Happy PFF and Pink Saturday

Good day everyone, and welcome to Postcard Friendship Friday and Pink Saturday!
 I am joining with Beth at The Best Hearts are Crunchy for PFF, and Bev at How Sweet the Sound.  Click on the links and see who else is joining the party.

This vintage card has the most wonderful colors and of course, pink flowers.  It is embossed and has gold on it too.  The border, which looks like birch trees, is just an extra touch.

Best wishes to you, where ever you are!
Viridian

Happy PFF - History in a postcard

To Mrs. Harry Sommerfeld, Lohrville Iowa (rural route)
Postmarked Long ? April 9 1917
Dear Lillie:
How are you? I am just fine. Nearly every-body is done with the vats(?) Had a snow Sat. afternoon and a big freeze the last two nights. What do you think of the war? Looks very serious. People are all worked up about it around here. Did you start some goose berries plants for us. If you did send by parcel post and will pay you the postage. Corn was 1.18 Sat. eggs 20p. Good stuff is taking a jump. Ans .soon Rita

I knew from the postmark that Rita was talking about WWI – the Great War. After doing some research (OK, just Wikipedia) I realized there was much about the war I did not know. And the date of this card will be significant.

Many socio-political events contributed to the war, though the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in July 1914 is considered to be the trigger. Various alliances were invoked so soon “The conflict opened with the German invasion of Belgium, Luxembourg and France; the Austro-Hungarian invasion of Serbia and a Russian attack against Prussia." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_I

Later the Ottoman Empire, Italy, and Romania joined the war. In March 1917 the Tsar abdicated and a provisional government continued with the war. Conditions in Russia were chaotic.

The United States followed an isolationist policy. However there were some cases of suspected German sabotage in the USA. There were increasing U-boat attacks on shipping. And then there was the Zimmermann telegram. Gosh, I must have been asleep that day in history class. Or they skipped right over it.

In January 1917 “British cryptographers deciphered a telegram from German Foreign Minister Arthur Zimmermann to the German Minister to Mexico, von Eckhardt, offering United States territory [Texas, New Mexico, Arizona] to Mexico in return for joining the German cause. This message helped draw the United States into the war and thus changed the course of history.” (http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/zimmermann/).

However, the Brits waited until February to tell President Wilson, and news didn’t hit the papers until March 1 1917. Public outrage ensued.

On April 6, 1917, the United States Congress formally declared war on Germany and its allies. No wonder the talk was all about the war among Rita’s friends and neighbors.

Another note about April 1917. Lenin at that time was in Zurich, Switzerland, but with the abdication of the Tsar, he had decided to return to Russia. But how, with the Great War raging all through Europe? Therefore the sealed train, traveling through Germany to the Finland Station in Petrograd (once Leningrad, now St. Petersburg). And so, after a number of events, the October Revolution that year and changing history, again.

Lenin left Zurich on April 2, 1917, arriving in Petrograd April 16.

And as in my postcard that mentions the Berlin Wall, the mundane is intertwined with the historical. Rita asks about gooseberry plants, and gives an update on farm prices.

I am joining Beth at The Best Hearts are Crunchy for Postcard Friendship Friday. Please see who else is joining her today.

Viridian

Postcard Friendship Friday: Think Spring

No postmark or stamp, addressed to Miss Elizabeth Heurton.

Thursday Jan. 2 1913. to Dear Elizabeth, With lots of love for a very happy birthday. With love from her baby sister Louise.

This is written in a lady's handwriting, so I think it's from one grown up sister to another.

We have a dusting of snow on the ground here (!) and my daffodils are ruined. So I really need a colorful Springy postcard.

I'm joining in Postcard Friendship Friday hosted by Beth at The Best Hearts are Crunchy. Please check out the other participants.

Viridian

Hearty Greetings everyone. I missed the last Postcard Friendship Friday, my first miss in a while. I was out of town at a meeting. May everyone relax and enjoy the season and friends and family.
viridian

Sentimental Landscape

This card is Tuck's card, mailed from London Jan. 23 1907 (and postmarked 10 AM!) to Littehampton. It is part of the series "Picturesque England" and depicts Hayes Common near Bromley.
The cryptic message is:
"I feel very selfish about Nell, really the time flies so quickly & I am afraid that Local work takes up more of my time than it should, however, I have written asking her about a trip to town, which we arranged for at Christmas. Writing later about steamer (?) A."

"Town" would be London, and steamer refers to a ship, but beyond that.....
We'll just have to let the veil fall between us and the past.

viridian

Mysterious Sentimental Landscape

An old divided back card from Europe. It may be Czech writing on the back - I cannot tell. It has that extra air of mystery that I like.
viridian

Postcard: The Volcano!

I have been away on vacation so no posts for a week.

Back with a bang: the volcano! Unused, no information on the back. Isuspect htough the artist was thinking of Vesuvius.
viridian61

From Blanch

Postmarked Nov. 9, 1910. Sent to Mrs. Wm. (William) Fish, Pittsfield, Vt.

" My dear Aunt Ina: I am well and hope this will find you the same. I am working down to the Wardsboro Hotel. I will close for this time. I do not know if you can read this - hoping to hear from you soon, From Blanch."

Both of these small towns are near modern ski resorts (think Stratton, Mount Snow). Skiing wasn't big in 1910 but there were always tourists in Vermont.

Viridian

Peek into Boston, 1949

One of the postcard blogs I follow pointed out that in the past, people sent postcards the way we send instant messages or twitter updates. (I wish I could remember which blog - I would link to you.) The heyday of sending postcards - lots of postcards - was early in the 1900's, but here is an example from October 25, 1949:

to Arthur Knowlton, Farmington, Maine.

"We are at the station in Boston & have had some coffe. [sic] Now we are going to get a taxi and go to the hotel. Love, Irma."

Would that fit into a tweet? I don't use twitter so I know there's a limit on characters, but not what the limit is.

Irma (who is traveling with her?) could be writing from either North Station or South Station in Boston. If she was writing home, then it would be North Station. The Mass. Highway Dept. has a great photo taken within months of her postcard. Think of the haze and dirt from the coal-fired steam locomotives.

Did I mention I love Google, and finding information and images so easily?

S.L. Saturday

A Winter Scene today.
viridian

S.L. Wednesday

Happy Birthday everyone! I know you have one this year.
viridian

Postcard Friendship Friday - early

Marie has posted the start of her meme so I will contribute now, on Thursday. A card of Notre-Dame in Paris, sent in 1904. There is actually a little glitter on this card.

Viridian61

Happy Easter

Happy Easter, in whatever language you speak. May there be peace for all, regardless of color, gender, orientation, creed or religion.
Viridian61

Postcard Scavenger Hunt - Spring

Happy Spring!

Postcardy's Blog

Viridian61

Repeat Post: Postcard Friendship Friday

I just love sentimental, vintage postcards. Especially ones with landscapes on them, or perhaps lush roses, or forget me nots. Not everyone's taste I know.This one is posted for Postcard Friendship Friday, on the Vintage Postcards blog.

I sent this one to someone on Postcrossing. What is Postcrossing? A highly addictive project! "It's a project that allows anyone to receive postcards (real ones, not electronic) from random places in the world." More on that later.

Viridian61