Saguaro Sunset

Card #: US-1143868
From: bluprizm
Origin: Arizona, US
Caption: "The majestic Saguaro cactus soars against a dramatic desert sunset. The Saguaro cactus blossom is the Arizona state flower."

Note: "Hello from Chandler, AZ. I live in the Sonoran Desert, surrounded by mountains. It is quite beautiful. Wishing you all the best. Stephanie"

Incidentally, Christian artist Chris Machen has a song titled "Arizona Sunset" on his album, Mercy. The song is embeded below for your enjoyment.

Whopper

At some point, mail goes from postcard to poster sized. This one is  up there. Shaped and a state collage, it's also a favorite.

Card #: US-1136671
From: VuMastr
Origin: Florida, US
Caption: Tropical Florida

Note: "Hello from Florida! This card had the most animals on it, so I hope you like it. We have two dogs and four rabbits, but two black racer snakes live in our back yard. If you look on the map on the front, we live in Orlando, right where the Space Shuttel is pointing. It is about 30 minutes to the beach and 20 minutes to Disney World. :) Bill"

Port-abel Lighthouse

Well, that is the first thing my mind read on the back of the card.

Card #: US-1130099
From: tigger_2005
Origin: Texas, US
Caption: "Port Isabel Lighthouse South Padre Island, Texas--The Port Isabel Lighthouse was constructed in1852. Its light was extinguished in 1905 when the emergence of railroads decreased the amount of commercial shipping. Dedicated as a state park in 1952, this historic landmark became a popular tourist attraction."

Note: "Howdy from Texas! I hope you enjoy this card of a Texas sunset. I live about 6 hours from the coast, but we try to go in the summer. Blessed Be! Jessica"

Who You Callin' "Chick"?

Card #: NL-651090
From: Inkeltje
Origin: Netherlands
Note: "Hello J, This card comes from Ruinen_Hdland. Im a mom of 2 teenagers, married and we love to travel, to make pictures, to be creative, and we love the nature. Hope you like this "chick'. Happy postcrossing. Inge"

Stamps: See? We're not the only ones with boring stamps.

Deep in the Heart

In our continuing efforts to infect you with the same viral songs that we suffer from, we start you off with this:

Card #: US-1125309
From: arguendoanddixi
Origin: Texas, US
Caption: "Austin is the state capitol of Texas. In the distance, the city lights of Austin shine."

Note: "J, Greetings from Austin, TX! We are both native Texans & have lived in Austin for over 20 years. The skyline of Austin has actually changed some, but is still a beautiful place. Clayton & Stacey"

Feng Shui Diesel

I never knew that a locomotive could be aesthetically pleasing until J received this next card.

Card #: TW-299442
From: Kara-Lee
Origin: Taiwan
Caption: "the four seasons of Alishan"

Note: "Ni hao. It means "Hi" :) How are you? The weather in Taiwan is getting warmer and warmer. Have you ever been to or heard Taiwan before? It's a beautiful island in the Pacific. There are many kinds of food and snacks. Maybe you can visit Taiwan oneday. It'll be a lot of fun! Happy Postcrossing!"

Stamps: Calliandra emarginata (pink powderpuff) and Delonix regia

Oh, Give Me a Home...

Yet another ear worm invoking card.

Card #: US-1120814
From: Sammiegirl
Origin: South Dakota, US
Caption: "Where the Buffalo roam (♪ ♫)--From the Black Hills around Mount Rushmore, with their clear mountain lakes, to the rich prairie grasslands at the edges of the Badlands, today Bison abound in South Dakota!"

Note: "Hello from South Dakota!"

Eastern Cottontail

Card #: US-1114252
From: pookiebear
Origin: Illinois, US

Note: "Hello, J, I live in Illinois also. I live in a small town of about 1700 people. I love it here. Its near the Mississippi River. I love sending postcards. I hope you will enjoy this little rabbit. He was looking for a good home like yours. Take, friends from Illinois, Judy--I got one cat 'Annie Jo' "

No tattoo on this one.

The Maine Thing

Card #: US-1103657
From: Saturn_Dreaming
Origin: Maine, US
Caption: " Maine facts--Maine-"Pine Tree State"; Capital-Augusta-Area-33,125 sq. miles; Population-"1990" 1,227,928; Motto-"Dirigo" I direct; Flower-Pine Cone; Animal-MOOSE!; Cat-Maine Coon; insect-Honeybee; bird-Chickadee; tree-Eastern White Pine; 23rd State admitted to the Union (how funny that the postcard is printed in Italy!)

Note: "Hello, J, Greetings from Maine. It is great that you live on a farm. I live in a city are and would like to live near more farms. I would love to see all the animals. I have three cats but it would be great to have more. Happy Postcrossing!"

Stamps: US forever pinecones (of course!), but more interesting are the moose and bear holographic stickers (which don't scan well).

I love these fun collage cards (I'm sure there is an official name for this style, but I don't know it. TG?). I'm hoping that someday J will have one from every state.

