a prince and a polar bear

One of my favourite stamps is this 1998 $2 polar bear. The same image also appeared on the new $2 coin

the corner block features a paw print and the halftone litho dots in the icon of the bear.


Taken from the Canada Post website, 
... polar bears have unique rounded shoulders and pronounced brow ridges. Their necks, skulls and noses are elongated and their muzzles are aquiline.  Large paws help polar bears distribute their weight while walking on thin ice.  Their front legs act as water propellers while their hind limbs function as rudders.  The white fur helps it blend into the arctic background and has special features for cold weather adaptation; it is translucent and transmits ultraviolet radiation to keep the skin warm. 

and for something completely different

I'm quite taken with this stamp - for a variety of reasons which include 

• it's from a state that no longer exists (it was established in 1549 and disestablished in 1967 and  is now part of Yemen)
• it has Arabic script, plus an English explanation of the miniature painting Reading Young Prince, 16th century. Unfortunately I cannot find much about this painting except that it is Persian from the Safavid period
• turquoise is my favourite colour (and also a favourite of the Persians) and from an aesthetic point of view it pleases me that the prince's robes match his pillow and rug
• how can you not love that fanciful head gear?!

for more year end favourite stamps see here

Twas in the Moon of Wintertime

Canada's oldest Christmas carol was written around 1643 by Fr Jean Brébeuf, a Jesuit missionary. Commonly known as The Huron Carol, the original Huron/Wendat words were translated into English in 1926.
This stamp, based on a painting by Ronald G Wright using native motifs to recreate the nativity story, shows the hunter braves (shepherds) following the star to the lodge (stable). In the carol, the Magi are portrayed as "Chiefs from far" bringing fox and beaver pelts. 
Gitchi Manitou means Great Spirit. 
Jesous Ahotonhia means Jesus, he is born.
One of many versions for your listening pleasure. 
'
Twas in the moon of wintertime when all the birds had fled
That mighty Gitchi Manitou sent angel choirs instead;
Before their light the stars grew dim and wondering hunters heard the hymn,
Jesus your King is born, Jesus is born, in excelsis gloria.

Within a lodge of broken bark the tender babe was found;
A ragged robe of rabbit skin enwrapped his beauty round
But as the hunter braves drew nigh the angel song rang loud and high
Jesus your King is born, Jesus is born, in excelsis gloria.

The earliest moon of wintertime is not so round and fair
As was the ring of glory on the helpless infant there.
The chiefs from far before him knelt with gifts of fox and beaver pelt.
Jesus your King is born, Jesus is born, in excelsis gloria.

O children of the forest free, O seed of Manitou
The holy Child of earth and heaven is born today for you.
Come kneel before the radiant boy who brings you beauty peace and joy.
Jesus your King is born, Jesus is born, in excelsis gloria.

Words: Jean de Brebeuf, ca. 1643; trans by Jesse Edgar Middleton, 1926
Music: French Canadian melody (tune name: Jesous Ahatonhia)

more Christmas stamps at See it on a Postcard

river of lights

On one of our warm spring-weather winter nights, I took a stroll through the park where the Simcoe Panorama of Lights is displayed. It has been going on for over 50 years and started when the floats from the Christmas Parade were parked in Wellington Park. 

It has been added to and adjusted over the years, but much is also the same. There are dozens of (carefully and lovingly) refurbished wooden displays from children's stories to a manger.

Thousands of lights are strung around the trees and displays from a carrousel, to a tree in the river and a fairy tale castle, to several buildings with displays reminiscent of department store windows - a church, a general store and Santa's workshop make this feel very homey. 

makes for lovely reflections!

Several Santas of varying vintages will greet you

as well as a Santa Moose and skiing polar bears. Christmas music plays throughout the park and there are horse drawn trolley rides on the weekends. This is but a tiny example of what can be seen, partly because it was windy and quite a few of my pictures were blurry, but mostly because I was drawn to the hot apple cider and cinnamon buns available, so my hands were full. The lights attract many busloads of tourists every year and you have until January 3rd, 2016 to see this year's edition. The town of Simcoe is located on Highway 3 by Lake Erie

a Monday Walk for Restless Jo with a few signs for Lesley's signs, signs

Christmas Island

In 1977 Christmas Island issued this souvenir sheet of

 The Twelve Days of Christmas

there is a nice bottom frame with the music, but what I particularly like is, 

that for the seventh day, there are seven black swans a swimming.

So named because it was founded on Christmas Day in 1643, 

it consists of a solitary island in the Indian Ocean and is closer to the Indonesian island of Java than to Australia, of which it is a territory (since 1958)

only 12 days until Christmas!

see other Christmas stamps at Sunday Stamps II

dolls

The Europa stamp competition theme for 2015 was of “Old Toys”  Russia's stamp shows Dymkovo toys and Matryoshka dolls.

Dymkovo toys (also known as Vyatka toys or Kirov toys) are molded painted clay figures of people and animals. It is one of the old Russian folk arts which still exists in a village of Dymkovo near Kirov (formerly Vyatka). Traditionally, the Dymkovo toys are made by women.

This sender also included some postcards showing the toys.

For me, personally, I don't particularly find the these dolls attractive – and I'm not sure how much time would be spent playing with them – but I am quite fond of the matryoshka dolls. I had one as a child and I remember many hours of amusing myself taking them apart and moving them around into different displays.

A matryoshka doll, also known as Russian nesting doll, refers to a set of wooden dolls of decreasing size placed one inside the other. The first matryoshka dolls were made in 1890 by Vasily Zvyozdochkin. 

Traditionally the outer layer is a woman, dressed in a sarafan, a long and shapeless traditional Russian peasant dress with the figures inside of either gender. The smallest, innermost doll is typically a baby turned from a single piece of wood.  Much of the artistry is in the painting of each doll, which can be very elaborate.

release your inner child by seeing more toys and games at SundayStampsII