2 lovely Indian covers!

Today, I would like to share with you guys 2 lovely covers received from India!

The first cover was posted from Gujarat, a westernmost state of India. Many thanks to Shrikant Modh!

The se-tenant stamps belong to the "Whales" series, an India-Philippines joint issue, released on 16 November 2009.

Gangetic dolphin is a freshwater dolphin, distributed in the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna and Karnaphuli river system of India, Nepal and Bangladesh. The species has been facing severe threat as its global population decline. It has been assessed that at present the species has not more than 2,500 individuals throughout its distributional ranges.

The whale shark, also known as Butanding in the Philippines, is a slow moving filter feeding shark, the largest living fish species. The largest confirmed individual had a length of 12.65 metres (41.50 ft) and a weight of more than 21.5 tonnes (47,000 lb), but unconfirmed claims report considerably larger whale sharks.

Next is a lovely FDC posted from District Kullu, in the state of Himachal Pradesh, India. Thank you so much, Jeevan Jyoti!

The stamps entitled "Heritage Railway Stations of India", were issued on 16 August 2009. They depict (L-R, Top-Bottom) Old Delhi Station, Chennai Central Station, Mumbai CST Station and Howrah Station respectively. I have discussed about these stamps in my previous post, more information can be found here.

In addition, Jyoti also sent me a set of mint stamps from the "Indigenous horses of India" series, issued on 09 November 2009. Thanks again!

That's all folks! Enjoy your weekend! :)

Cover from South Africa!

Rarely do I get to receive covers from the African continent. Hence, I was very excitied to receive this awesome cover from South Africa today! Thank you very much, Dudley Hazell!

The 2 beautiful spider stamps franked on the upper top right belong to the "The Wonder World of Spiders" series, issued by South African Post Office in 2004.

South Africa has a rich spider fauna and 67 families represented by 433 genera and about 2900 species are known. This represents about 9% of the world's fauna. This rich fauna of spiders can play an important part in South African in the control of pest species.

The 90c stamp was issued in 1992 to commemorate Anton van Wouw (1862-1945), a Dutch-born sculptor regarded as the father of South African sculpture.

This cover took 13 days to travel an estimated distance of 8,439kms to reach me.

Malaysian Currency Covers!

Once again, I would like to thanks Khor Kok Keong for sending over these 2 gorgeous FDCs from Ipoh, Malaysia. Entitled "Malaysian Currency", they were issued on 18 Jan 2010.

The 3 lovely pairs of stamps franked on the first cover depict coins from the second series which entered circulation in late-1989. On the upper half of the observe, one can see a Chinese hibuscus which is the national flower of Malaysia, and the depiction of items of solely Malay culture on the reverse.

The minature sheet shows the newly designed RM50 banknote. Dubbed the "National Mission", expressing the notion of Malaysia "[moving] the economy up the value chain", in accordance to Malaysia's economic transformation to higher value-added activities in agriculture, manufacturing and services sectors of the economy.
The dominant intaglio portrait of the first Seri Paduka Baginda Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Tuanku Abdul Rahman, is retained on the right. Design patterns from songket weaving, which are in the background and edges of the banknote, are featured to reflect the traditional Malay textile handicraft and embroidery.

And here are all the Malaysian currency issues so far.

^ First series Coinage (1967)

^ Second series Coinage (1989)

^ First series Banknotes(1967)

^Second series Banknotes (1982)

^Third series Banknotes(1996)

^ Fourth series Banknotes (2008)

Zodiac cover from France

Just a short post for today. Many thanks to Jérôme for this beautiful cover posted from Paris, France.

The pair of stamps was issued by La Poste on 15 Jan 2010 to commemorate the zodiac year of the tiger, which starts on Sunday, 14 Feb 2010 (also valentine's day!).

BTW I also enjoy your son's lovely painting :) Merci!

A nice surprise from Algeria!

Many thanks to Ouari Khemissi for this nice surprise from Algeria! Awesome!

The se-tenant panel of 4 stamps belongs to the "Popular Tales of Algeria" series, issued on 7 Dec 2009.

Next is a stamp from the "Protection of Polar Regions and Glaciers" series. It was issued on 28 March 2009. This lovely registered cover was posted on 21 Dec 2009 in (Setif?) Algeria, and reached me a month later on 22 Jan 2010.

eD@HoMe is 1 year old!

