Water Lilies by Claude Monet

Emily, from Vienna, Austria, sends me this

beautiful painting by her favorite painter,

Claude Monet. I really like Monet too, Emily.

I am a fan of impressionist painting!

Thank you so much for this art card!

'Peeps'

Well, I always thought 'Peeps' were Easter marshmallow

candies, but this card calls these little shorebirds 'peeps'.

To me, they are sandpipers and I love them. I love

to watch them scurry away from the incoming waves

when they are looking for little shellfish.

Emma sent me this card. She said they saw sandpipers

at Ocean City, NJ the past weekend. However, the card

comes from Pennsylvania where Emma lives.

Thank you, Emma, for the little sandpipers!

Dem Ol' Cotton Fields Back Home

Kelly, from Alabama, sent me this

picture of 'a very well known product of Alabama

in its natural state--cotton!'

Isn't it a great picture? It might remind some

folks of hoeing cotton, or picking cotton, or

whatever else has to be done. I think that is

what Sam was reminded of when I showed it to him!

Thank you, Kelly, for a great card!

A Private Swap from Italy

Antonella, from Cefalu in Italy, contacted

me and asked about a private swap.

She sent me me the two very nice cards below.

I especially like this picture of a courtyard, or

alleyway, with the red door at the end. The balconies

with the green vines and plants look so nice

among the old world arches and hanging lanterns.

And this one, with a view of the city of Cefalu

as seen through the ruins of an old bell tower

is spectacular! I would love to stand up here

and see the view for myself!

Thank you so very much, Antonella, for introducing

me to your beautiful city!

Another Nice Dutch Card!

This is a great hand-made card that was sent

to me by Nancy, who lives in Leiden, The Netherlands.

She is a very new Postcrosser, and she made this

beautiful Winnie-the-Pooh card.

Thank you very much, Nancy, for the nice card.

I really love hand-made cards because they

are so much more intimate.

Machteld sends greetings from Holland

I dearly love this card! It reminds me of my childhood,

when I was enamored of all things 'Dutch'. I loved

windmills, tulips, wooden shoes, white-winged caps,

and Hans Brinker. My third grade class went to

a garden show in Houston and there was a huge

display of thousands of tulips with a windmill

turning its blades in the midst of them. I can still

see it in my mind! And did you ever sing,

'I am a pretty little Dutch girl,

As pretty as pretty can be,

And all the boys in the neighborhood

Are crazy over me!'

Thank you, Machteld, for such a nice card and

wonderful, nostalgic memories!

Machteld also told me a little of about her name, which is

an old Dutch name. The French equivalent is Matilde,

and she thinks the English would be Maud.

I once had a friend named Mateel, which I think is

also a variation of her name.

Again, thank you, Machteld--you live in a

country!

Natalia's card from Lublin, Poland

This wonderful lighthouse card comes to me

from Natalia, who lives in Lublin, Poland.

Can you read the inscription? I was just about to

get my Bible and look it up, but decided to read

the card first. Natalia had already translated

it for me! It is from Psalms 27:1, and says:

'The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom

shall I fear?'

Natalia also tells me that her mother, Ewatar, received

a card from ME on April 10the, the day before this

card was mailed! Great coincidence!

Thank you, Natalia, for the wonderful card,

and my best wishes to you and your mother!