A Postcard A Day - Friday 16 May 2025 - Friday Smiles

 Hello lovely girls? Are you all ready for some smiles? 

I have some lined up for you but let me show you my postcard for today. That might also make you smile:

It was sent by Oksana, who is from Ukraine, but she writes, that because of the war she is now living with her daughter in Sicily. The card itself is from a Ukranian publisher but it doesn't give any information as to what the subject is. A piggy on a ram's back. Is it a Ukranian fairy tale? I don't know.

The stamp is Italian. It features a square in Napels called the Plebiscito square:

Piazza del Plebiscito is the largest square in Naples, Italy, and one of the largest in the country. Located in the heart of the city's historic center, it was named after the plebiscite that brought Naples into the unified Kingdom of Italy. The square is framed by the Royal Palace on one side and the Church of San Francesco di Paola with its iconic colonnade on the other.

I didn't know what a 'plebiscite' was so I looked it up: 

Plebiscite, a vote by the people of an entire country or district to decide on some issue, such as choice of a ruler or government, option for independence (Encyclopedia Brittanica). So it's like a referendum.

The plebiscite in Naples that led to its unification with the Kingdom of Italy took place on October 21, 1860. This referendum determined the annexation of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies (which included Naples and Sicily) to the newly formed Kingdom of Italy. 

So, what has been happening here in Spain? I got back from my travels, happy to cuddle my cat again:

He was super-affectionate when I came home. I think he missed me. My lovely neighbor Dian has been looking after him very well.

I was very tired after all that traveling but the first weekend I was home I went for a 12 km walk! That had been arranged months ago and the weather was lovely so I didn't want to cancel that. It was organized by the local council and there was a coach load of us from our village going to a place called Huéscar. 

It was nearly an hour on the bus and then we walked in the hills behind the town.

We got given a little goody bag, which I assumed contained a T-shirt and a drink and a piece of fruit. But no, along with a drink and some leaflets, it had a neck warmer and an aluminium mug with a carabiner to hang the mug on your belt or rucksack.

The text reads: Jornadas Provinciales de Senderismo 2025 (Provincial Hiking days)

Deputación de Granada (Granada Provincial Council)

I have never seen a mug like that and I thought it was a great idea. (Reminiscent of folk festivals with pewter mugs to drink cider out of).

Below I am on one of the town squares:

After the walk we were treated to an excellent sea food paella:

On Saturday I had a drink with my friend Eva and her husband:

So yes, I have had a good week. And you? Please share your smiles at Annie's A Stitch In Time.

That is all for now. As per usual, I will put some funnies at the end.

Enjoy your weekend!

Lisca

A Postcard A Day - Tuesday 13 May 2025 - T for

Hello lovely peeps. It's Tuesday again, and I will show you a few photos of the festivities in Italy. But first my postcard:

It arrived this week and comes from Scotland (as you can see).

It's the Harry Potter Viaduct or officially the Glenfinnan Viaduct.

Wikipedia writes:

The Glenfinnan Viaduct is a railway viaduct on the West Highland Line at Glenfinnan, in the Lochaber district of north-western Scotland, built from 1897 to 1901. Located at the top of Loch Shiel in the West Scottish Highlands, the viaduct overlooks the Glenfinnan Monument and the waters of Loch Shiel.

The Glenfinnan Viaduct has attracted increased fame beyond Scotland as a filming location for the Harry Potter films, featuring in four of the films. Thus, the viaduct is sometimes referred to as "The Harry Potter Bridge". The association has led to hundreds of thousands more tourists each year, a significant strain on the hamlet of Glenfinnan and its vicinity. After its appearance in Harry Potter, British Transport Police had to warn fans not to walk on the viaduct after a handful of near misses with trains had occurred.

The line is used by passenger trains operated by ScotRail between Glasgow Queen Street and Mallaig, with Class 153 and Class 156 diesel multiple units. In the summer, West Coast Railways operates The Jacobite steam train along the line. It is a popular tourist event in the area, and the viaduct is one of the major attractions of the line. The Royal Scotsman also operates on the line.

The stamp is lovely. It's a Scottish stamp. The right hand part features the Scottish flag and the left hand image is Fort George:

The info below and the images are from the Internet (Wikipedia):

Fort George is a large 18th-century fortress near Ardersier, to the north-east of Inverness in the Highland council area of Scotland. 

It was built to control the Scottish Highlands in the aftermath of the Jacobite rising of 1745, replacing a Fort George in Inverness constructed after the 1715 Jacobite rising to control the area.

The current fortress has never been attacked and has remained in continuous use as a garrison.

When I was in Italy, it was to witness my grandson's first communion. After the church service we had a meal in a restaurant with a garden for the children to play in. 

My daughter in law had set up the table with the cake and the 'confetti' which are covered almonds (the blue sweets in the bowl).

The little boxes hold sweets to give to guests. Below are my sister and I posing with my grandson.

Here are the little boxes:

We also had a 'bubble machine' which was fun:

Me and my son (and daughter in law) at the table.

My son is holding a glass of rosé wine, so that will be my ticket to the T-Party hosted by Bluebeard and Elizabeth

That's all for now.

Happy T-Day all!

Lisca

   

 

A Postcard A Day - Friday 9 May 2025 - Friday Smiles

 Hello lovely peeps,

As I am writing this, I'm watching a live broadcast from Rome as the new pope has just been announced, and I listened to his speech. I know nothing about this man, only that he is American born.

But let me show you my postcard for today:

It comes from Italy. In my profile I wrote that I love maps. I haven't got one from Italy yet. It's Emilia Romagna, a region in the north of Italy and it has famous cities in it like Bologna, Parma, Ravenna and Rimini.

The card was written by Barbara who lives in a village near Parma.

The stamp is the classic International stamp:

So what is happening here? The last time I wrote I was in the UK, and last Friday it was a Second on the 2nd, so no update about me and my life.

In England I went to a reunion of work colleagues. I worked in a hospice as a nurse specialized in palliative care. I retired in 2011 after working there for 20 years.

It was great to see everyone again and we had a lovely party.

In Bristol I stayed with my friend Maggie:

She and her husband took me to Hereford, and of course we went to see the cathedral:

I loved the organ. The pipes are so beautifully decorated:

The big (I assume bass) pipes are huge!

They are the height of the cathedral.

I was also impressed with the (Modern) candelabra in the middle.

The widows are gorgeous.

The cathedral is most famous for housing the Mapa Mundi.

It is a medieval map of what was then believed to be the world. Jerusalem is in the center.  

This is a copy that hung next to the original one so that people can see more clearly. 

My Internet has gone off (again) so I’ll try to finish this on my phone but the photo of the Mappa Mundi is on my computer so I can only show you the copy. 

I found it utterly fascinating. 

This will be all for now. I’ll try and add some funnies. 

Have a lovely weekend!

Lisca