurate!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful blog. We have the same flowers here. Greets
ReplyDeleteIs it the 1 dollar! heehee! We sure could have had more money when we retired if we had invested more. But silly me....I used every dollar bill for food and clothing! haha! But I am thankful that I could at least afford to retire. Many my age are still working. I love the postcards and stamps this week. Hugs, Diane
ReplyDeleteI have the bears Table Manners postcard too. No message to read though, and that's the fun part of vintage and antique postcards! My daffodils (of which I only have Tete-a-Tete) are blooming now. My flowers are mostly a full month later than last year. Last year the fruit trees were already blooming. If I had to guess what you changed, it would be the price. $1 is what I'd find in my old, old magazines!
ReplyDeleteHey John !
ReplyDeleteI found the earlier time figuring details quite awesome honestly 🤗
I appreciate how authorities put effort so people can learn about correct time. Bravo for this 👍
Looking at daffodils is such an joy 😍
Spring reflects the beautiful aspect of the crucial fact when earth and sun are exactly in right balanced distance which makes everything express its joy ,blooms are one part of that expression 🤗
The sunset are enchanting as always 🥰
I always love to observe these beautiful post cards honestly because they provide a peek into how natural beauty was advertised back then or other topics were presented with aestheticism ♥️
Sorry for I couldn’t locate the modification in the add you shared 😅
Sending you heartfelt best wishes and blessings 🙏
I remember as a kid that there was a number we could dial to get the correct time but I can't remember the number. You probably know...
ReplyDeleteMy daffodils are just poking their leaves through the soil now.
I knew it was the $1 in that ad! Enjoyed your interesting post!
Hello John
ReplyDeleteIt's always so nice to see daffodils, there are quite a few now blooming in many gardens in the UK. I also have some in a vase which a friend gave me recently ... they are so cheerful looking.
Beautiful skies too, and how lovely to capture the chopper as well.
Enjoy your days, keep well.
My good wishes.
All the best Jan
Learning table manners - that is such a great card, John! I guess that bears have better table manners than some humans! Where do you find those cards? Do you look in thrift stores or at fleamarkets or...? Anyway, I think it's a wonderful find, and so are those lovely stamps. I recognized Haystack at Cannon Beach at once, but was glad that you told us what the other images are. Beautiful daffodils - good idea to take a picture of the same ones at different times. Daffodils here are put and I enjoy them on the way to the mailbox or the market. Have a good weekend, hugs - Carola
ReplyDeleteHello John -- thank you for sharing your postcard collection and great information as well as the beauty of Seattle and the great PNW~ especially the daffodils, my favorite flower and thinking of them always makes me homesick this time of year (when we're in Florida where there are none)...... I want to thank you for your kind emails as well during my self-imposed blogging absence. I'm honored that you enjoyed reading my posts and I'm glad to be back. Thank you for all you do.
ReplyDeletePS: I'm pretty sure that you changed the amount the investors need to retire. That wasn't even enough way back in the dark ages when we were able to quit our jobs ;>)
ReplyDeleteHello John :)
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing more of your vintage stamp collection, the scenic views are wonderful. I like the bear postcard, but am not familiar with the retirement add, so don't know how you altered the dog's image. My daffodils came out at the end of February and have now finished but I enjoyed the bright yellow flowers whilst they lasted. Learning about time and how it was achieved and distributed
was very interesting. Thank you John for a very enjoyable read, and also for your beautiful photos of the skies
All the best
Sonjia..
Me gusto la foto de la niebla y la de los osos, Te mando un beso.
ReplyDeleteSuch a wonderful blog, John! I really enjoyed it – especially the sky photos, but also everything else. Thank you for your diverse and inspiring posts! 😊📸☀️
ReplyDeleteUsing the stars is pretty amazing. It's wild to think of the telegraph system carrying the time signal. Spring is definitely daffodil time. They're such cheerful flowers. I like the vintage stamps as always, John. Brings me back to that time when post mails is what we use to communicate. Oh, I'm showing my age.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful. My parents are born in 1939. I like the old stamps. Thank you for visiting my blog. Have a nice week. Greets from the Netherlands
ReplyDeleteHello John,
ReplyDeleteFlat Earthers, lol, these crazy people
really do spring up all over the world.
Daffodils are on my list of favorites;
I don't know if it's because of the Greek tale or because I really like them.
The bear seal is cute.
I loved the heavens and the last quote!
Thanks for your visit and comment. The suggestion you gave about having tea was mentioned there too; sometimes it's the translation of the intention that gets lost in another language, but I'm glad that
we can exchange ideas, and most of the context is understood.
Your interactions and suggestions are always welcome.
Have a good week.
Janice.
I John, I just love those yellow flowers—and that ‘Learning Table Manners’ postcard from 1939 is such a gem! So charming.
ReplyDeleteThis was such an enjoyable mix of history, nature, and nostalgia. I love how you weave together old postcards, timekeeping history, and seasonal beauty—it makes for a charming and thoughtful read.
ReplyDelete