A Postcard A Day - Tuesday 7 April 2020 - T for books, topaz and masks

Hello lovely ladies. How are you all coping with the restrictions? We are still on full lockdown and national state of emergency, so we can't go out without a valid reason. I think most countries in the world (except Sweden) have some sort of stay-at-home rule. 

I want to start with this piece of urban art. 

Widewalls writes: Los Angeles-based Pony Wave has mad skills when it comes to art, illustration and tattooing. Her painting style is fresh and with a touch of photorealism, reflecting on everything she does. The artist created a new amazing wall in Venice Beach, CA. Titled Art reflect life, the artist depicted love in a time of COVID-19.

My life has not changed so much, but I do seem to read a lot more, which brings me to my first postcard. It comes from Germany, and is entitled 'Lesen' which simply means 'to read'. It is a photo by Phil Schermeister.

The stamp was not very spectacular, but the sender (Enid) drew a very lovely 'Hello Lisca'.

The second card comes from the USA, and features a blue topaz. It comes from Brazil and weighs 300.6 carat. It is displayed in the National Museum of Natural History Smithsonian Institution. (They do a virtual tour, have a look) Topaz does not come out of the ground this colour. The stone has to be irradiated and heated to achieve this beautiful blue colour.

The stamps are amazing. 

There is the famous Tiffany lamp and the pears on the left. In the middle is a 1948 commemorative stamp of Harlan F. Stone.

Harlan Fiske Stone (October 11, 1872 – April 22, 1946) was an American lawyer and jurist. A native of New Hampshire, he served as the dean of Columbia Law School, his alma mater, in the early 20th century. As a member of the Republican Party, he was appointed as the 52nd Attorney General of the United States before becoming an Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court in 1925. In 1941, Stone became the 12th Chief Justice of the court, serving until his death in 1946.

I enjoyed reading up on this man. Here is one of his quotes: The guarantees of civil liberty are but guarantees of freedom of the human mind and spirit and of reasonable freedom and opportunity to express them...The very essence of the liberty which they guarantee is the freedom of the individual from compulsion as to what he shall think and what he shall say...

The stamp at the top right is a pillar coral.

 Barbados has also issued a stamp of that particular coral and here you can see more clearly what it looks like. Yes, like pillars.

Then there is this beautiful stamp about numismatics. Do you know what that means? I confess I didn't! 

Wikipedia says: Numismatics is the study or collection of currency, including coins, tokens, paper money and related objects. While numismatists are often characterised as students or collectors of coins, the discipline also includes the broader study of money and other payment media used to resolve debts and the exchange of goods.

There was one more stamp (But it didn't fit in the other photo).

John James Audubon (1785-1851) was an American ornithologist, naturalist, and painter. He was notable for his extensive studies documenting all types of American birds and for his detailed illustrations that depicted the birds in their natural habitats. Wikipedia

This is one of his paintings:

I have been making bread. This is a cheese and bacon loaf. Can you smell it? Would you like a slice?

 I will slice some for you.

Sunday was Palm Sunday, and as we couldn't go to church, we watched the service  of the church we used to go to in the UK online. Here is hubby in front of the computer.

Then we had Sunday lunch with a nice bottle of Portughese wine (Vinho Verde):

Cheers to you all. This is also my ticket to the T-Party organized by Elizabeth and Bleubeard. 

I didn't have a dessert but before we went to bed, we both had a mini ice cream. Yumm.

That is it from me this week.
Take care, stay safe and stay home!
Hugs,
Lisca