Shuttle Launch

We interrupt this broadcast (of postcards) to bring you the latest news from the crafting frontier....

 After many, many, many,.....many attempts at learning how to tat with a shuttle, I am pleased as punch to announce that I may finally have it figured out. Thanks to Karen Cabrera and her wonderful instructional videos! The above bookmark is my first real completed piece. Not a needle stitch on it, I am happy to say.

 And in keeping with M's declaration that this is "the Summer of Dragons", I have needle tatted a couple of dragons. The "pestystings" (reference to the How to Train Your Dragon audio books), is Anne Bruvold's "Ringtrim--a microdragon" pattern. Her flying Minor Norwegian Dragon is also in the works, but only after M goes to bed. Shhh! It's a secret!

Next is a rainbow version of Martha Ess' Paprika the dragon.

And finally, just because I had to:

A Netherland Dwarf doodle, complete with visual pattern. =:)

Hallo!

Card #: NL-612394
From: Pinkapple
Origin: Netherlands

Note: "Hello, How are you? I'm Johanna from the Netherlands. I bought this card at Hema, typically Dutch! The spring is just started, so it's lovely weather here. Wish you all the best. Regards, Pinkapple."

I must have goofed with this card. There is no stamp or address on it, so it had to have come in an envelope, which I can't find. :( However, if you stare at the card long enough, it starts moving.

Fluffy

Card #: DE-901380
From: Krimhild
Origin: Germany

Caption: No caption, but J noticed the ear tattoo on this bunny. Don't know if it's masquerading as a wild rabbit or not, but I was impressed that she caught it. In spite of pretending to ignore what goes on in our own rabbitry, she is paying attention.

Note: "Hello, J! Many greetings to you from Germany. My name is Gundula, I'm 43 years old. We have 3 children: my daughter Nele is 16, her brothers Till and Jonas are 14 and 13. I work as a teacher. My hobbies are reading and sports."

Stamps: Stone Bridge in Regensburg and Tagetes (Marigold)

Another Rescue

We received another call from the Chicago Bird Collision Monitors hotline yesterday.* So we packed up the equipment and headed to Morris to pick up a downed owl. This was our second owl for this summer.

The first was a Barred Owl in a backyard in Yorkville. It was an easy capture and delivery. The bird had neurological damage and could not be released, but was going to become part of a live display at Willowbrook or another similar wildlife center. Maybe the girls and I will get to go see it soon.

Yesterday's call was for a young Great Horned Owl at a residence in the country. The yard was fantastic habitat for owls with a stream, pond and lots of huge old Oak trees. I really hope the owl can go back there when it gets all fixed up, but it didn't offer much resistance, which isn't a good sign. Hopefully we'll have news some time next week. Aren't those eyes amazing? It was a little unnerving to have it swivel it's head to watch my every move.

*Have I ever posted about this before? If I haven't, the short version is that a friend (the same one that decided we needed a snake) talked us into joining the trained responders for CBCM. If there is a downed bird in my county, people call the hotline and then I get a call to go pick it up and relay it to the Willowbrook Wildlife Center, where it can be evaluated for treatment. We are the only responders in our county, and since we are so far from Chicago, there aren't too many calls. So far, all of the calls have been for large birds of prey and geese (which we don't usually waste gas money on, unless it is putting people in danger).
We missed getting to go after a Turkey Vulture while I was in CA. Fall migration is coming though, so we'll see what happens.

Nice Kitty.

Card #: US-1046468
From: Sim1
Origin: California, US
Caption: "Mountain Lion, also known as cougars and pumas, mountain lions are large, slender cats with a muscular body, large paws and a coat that ranges in color from pale brown to light tawny, and a tail that is half the length of its head and body. They are predatory and carnivorous. Their main prey are deer, but they also survive on a variety of other prey including raccoons, small rodents, birds and fish."

Note: "I like animals too--it must be nice to have so many animals. I miss having pets at my parents house (I have an apartment, but the cats went to college with my sister :). Hope you like this big cat! Simone"
(*I wonder what the cats' GPA is?)

Shaping Up

Card #: FI-1071187
From: Tan_ja2
Origin: Finland

Note: "Hi! Greetings from Finland and Turku, the oldest town in Finland. Turku is more than 800 years old. My name is Tanja. Happy Postcrossing!"

Stamp: Aurora Borealis

I'm not sure if you can tell from the photo, but this postcard is cut out around the kittens head. Shaped cards are cool!

A Rose by the name of William

Card #: DE-889217
From: Ostbeveraner
Origin: Germany

Caption: "William Morris" (which, I am assuming--okay, I googled it--is the name of this particular cultivar of English Rose)

Note: "Dear J, my name is Ansger & I write from spring Germany. I hope you like my card & my stamps on it (we do). I live in a little city where 10,000 people live & I like it. The internet is great, too, so I can surf "to all cities of the world. You know? Wish you a nice day & happy PC.

Stamps: Tulip & the Air Element