Exactly one year ago today, on 23 Jan 2009, this blog was born. It has been a nice journey. This blog helps me to know many like-minded friends from all over the world, increases my knowledge as it encourages me to research on the stamps whenever I do a posting, relaxes my mind after a hard day of work, and also makes Letterbox opening FUN! Waiting for me in the letterbox everyday are surprises of awesome covers and postcards (& of cos.. also piles of dread bills :O) In fact, I look forward to the arrival of the postman!

I would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thanks all readers for their support and looking to more good years ahead. Enjoy your stamps!

As for today, I would like to share with you a lovely cover sent by fellow blogger, Eric Bruth from France. Thank you very much! Franked on this cover are 2 beautiful stamps from the flora (La flore) of France series, issued in 2009.

Here are all the stamps in this series. Beautiful!!

Being a frog lover, Eric also sent me a cute greeting card. Take a look! Thanks again Eric!

That's all for today folks! Have a great weekend!

A lovely registered cover from India!

Here, I would like to share with you this lovely registered cover posted from Mumbai, India for my ebay purchase.

The sender was very kind to use a gorgeous miniature sheet from the "Fairs of India" series on this cover. It was issued on 27 February 2007.

The Sonepur Fair or Sonepur mela is held on Kartik Poornima (the full moon day) in the month of November in Sonepur, Bihar, on the confluence of river Ganga and Gandak. It is also known as Harihar Kshetra Mela and it attracts visitors from all over Asia. Till date, it is the biggest cattle fair of Asia and stretches on from fifteen days to one month. The fair has its origins during ancient times. This is when Chandragupta Maurya used to buy elephants and horses across the river Ganges. The Sonepur Cattle Fair once used to attract traders from places as distant as Central Asia.

Nearly all animals can be bought at the Sonepur mela from all breeds of dogs, camels, buffaloes, donkeys, ponies, monkeys, chimps, Persian horses, sheep, rabbits, bears, cats, and guinea pigs. All varieties of birds, poultry and fishes are also available. The area that attracts all, however, is the one where elephants are lined up for sale. The Sonepur Fair is the only one where such a large number of elephants are sold. Numerous stalls are also set up at the grounds of the Sonepur Cattle Fair. You will find a wide variety of goods in these stalls, ranging from garments, to weapons and furniture, toys, utensils and agricultural implements, jewelry and handicrafts. Major attraction is the sight of numerous elephants, beautifully decorated for the purpose of sale.

The Pushkar Fair, or Pushkar ka Mela, is the annual five-day camel and livestock fair, held in the town of Pushkar in the state of Rajasthan, India. It is one of the world's largest camel fairs, and apart from buying and selling of livestock it has become an important tourist attraction and its highlights have become competitions such as the "matka phod", "longest moustache", and "bridal competition" are the main draws for this fair which attracts thousands of tourists. In recent years the fair has also included an exhibition cricket match between the local Pushkar club and a team of random foreign tourists.

The Goa carnival is an annual event held in February. The streets of Goa come alive with colour for three days and nights just before Lent. Celebrated by the Christian population in Goa, the festival is an integral part of the Portuguese heritage of the state that was a dominion of Portugal till 1961. The carnival epitomizes fun-loving culture, characteristic to Goa. During these three days, Goa is gripped by the pulsating rhythm of guitars and the lilt of folk songs. The revelers in their colourful improvised fancy dresses, dance and sing in the streets, with King Momos, Lord of the Carnival, presiding over the scene.

Baul are a group of mystic minstrels from Bengal. Bauls constitute both a syncretic religious sect and a musical tradition. Bauls are a very heterogeneous group, with many different subsects, but their membership mainly consists of Vaishnava Hindus and Sufi Muslims. They can be often identified by their distinctive clothes and musical instruments.

The Bauls have been using the melas or fairs since time immemorial, to spread their message of universal brotherhood and love among the rural people. While a number of such melas are held in different parts of Birbhum District of West Bengal throughout the year, the two best known ones are the Jayadeva-Kenduli Mela, and the Paus Mela at Santiniketan. While the Paus Mela has become a major tourist destination, the Jayadeva-Kenduli Mela better retains its original flavour, serving as a meeting place for the Bauls to come together and share their oral tradition of spiritual songs and music.

Lastly, we have a beautiful stamp of Mother Teresa from the "Builders of Modern India New Definitive series", issued on 01 March 2009.

An awesome Pakistani cover!

