OFFICIAL Card - Russia

Boris sent this card showing views of his hometown of Ufa, Russia. You just don't see yellow buildings like that in Canada - wonder why? Which by the way, it is an Art Gallery.

OFFICIAL Card - USA

Carol lives near Cuyahoga Valley National Park in Ohio and writes that she loves it!

Direct Swap - Haya from Madagascar

I am totally doing the happy dance after receiving this great postcard. Haya lives in Madagascar. I saw her post on a Facebook group, she was offering an arty type card that was cute but personally not my style. On a whim I messaged her to see if she had any tourist cards and lo and behold 8 days later this fabulous shaped card arrives in my mail box. Talk about fast, I am impressed! She wrote saying Menabe is a region of her country. Very beautiful and very rocky. Thank you Haya for the wonderful card and swap!

OFFICIAL Card - Czech Republic

Dalibor lives in Ostrava with his family. I like the card he chose for me - multi view and a subtle outline map of the country.

OFFICIAL Card - Australia

The scan might not show it very well, but this card saw a lot as it was travelling to me. Ripped, bent and folded - at least it made it! Jenni from Melbourne sent this pre-paid view card from Australian Post showing the amazing colours of Central Australia.

Random Act of Smiliness - Vatican City from Eileen

My dear postcard pal Eileen recently visited Rome with her granddaughter for her sweet sixteen. Lucky girl! While she was there she found time to send me this fabulous aerial view of St. Peter's Square from Vatican City. Eileen writes - sun, sights, pizza and ice cream - sounds like a wonderful trip! Thank you my friend!

OFFICIAL Card - USA

The colours on this card are just so funky. The view Daniela sent me shows Lookout Mountain in Tennessee. I remember driving through Tennessee going to Florida one year and the mountains and views were stunning.

OFFICIAL Card - South Korea

KyungA lives in Seoul, South Korea and sent me this reproduction of an old map of her country. Once again, I was lucky that she wrote some simple phrases, with pronunciations on her card. Love seeing the different languages of the world.

OFFICIAL Card - USA

If you can believe it I received this card the day after the previous post. What are the odds of two people from a town of 80,000 odd thousand people drawing my name within a day of each other. This card is one that Theresa made from a photograph she took. She wrote that it is graffiti on one of the walls outside the city museum. It has never been painted over so most must agree with the sentiment. Fun coincidence and another great stamp - I do love that movie!

OFFICIAL Card - USA

Claudia sent this view card from her hometown of Bellingham, Washington. She has lived there for 30 years and wrote that it has been a good place to raise her children. I was in Bellingham for a day once as I took a spontaneous trip to visit Mt. Baker when visiting Vancouver and Victoria, B.C. Other than the mountain I can't even remember what else we did that day it has been so long...or I am that old!!! Great card and love the bird stamps she chose for me.

Direct Swap - Sandra from Serbia

Sandra is a kindergarten teacher and was looking for cards from around the world for her classroom. I sent her a card of one of my most favourite places - Niagara Falls! In exchange she sent me this great map card of Serbia, my first card from this country!

OFFICIAL Card - England

This flag card was in my favourites for quite awhile. It was a nice surprise when Brian sent it to me. Do you use the favourites feature? If so, how? Cards you love, you want, a bit of both?

OFFICIAL Card - Finland

Merja sent this card at the end of February (yes, I am still that far behind!). At the time she wrote it was 4C and they had no snow. I can't tell you how many times I read this over our most brutal of winters and was so jealous! Spring is finally here for all of us now!

OFFICIAL Card - Germany

If I had to pick cutest card ever, this one could be it! Not much more to say after that, simply adorable! For those non-birders, it is a Puffin. It came to me from Ute and Klaus, two fellow bird lovers from the Lake Constance region of Germany.

OFFICIAL Card - India

While I do have several cards from India in my collection most have come to me from swaps. With only 6,200 users it would still be considered a "not so common" country. This view card arrived and I must admit it had me stumped. On my scan I didn't crop it fully hoping that it helps to explain. While the card is very sturdy cardstock it looks like it is picture or a scan of a card. on the right side you can almost see a grey line where it might have sat on the scanner bed. The back has lines, text, etc it is just the front that seems a bit odd. That said the view shows the Buddha Vihar in the city of Gulbarga.Thanks to Sanket for the great stamps and sticker he chose as well!

Direct Swap - Cambodia from Du

This is the third swap I have completed with Du. I am lucky that so far I have had stamps that interest them in return. This time, Du was travelling to Cambodia and this is my first card from this country. The card shows a beautiful Apsara dancer. That headpiece looks heavy!

OFFICIAL Card - USA

The card Mary Lou and Greg sent me is neat. It is a little bit smaller than most - 3.5"x5.5" and is made of a really sturdy cardstock. The illustration shows the library at San Diego State University. They also used some great Christmas stamps - very much appreciated!

OFFICIAL Card - USA

Chingle lives in Salt Lake City and sent this card she and her partner made. It is titled "Parenthetical)(Repose".

OFFICIAL Card - China

The user "Kolnriver" sent me this card. He wrote that he saw I had many cards of China and he chose this one showing Potala Palace in Tibet. He writes this view is 20 years old as there are other buildings around it now. This is also a UNESCO site.

OFFICIAL Card - Lithuania

I really do like multi views as you get to "see" so much more of a country. It seems like forever since I have received one and this one from Grita in Lithuania is great!

OFFICIAL Card - England

Happy Victoria Day! Today, also marks the unofficial start of summer here in Canada! If only it were warmer and drier!!! Ginte lives in London and sent this great card of Queen Elizabeth from her Diamond Jubilee. I love this dark purple colour on her.

Random Act of Smiliness - Eileen from England

This card was such a nice surprise! Eileen sent this to me "just because". I can see this Scorpius card being part of my daughter's upcoming Astronomy badge for Girl Guides. Thank you Eileen!

OFFICIAL Card - USA

Another map card for my collection. This one coming from Jenn who lives in New York City it shows the Finger Lake region of that State. She writes that it is about a 5 hour drive north of her.

OFFICIAL Card - Germany

Lily is 14 and wrote that she visited the Bundesrat with her family last year. I like sending cards of places I have been, it helps recreate the memories. Another new UNESCO stamp as well

OFFICIAL Card - Finalnd

How sweet is this bird! And fat!!! Primros lives outside of Helsinki and sent this delightful Tree Sparrow to me.

OFFICIAL Card - England

Radek lives in Manchester, England (across the Atlantic Sea...couldn't resist!) and sent this great stadium card in Barcelona, Spain. With a seating capacity at just under 100,000 it is huge!

Sometimes the travel times on cards make you scratch your head and wonder. The postmark on this card is clear - March 10 and it arrived on the 23rd. But it "travelled" for 46 days as my address was drawn February 5. I know not everyone writes card right away and for myself it can sometimes be 2-3 days from when I draw an address to actually getting it in the mail, but a month? How long does it take you typically to mail a card?