Famous Russians

Julia sent me this card with photos of famous Russians.

Braslau Lakes

Braslau Lakes is one of the four national parks in Belarus. The National Park was set up in September 1995. It is a unique ecosystem with a number of lakes and a large area of pine forests. It has a total area of about 700 km² (270 square miles). This includes 30 lakes. Three largest lakes are Dryvyaty (fifth largest in the country),  Snudy (ninth largest in the country) and Strusta (sixteenth largest in the country).

The territory of the National Park is separate and is in the Braslaw Raion in the northwest of Belarus, near the border with Lithuania. In the north it is adjacent to Belarusian-Latvian border. The park is elongated from southwest to northeast. In this direction it is 55 km (34 miles) long and between 5 km and 29 km (3 to 18 miles) wide. The total area of the park is 69,100 hectares or about 270 square miles. The southern part of the park consists of lowlands covered with forests. Much of the area is occupied by different types of bogs. There are several beautiful forest lakes, including Boginskoye - considered to be one of the most beautiful in the Braslav area. The forests here belong to coniferous-deciduous group, and occupy 31,000 hectares (120 square miles). One can distinguish the following woodlands: Borunsky, Belmont,  Boguinsky,  Druiskaya Dacha. Pine woods and fir woods are widespread.

There is a network of 30 connected large and small lakes, spread over an area of 114 km² (44 square miles). The biggest lakes are Drivyaty, Snudy, Strusto, Voiso, Volosovo, Nedrovo, Nespish, and Berezhe. This group of lakes makes up the core of the Braslav Lakes National Park.

Of the rare species listed in the Belarusian Red Book, the area is the home of the badger, lynx, brown bear, and swan. The swan was almost extinct in this area but now inhabits the Braslav lakes. Other native species include the black stork, common crane, silver seagull, willow grouse, and dunlin. The lakes of Braslav are rich with different kinds of fish. Pike perch, bream, whitebait, tench, whitefish are widespread. Eel is of special value. Also widespread are boar, roe deer, squirrel, brown and white hare, fox, raccoon, wolf, marten, otter, and mink.

Thank you Dear Oksana for this lovely card.

Pineapples in Ciskei

The Pineapple, ananas comosus, was introduced in Southern Africa from Java in about 1660. It is a delicious fruit with a distinctive flavour and a decorative appearance. The cultivation of the plant requires a sub-tropical climate, well-drained sub-soil, regular fertilising and efficient weed control. The Peddie area is Ciskei’s most important pineapple producing region.

The postmark is very appropriately from Peddie a major pineapple producing district. The 8c stamp depicts Spraying of the pineapple fields. Mobile boom sprayers were used for the application of herbicides, fungicides and insecticides, as well as fertilisers and growth regulators.

The pineapple fruit consists of more than 100 small coalescent berry like fruit on a central axis. It is cone shaped and owes its name to its superficial resemblance to a pine-cone. Pineapple production in Ciskei is mainly concentrated on the large, juicy Cayenne variety, which were then sent to the canneries and juice factories in the Eastern Cape. Pineapples are packed in cartons for the local fresh fruit market. They are much in demand for their flavour, as well for the valuable vitamins, minerals and fruit-sugar they contain.

Thank you Maria.

Powerlifter Kenneth ”Kenta” Sandvik

One of Åland’s largest export items, physically speaking, powerlifter Kenta Sandvik, now adorns an Åland stamp for the first time. Photographer Daniel Eriksson tagged along to the gym, Kenta’s home turf. 

About 20 years ago, Kenneth ”Kenta” Sandvik first slunk into the gym behind a friend who was more comfortable in the gym. Today, he competes in 8 to 10 competitions every year. He has seven world and six European championship medals on his shelf and has a place in the International Powerlifting Federations Hall of Fame. 

“I began to compete to stay motivated. And I aimed at not always ending up last,” Kenta Sandvik says. 

He has now been competing since 2001. At close to 40, he sees no reason to scale down or put down his barbells.

“I still find it stimulating and I enjoy the strong sense of fellowship in our club. The only thing that could make me want to quit is if I hurt myself or lose the incentive.” 

For the sake of the anecdote, we should let you know that Kenta Sandvik works for Åland Post. Therefore, we are likely to have the strongest mail carrier in the world working for us. 

Thank you Ella.

Summer Cat

Buoyant, energetic, sly and pleasure seeking. Ammi Krogius’ animals always have human qualities. On this year’s summer stamp, Ammi has featured a cat with a fishing rod, fishing for dinner. 

"This motif came out of a sensation of sitting on a rock, angling. I was thinking of how much I enjoy the Åland archipelago”, Ammi explains.

Ammi Krogius is a trained ceramist and, together with her husband, she previously ran a pottery for 25 years in Provence. Since 1999, however, she resides in Mariehamn, and the animals that previously took form in clay can now be seen in her paintings.

"I find it difficult to limn people. Instead, I feature animals and give them human qualities,” Ammi explains. She sees her style as somewhat naïve and finds inspiration using her own imagination.“I want my paintings to tell a story, but it must be a positive story, not a sad one. This time, I chose a cat; I like cats. They are bon vivants, sly and wise, indeed, many of their qualities remind very much of us.”

Thank you Ella, for this lovely maxicard from Aland.

Bellflower

It took him several weeks to find the perfect nettle-leaved bellflower to photograph for this year’s SEPAC stamps. 

Photographer Andy Horner spent quite some time in a ditch before he could catch it in ultimate lighting.
Finding the perfect nettle-leaved bellflower was not so easy. This type of bellflower is not very common in Åland and it grows in shady deciduous forests, not exactly the ideal environment to shoot this towering flower without any shadows and against a clean background. Nature photographer Andy Horner was on the lookout for weeks. 

Nettle-leaved bellflower belongs to the family Campanulaceae. In Åland, we find some 15 species. Its square stem and serrated leaves resemble those of the nettle, hence the name. The Latin name Campanula trachelium derives from campa meaning bell and trachelium meaning throat. The herb was formerly used to treat sore throat.
Andy Horner’s search for the right bell continued, from the car, when bicycling and walking.
“And I got lucky! On a warm evening walk in high summer my wife spotted a beautiful specimen”, Andy Horner smiles.
And there it was, in a ditch. In the light of the low evening sun, surrounded by buzzing bees. In the following days, Andy returned to the flower several times to catch the various types of light.

“When I later, in the autumn, passed by its black withered stem, it reminded me of summer. I’m very pleased that this specific flower has been immortalized on an Åland stamp”, Andy Horner says. 

Thank you Dear Ella for this lovely maxicard with the bellflower.

Spring Flowers

It would not be spring without a flower stamp. This year's stamp depicts a viola. Illustrated by Leena Airikkala, the 1st class Bunch of Violas stamp will be published in a sheet of ten stamps. The plant theme is familiar to Airikkala. Her Apple Blossom stamp was selected as the most beautiful Finnish stamp in 2005. 

Thank you Dear Ella for this lovely maxicard.