Another lovely cover sent from Islamabad, Pakistan! Thank you sooo much, Ehsan Ur Rehman!

In fact, this is a FDC issued by Pakistan Post on 15 August 2009 to commemorate the URS (death anniversary) of Hazrat Musa Pak Shaheed, a Sufi saint. The first stamp from the left was issued in 1998 to mark the 50th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on December 10, 1948, predicated on the belief that everyone is entitled to freedom without any distinction based on race, color, sex, language, religion, national origin or birth.
Issued on 26 May 2007, the third stamp shows a portrait of Mr. Hugh Catchpole, an Englishman who gave seventy years of his life imparting education to students in Pakistan. The year 2007 marks the centenary of Hugh Catchpole’s birth. He came to India in 1928. He died at the age of 90 in Islamabad, Pakistan.
Lastly, we have a lovely stamp from the "21st International Congress of Ophthalmology, Islamabad" series, issued on 11 September 1998. The Ophthalmological Society of Pakistan is actively involved in eradicating blindness in Pakistan. It has followed a concerted strategy to eliminate preventable eye diseases lke Trachoma, Cataract and Glaucoma etc. The Society arranges eye camps in the remotest areas of the country for free medical care.

This cover was postmarked in Islamabad on 26 Dec 2009 and reached me on 11 Jan 2010.

That's all folks! See you again soon!

My third Canadian cover!

Many thanks to Chris Goodal for this awesome cover posted from North Bay, Ontario, Canada!

The beautiful stamp franked on the top left belongs to the "Beneficial Insects" low value definitives series.

Insects play a big role in the animal kingdom. In fact, did you know that scientific research says that humans—and probably most life on earth—would perish without insects?
Some insects’ jobs include pollinating flowering plants, providing a source of food for other animals, and helping in the decomposition of plants and animals. Some insects, for example, the cecropia moth, do other interesting things such as spinning fine, yet durable silk. The Canada darner or “dragonfly,” has a healthy appetite for mosquitoes—a characteristic for which we can all be grateful!

This lovely golden-eyed lacewing stamp is one of the five beneficial insects featured on a set of low value definitive stamps issued by Canada Post on 12 October 2007. The other four insects include: cecropia moth (25¢) Canada darner (10¢), northern bumblebee (5¢) and convergent lady beetle (1¢), better known to most of us as the ladybug.

The second stamp from the left featuring confetti, ribbon and fireworks exploding from an open envelope in a shower of colour was issued on 03 February 2009 as part of the "Celebration" series.

The stamp is a perfect complement to many of life's joyful celebrations, including weddings, anniversaries and graduations.

Last but not least is a set of stamps issued by Canada Post to mark the "International Year of Astronomy". They were issued on 06 April 2009.
These two commemorative stamps show amazing images of the Horsehead and Eagle Nebulas alongside Canadian observatories.

This cover took 9 days to travel an estimated distance of 14,718kms to reach me!

A cover is on the way to North Bay. Guess which stamps I used? No prize for guessing the right answer :)

Covers to my friends!

Today, I posted out 14 covers franked with Singpost's latest zodiac series, Tiger stamp Issue to Canada, France (3), Italy, Croatia, Pakistan, Slovakia (3), Czech Republic, Malaysia, Vietnam & Turkey. I hope that their receivers will like them.

A beautiful Turkish cover!

Another beautiful cover from Turkey! Many thanks to Ahmet Demir!

The lovely stamp franked on the top right corner was issued on 10 May 2009 to celebrate Mother's Day, a day to honor mothers and motherhood.

As previously discussed, the other 2 stamps belong to the "Mustafa Kemal Atatürk" definitive series, issued in 2009. Atatürk translates to 'Father of the Turks' or 'Father Turk'.

This cover bears postmarks dated "25th December 2009" (interesting to note that Turkish Post worked on Christmas day) and delivered to me on 2nd Jan 2010.

A lovely cover from Down Under!

Good day! Received this lovely cover from an eBayer.

The 3 stamps belong to the "Australian Botanic Gardens" series, issued on 12 September 2007. They depict Botanic Gardens of Adelaide, Kings Park and Botanic Garden in Perth & the Royal Botanic Gardens of Melbourne.

2 other stamps (Brisbane Botanic Gardens, Mt Coot-tha & Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain, Sydney) make up a set.

We have visited the Royal Botanic Gardens of Melbourne back in June 2009. And here are our memories...