John's Island

Saturday, March 7, 2015

Spring Forward Tonight [Bronco Bustin' 1908]

Excuse us, but we were trying to find SOMETHING to remind our friends here in the USA and Canada that tonight is the night to SPRING FORWARD! Welcome to Daylight Saving Time!

From our collection of old postcards ....

Ralph sent this card to his Sister in 1908, which we surmise not by the postmark but by the date he wrote on the card. "Broncho Busting" published by Detroit Publishing Company and Copyright 1904 by C. A. Kendrick. Card number 9243.

If you are on a cruise ship tonight you might find one of these cards on your pillow when you return to your stateroom from dinner ... they may also give you one of these when crossing a time zone and losing an hour.

Thank you for stopping by John's Island

Friday, March 6, 2015

Early March Skies and More

Early March in the Emerald City ...

Sunset over Puget Sound
March 2

Daffs are in bloom

Blooms and buds

About ready to bust out

We like blue

Slipping in a bit of last year

Sunset over Puget Sound
March 5

We'll take a break from Birds and Flowers First Day Issues and resume next week. Thank you for stopping by John's Island.

Linking up with Skywatch Friday ... Thanks to the Skywatch hosts! Check out Skywatch for more great sky photos.

Thursday, March 5, 2015

Birds and Flowers - First Day Issues [Part 5]

From our collection ... More birds and flowers ... First Day Issues ... Please be sure to see the introduction, information about artists, and stamps, in our March 1, 2015, post. As you have noticed, we are posting the 50 States in alphabetical order, so if you've missed a state you want to see, please check the earlier posts.

Illinois ...

Indiana ...

Iowa ...

Thanks for all the kind comments on this series and thanks for staying with us even after your State has been posted. :-) Thanks for stopping by John's Island.

Update ... Saw this tweet from @YellowstoneNPS yesterday and had to share ... check out the cool video ... Spring plowing has begun! Hop in the cab with our crews as they clear the road from Norris to Canyon. http://youtu.be/s6gLNuHpKp8

Wednesday, March 4, 2015

Birds and Flowers -- First Day Issues [Part 4]

Hawaii ...

Idaho ...

Thank you for stopping by John's Island.

Tuesday, March 3, 2015

Birds and Flowers -- First Day Issues [Part 3]

From our collection ... More birds and flowers ... First Day Issues ... Please be sure to see the introduction, information about artists, and stamps, in our March 1, 2015, post. As you have noticed, we are posting the 50 States in alphabetical order, so if you've missed a state you want to see, please check the earlier posts.

Connecticut ...

Deleware ...

Florida ...

Thank you for so many kind comments on this series. We love birds and flowers so these images are some of our favorites as well.

Answering your questions: Several of you asked about our move and if we would move back when the remodel is complete. The answer depends on several things that are all uncertain at this time ... How much the changes will affect the style of the space ... How much the leasing rates will increase ... And, how much we recuperate from the move last week to be ready for another one in 18 to 24 months! : - )

Thank you for stopping by John's Island.

Monday, March 2, 2015

Birds and Flowers -- First Day Issues [Part 2]

From our collection ... More birds and flowers ... First Day Issues ... Please be sure to see the introduction, information about artists, and stamps, in our March 1, 2015, post.

Arkansas ...

California ...

Colorado ...

More first day issues in a future post. Thank you for stopping by John's Island. For those of you who wondered why no posts last week ... We were moving! We had to vacate our previous location while all 179 units in the highrise building are being remodeled for the next 18 to 24 months.

Sunday, March 1, 2015

Birds and Flowers -- First Day Issues [Part 1]

It's the first day of March, so it seems appropriate ...

Have you heard of what they call "First Day Issues" or "First Day Covers"? For those of us who collect old postcards, this is a slightly different part of postal memorabilia ... it's an envelope with art, stamped and postmarked on the first day the stamp is authorized by the United States Postal Service.

Here is one to get us started: Alabama ...

A First Day Cover celebrates something ... in this case, the official bird and flower of Alabama ... Yellowhammer and Camellia. The "cover" is actually an envelope that is stamped and postmarked on the first day the stamp is authorized for use. The artist, Mr. Chuck Ripper, did the illustration on the left side of the envelope. Postal stamp designers, Arthur and Alan Singer, created the USPS stamp. For this special collection of all 50 states the "first day of issue" was April 14, 1982. We will post the entire collection for you ... a little bit at a time.

Enlargment of the art ... created by Chuck Ripper ...