Taiwan

USA – Howard Chandler Christy

Born in 1873, Howard Chandler Christy was just 22 when the first "Christy Girl" was published in the November, 1895 issue of The Century magazine. Actually, he produced four images for the story, The Tragedy of the Comedy, by Chester Bailey Fernald (who?) and they depicted five women and little else. Like his contemporaries, W.T. Benda, Franklin Booth, Frank Craig, Harrison Fisher, and J.C. Leyendecker, he was a young artist in New York at a time when the magazines of the day were clamoring for images.

The patriotism he displayed in the Spanish-American war was rekindled during WWI. He drew upon that fervor and his tremendous talent to create posters for the war effort. Among the most popular were his Red Cross and Navy images, both featuring the famous Christy Girl. A lesser-known, similar image appeared in the 1921 Naval Academy yearbook. Mary Jones send me this card, with the picture that was so popular during WWII.

Cyprus- boat

Lovers of ships and boats are bound to love this little boat. It may differ slightly from the traditional ;-)), but this tree bark boat looks definitely sea-worthy. Merja thanks.

USA – Mount Rainier

Mount Rainier is a massive stratovolcano located 54 miles (87 km) southeast of Seattle, United States. It is the most prominent mountain in the contiguous United States and the Cascade Volcanic Arc, with a summit elevation of 14,411 feet (4,392 m). Mt. Rainier is considered one of the most dangerous volcanoes in the world, and it is on the Decade Volcano list. Because of its large amount of glacial ice, Mt. Rainier could potentially produce massive lahars that would threaten the whole Puyallup River valley. Thank you Hemant for this nice card.

Lithuania - Nida

Nida is a resort town in Lithuania, located on the Curonian Spit. It has 1,650 residents and is the administrative center of the Neringa municipality. Nida Airport is located in the town. Nida is the westernmost point of Lithuania and the Baltic States. The town is an upmarket holiday resort, hosting about 200,000-300,000 tourists each summer, mostly Lithuanians, Germans, Latvians, and Russians. It is characterized by low-key entertainment and a distinct family focus. Since 2000, a jazz festival has been organised every year. There are also interesting places to see nearby, including some of the highest sand dunes in Europe, a large sundial (now partially destroyed by storm), fisherman's ethnographic museum, gallery-museum of amber, neo-Gothic church (built in 1888). There is also a camping site. Nida's beach participates in the Blue Flag Programme. This card was sent by Ausra.

Netherlands - 25th Anniversary of Queen Beatrix & Claus

This lovely maxi card is about the 25^th Wedding Anniversary of Queen Beatrix & Claus of the Netherlands. The 1966 marriage of Princess Beatrix to German-born Prince Claus, sparked a wave of protests. The discovery that he had been a member of Nazi youth organizations and served in the German army during World War II, only intensified the animosity many Dutch felt toward Claus. It had been 21 years since the end of the Second World War, but the Dutch people still had deep scars from the Nazi German occupation of their country. The very thought of their future Queen marrying a man who served in Hitler's army was impossible for many to accept. From the start, Prince Claus worked hard to win over the Dutch people. Unlike his father-in-law, Prince Bernhard, Prince Claus learned to speak Dutch without a trace of a German accent. A modest man, he refused all honorary degrees, employed wit, charm and patience to overcome Dutch hostility and win the affection of his adopted nation. Matters were substantially improved when he and the future Queen produced the first male heir in the Dutch Royal House in over a century. Two additional sons were born in 1968 and 1969. Her mother, Queen Juliana, was Queen of the Netherlands from 1948 until her 71st birthday, April 30th, 1980, when she abdicated in favor of her daughter Beatrix. In April of 2005, Queen Beatrix celebrated the 25th anniversary of her reign. Willem sent me this nice card.

Finland - Valentine's Day

Wishing You All a Very Happy Valentine's Day.

Saint Valentine's Day, commonly shortened to Valentine's Day, is an annual commemoration held on February 14 celebrating love and affection between intimate companions. The day is named after one or more early Christian martyrs named Valentine and was established by Pope Gelasius I in 500 AD. It was deleted from the Roman calendar of saints in 1969 by Pope Paul VI, but its religious observance is still permitted. It is traditionally a day on which lovers express their love for each other by presenting flowers, offering confectionery, and sending greeting cards (known as "valentines"). The day first became associated with romantic love in the circle of Geoffrey Chaucer in the High Middle Ages, when the tradition of courtly love flourished. Modern Valentine's Day symbols include the heart-shaped outline, doves, and the figure of the winged Cupid. Since the 19th century, handwritten valentines have given way to mass-produced greeting cards.