Postcard Friendship Friday

It's time for Thanksgiving postcards and once again,

I'd like to share one from the New York Public Library Digital collection.

This one made me chuckle.

It is a Raphael Tuck & Sons Thanksgiving Postcard dated around 1907.

  Raphael Tuck & Sons were proudly known to be the Publishers to Her Majesties the King and Queen, with printing houses in London, Paris and New York.

They began in London, England in 1866, selling pictures and frames.  Raphael Tuck was joined by his three sons in 1871 and published their first Christmas greeting card.   

In 1893 they were granted a Royal Warrant by Queen Victoria.

Adolph Tuck, one of the sons, produced their first picture postcard in 1894 of Mt. Snowden in Wales, which was sold to tourists visiting the site.

The first series of numbered postcards was printed In 1898 which was a set of 12 lithographed vignette views of London, numbered 1 to 12 with the "Tower of London" being postcard #1.

They entered the postcard market in the United States in 1900 with an office in New York.   American artists designed many of the postcards, but the cards were printed in Europe (Germany, Saxony, England) and then returned to the states for sale. 

Unfortunately, like many other postcard printers and manufacturers of their time, the history, records, original paintings and postcards of Raphael Tuck & Sons were destroyed during the bombing blitz of London during World War II.

Raphael Tuck & Sons were prolific printers and produced Books, Postcards, Greeting Cards, Die Cut Cards, Fringed Silk Cards, Scrapbooks, Puzzles and more.

Be sure to visit with the lovely Beth, our hostess for Postcard Friendship Friday, where you'll find a variety of postcards to visit. 

Happy PFF and have a wonderful, restful, fun filled weekend!

Good Morning!

Dinosaurs

It finally got cool enough for Mr. Dragon and yours truly to make a quick trip to the zoo to see the dinosaurs.

"Dinosaurs?", you say?!!!

Yep. 

It was a great idea. 

Bring the dinosaurs to the zoo during the summer when folks are looking for something to do with the kids.

Hopefully, there will be a few visitors who haven't been to the zoo before,

will enjoy the dinosaurs and find out that the Houston Zoo is a great place to visit.

It was such a good idea, that the dinosaurs were held over through Halloween.

Stegosaurus

I loved the setting.

Lots of foliage, trees, flowers

for the dinosaurs to play in.

It was all well thought out.

Dimetrodon, Euoplocephalus, Stegosaurus, Triceratops

We had a great time watching the kids.

They were running and loud and then they entered the dinosaur exhibit

and suddenly, when they come on the first dinosaur ... quiet!

BIG critters and they make LOUD noise. 

At the  every end there was a cemetery.

A cemetery for just a few of the animals that once roamed the earth

on land and in the seas. 

We really don't have a very good record being stewards of the earth and its creatures.

It was a lovely, cool (mid 70's instead of low 90's) way to spend the afternoon.

Mosaic Monday is hosted by the lovely Mary.

Each mosaic is different. Each has its own story to tell.

Enjoy! 

We Said Goodbye Today

We said the final goodbye today to little Miss Riley.

She had enough.

She had the most beautiful green eyes.
In true Riley fashion, she had the last say in the matter ...she stuck her tongue out at us during her last moments!
She left us laughing, once more, at her antics!

She quit eating and taking her medication.

Our wonderful vet assured us we had gone above and beyond.

That everyone was surprised her heart had lasted this long.

With sadness we say Goodbye to the little Impress.

She and her brother Rocky are playing together once again.

I'd like to leave you with one of our favorite kitty poems.

The Singing Cat

It was a little captive cat

Upon a crowded train

His mistress takes him from his box

To ease his fretful pain.

She hold him tight upon her knee

The graceful animal

And all the people look at him

He is so beautiful.

But oh he pricks and oh he prods

And turns upon her knee

Then lifteth up his innocent voice

In plaintive melody.

He lifteth up his innocent voice

He lifteth up, he singeth

And to each human countenance

A smile of grace he bringeth.

He lifeth up his innocent paw

Upon her breast he clingeth

And everybody cries, Behold

The cat, the cat that singeth.

He lifteth up his innocent voice

He lifteth up, he singeth

And all the people warm themselves

In the love his beauty bringeth.

~Stevie Smith 

Peace

Postcard Friendship Friday

One more Halloween postcard from the New York Public Library digital collection.

Let's see what she sees in the mirror this time!

"The maiden fair had a most romantic soul,

And wished her future husband to behold.

She gazed in the mirror and one glance took-

And beheld her brother kissing the cook.

Hallow'een Greeting."

Don't forget to visit the lovely Beth, who hosts Postcard Friendship Friday.

You'll see a variety of postcards there.

Wishing you well, a JOY filled weekend, and a spooky, treat filled HALLOWEEN!