Birds of Prey of Cyprus

These three maxi cards show three of the Birds of Prey in Cyprus. These three stamps are part of a set of six stamps. The birds are from the top The Owl. The owl is a night bird about 22 cm long. It can be seen in many areas like forests, farmlands, farms as well as in populated areas. It feeds mainly on rodents, reptiles, small birds and insects. It lays 3 to 6 eggs in crevices of cliffs, in holes of buildings or in heaps of stones, during the April – June Period. Then we have Eleonora’s Falcon shown at lower left. This is a medium size bird of prey about 38cm long. It feeds mainly on small birds as well as on insects. It lives in flocks and builds its nest in cavities as well as on rocky islands. It lays 2-3 eggs about the middle of July, so that at the time of growing of the young birds, there is plenty of food, because this period coincides with the birds’ migration. And finally , we have another view of the Eleonora’s Falcon in flight. These lovely maxi cards were given to me by my Dear Friend Merja.

Berlin

For details about the famous Brandenburg Gate please see my post dated 16.06.2011. Neither the Gate nor Berlin have changed appreciably since then ;-)) Michaela sent this card to me.

Secret Buddha (Krodha Guhyasamaja)

Preaching Secret Buddha dharma Krodha Guhyasamaja is also called “Happy Buddha” with the image of a man and a woman holding each other’s arms. For those interested to know more about this form of Buddhism it is advisable, to read the texts of the dharma mentioned. The author of this blog is not competent to interpret the nuances or the finer points. This card was sent to me by Michael from Canton.

Mark Twain

Samuel Langhorne Clemens (November 30, 1835 – April 21, 1910), better known by his pen name Mark Twain, was an American author and humorist. He is most noted for his novels, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876), and its sequel, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1885), the latter often called "the Great American Novel." Twain grew up in Hannibal, Missouri, which would later provide the setting for Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer. He apprenticed with a printer. He also worked as a typesetter and contributed articles to his older brother Orion's newspaper. After toiling as a printer in various cities, he became a master riverboat pilot on the Mississippi River, before heading west to join Orion. He was a failure at gold mining, so he next turned to journalism. While a reporter, he wrote a humorous story, The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County, which became very popular and brought nationwide attention. His travelogues were also well-received. Twain had found his calling. He achieved great success as a writer and public speaker. His wit and satire earned praise from critics and peers, and he was a friend to presidents, artists, industrialists, and European royalty. However, he lacked financial acumen. Though he made a great deal of money from his writings and lectures, he squandered it on various ventures, in particular the Paige Compositor, and was forced to declare bankruptcy. With the help of Henry Huttleston Rogers, however, he eventually overcame his financial troubles. Twain worked hard to ensure that all of his creditors were paid in full, even though his bankruptcy had relieved him of the legal responsibility.

Twain was born during a visit by Halley's Comet, and predicted that he would "go out with it" as well. He died the day following the comet's subsequent return. He was lauded as the "greatest American humorist of his age," and William Faulkner called Twain "the father of American literature."

Mark Twain, summered in Elmira for more than twenty years. Perched high above the Chemung River Valley in his octagonal study, Twain penned his literary classics as the crisp, valley air rolled over the lush hills towards a wine stained sunset. The Chemung River Valley is the southern gateway into New York’s largest wine-producing region, The Finger Lakes. Internationally recognized for breathtaking vistas and award-winning wine, the unique geographic conditions of the region make it the ideal home for more than 100 wineries and vineyards. Maria sent me this card.

Alexander Nevsky Cathedral

The Alexander Nevsky Cathedral is an orthodox cathedral in the Tallinn Old Town, Estonia. It was built to a design by Mikhail Preobrazhensky in a typical Russian Revival style between 1894 and 1900, during the period when the country was part of the Russian Empire. The Alexander Nevsky Cathedral is Tallinn's largest and grandest orthodox cupola cathedral. It is dedicated to Saint Alexander Nevsky who in 1242 won the Battle of the Ice on Lake Peipus, in the territorial waters of present-day Estonia. The late Russian patriarch, Alexis II, started his priestly ministry in the church. The Alexander Nevsky Cathedral crowns the hill of Toompea where the Estonian folk hero Kalevipoeg is said to have been buried according to a legend. (There are many such legendary burial places of him in Estonia.) The cathedral was built during the period of late 19th century Russification and was so disliked by many Estonians as a symbol of oppression that the Estonian authorities scheduled the cathedral for demolition in 1924, but the decision was never implemented due to lack of funds and the building's massive construction. As the USSR was officially non-religious, many churches including this cathedral were left to decline. The church has been meticulously restored since Estonia regained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.

Ella sent me this card.

Lighthouse in Sweden

A lighthouse with turbulent seas somewhere on the Swedish coast. Kati sent me this card. If this is what the lighthouse keeper and his wife have to face, you can well imagine what we sailor boys had to face at sea in rough weather. They say that a sailor has a girl in every port. That’s just because in every port there are some kind hearted sweet young things who feel sorry for these simple minded sailor boys who had just come back from the sea, and were yearning for some sympathy and good company!

Olavinlinna

Olavinlinna, literally St. Olaf's Castle, which is a 15th century three-tower castle located in Savonlinna, Finland. It is the northernmost medieval stone fortress still standing. The fortress was founded by Erik Axelsson Tott in 1475 under the name Sankt Olofsborg in an effort to profit from the political turmoil following Ivan III's conquest of the Novgorod Republic. It was sited in Savonia so as to lay claim to the Russian side of the border established by the Treaty of Nöteborg. Olavinlinna has three towers. It was the first Swedish castle provided with a set of thickset circular towers that could withstand cannon fire. It is not by accident that a network of lakes and waterways forms the setting for the castle, for these would seriously impede a prospective Russian offensive. Olofsborg withstood several sieges by the Russians during the First and Second Russian-Swedish wars. A brisk trade developed under the umbrella of the castle towards the end of the 16th century, giving birth to the town of Savonlinna, which was chartered in 1639. Nearer home, in the State of Rajasthan are many forts which were similarly located, like the one in Udaipur. Even then they knew that, Prevention was better than cure!

On 28 July 1714 the garrison capitulated to the invading Russians, and it took them only two days to take the castle in 1743, in the events leading up to the Treaty of Abo which awarded the entire region to Empress Elizabeth of Russia. Merja sent me this pretty card.