This view of Mingus was taken a few days ago. I looked up, and was blown away at the sight of that humongous cloud crowning the mountains. Glorious!

One side swap card, and one regular LYA postcard arrived. I love them both! Kat Sloma suggested we get creative with our postcard placement, when showing them in the Facebook group. My placement isn’t grand, but it is very fitting for both postcards.

The first arrival is a sweet and sparkly sea scene. This side swap is handmade by Trang Kang in Texas. I know you can’t see the pearlescent glitter, but it looks as if the water is glistening.  magical! When Trang and I agreed to side swap, she asked me what sorts of things I like. I had no idea that I was going to get a hand-made card.  I have another shell to add to my collection Trang! Thank you!

 

 

Trang included this beautiful message, written in sparkling turquoise on the back of the card:

May your spirit always be bathed in oceans of sunshine and may your soul contain treasures of peace, love and joy glimmering brighter than all the seashells and pearls.

Now how can you not smile while reading that! Thank you Trang for this beautiful reminder of why I love San Diego, the sea, the sand, and sea shells! And I love the recycled gift wrap envelope. A present! It looked like spring at first glance to me!

Part of the fun of this postcard swap is finding connections between senders and recipients. My connection with Trang is that I was born in Abilene Texas. I love Texas, even though I have only been there a few times. I lived there until I was 6 months old, but I can’t really tell you too much about it. LOL.

The photo card is from David Wolanksi. This is  #3, and the third card I have received from David during this swap! (You can see the first two here.) It is a signed and numbered, Black and White Meditations #1 Limited Edition Postcard series, 7 of 25. Now I have a Wolanski Trio!

David explains:

” I love this photo! I did down in the Mississippi Delta. In a restaurant that was at least 50 years old! Flaws and all!”

Thank you David for sharing your fabulous photography with me! Again! I can just make out the old dining chairs, trimmed with metal brads. I love old things! Places, buildings, homes, trees, books, history.

This was my inspiration for my postcard placement. Something old. I tried to think of the oldest thing I own. What came to mind was my vanity table. About 50 years old, when I bought it in 1984. And a set of travel translation dictionaries I found in an antique shop in Santa Barbara.

I am a sucker for old books. And these are in prime condition.

I think of someone like rose Dawson (Titanic) carrying them with her as she traveled the world in style.  There is no publish date in the books. But I did find some online that are similar from 1933.  A set in a box close to this is for sale on Ebay for £70!! ( I paid less than $20.)

These little books are roughly the size of an ATC. The pages have decorative edges, resembling cow hide. Each volume has 25,000 to 30,000 words and “dialogues for all occasions.” They also include photographic terms!

Thank you David, for sending me on this short journey to learn more about my books. I confess, I had not looked them up before. Now I have visions of Antique Roadshow running through my head! They might be worth hundreds! But no matter. They are not for sale. I might need them on my next world cruise!

 

 

As you can see, changes are afoot here on my site. I have put in about 40 hours in the last few days. Long overdue. Seemed like for every item I crossed off the list, I wrote down two more. I added galleries, cleaned up the sidebar. Created widgets. “Freshened” just about everything.

Still a few details to take care of. But Whew! I think I might take a break for today!