Weather Wonders, Canada

Last week a fantastic cover landed in my mailbox, featuring the Canadian set of Weather Wonders stamps, issued in 2015.

Each of these stamps illustrates a unique weather phenomenon, where each the credits for each image go to a  different photographer.
As the Canadian Post website had put it, you can revel in the beauty of a double rainbow over Quebec, tremble at the power of a lightning storm in the skies above Manitoba, and gaze through a gorgeous pink-hued fog at Newfoundland's Cape Spear lighthouse, Canada's easternmost point. Shake off the chill of a wintry hoar frost on a snowy Alberta plain, and shiver at the sight of sun dogs shining over Iqaluit in the Canadian Arctic.

Really spectacular set of stamps that come with a 'special' feature, and that is the cancellation :D
Obviously the postal-clerk felt like travelling back in time, so instead of cancelling the cover with the 2016 date, (s)he did it with the 2015 one (hence I was a bit confused at the beginning, wondering if this has indeed travelled for a year or if it was the human factor...). It was the human factor indeed and funny thing is that at this particular date, these stamps weren't even issued until 18 June, that is almost two months later :D :D :D

The big-big-big thank you goes to Bryon for this one :)

The 100th Anniversary of the Discovery of the Severnaya Zemlya Archipelago, Russia

Ok Sunday Stampers, I may be cheating a bit on this one since the map ain't actually ON the stamp itself but on the envelope...but I just couldn't resist posting this one....

You know that in general I find Russian stamps exquisite, and these are no exception.
This set of stamps was issued in 2013, to commemorate the 100th Anniversary of the Discovery of the Severnaya Zemlya Archipelago (or in English, the Northern Land Archipelago).
It is fascinating that in the 20th century there were still things on this planet of ours that hadn't been discovered. I cannot even imagine that out of nowhere some scientists come today with the announcement that they have found a new piece of land on our planet; with all the technology available and ISS making its rounds over and over again, that is simply - unimaginable!
But it is facinating to read about things like this, esp. when they relate to the Arctic Circle for example =)
Severnaya Zemlya was first noted in 1913 and first charted in 1930–32, making it the last archipelago on Earth to be discovered. It comprises four major islands – October Revolution, Bolshevik, Komsomolets, and Pioneer – and around 70 smaller islands, covering a total area of about 37,000 km2 in the Russian High Arctic. These are uninhabited by humans, with the exception of the Arctic Base.

Regarding the stamps here, the middle one shows Boris Andreyevich Vilkitsky who led the expedition on the ships "Taimyr" and "Vaigach" shown on the other two stamps respectively.


Well, for more maps that are REALLY on stamps, visit today's edition of Sunday Stamps :)

The 120th Anniversary of the Birth of Goce Delchev

Another person whose death is commemorated today is the Macedonian revolutioner and national hero, Goce Delchev, portrayed on this FDC issued by the Yugoslavian post in 1992, commemorating the 120th Anniversary of his birth. (born on 4 Februry 1872).

He was one of the leaders of what is known today as Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization (IMRO), a paramilitary organization active in Ottoman territories on the Balkans, at the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century.


He is often quoted with his most famous saying,
"I understand the world as a field for cultural competition between the nations."

Had he been alive today, I'm sure he would have felt abhorrent seeing what his country has turned into....

On May 4, 1903, he was killed in the village Banica  - he was only 31 years old.

May he rest in peace....

EUROPA Stamps - Personalities

Today's date is of kinda great significance for this part of the world, cos May 4th is the day when two important people had died, 77 years apart. One of them is shown on this EUROPA FDC, that is Josip Broz Tito, the man who had created a country many people nowadays feel nostalgic about...me as well, even though i was just a child back then, but Yugoslavia was considered like one of the most powerful countries out there, and ever since its break-up things went downhill...for Macedonia at least...the death of Tito signaled the beginning of the end...his funeral was the funeral of Yugoslavia itself....
The FDC was issued just a week before his death...

And May 4th 1980 was the day when in a hospital in Slovenia, his life came to an end. I remember, years afterwards (until the break-up of Yugoslavia), every 4th of May at 15:05, the sirens would resound and everybody would stop doing what they were doing, and stand still for a minute in silence, paying respects.
His funeral was held on 8th May and is considered as one of the biggest funerals ever. People cried as if they were aware that the lives and freedom they had had, would now slowly come to an end...and unfortunately they were right.

May he rest in peace!

The 50th Anniversary of Man's First Flight into Space, Bosnia and Herzegovina

On this day, April 12th, 55 years ago, Gagarin did what no one before him had managed to achieve - he became the first human to journey into outer space, when his Vostok spacecraft completed an orbit of the Earth.

Unfortunately, I have no stamps commemorating the 55th anniversary, but I have two FDCs issued to commemorate the 50th anniversary, so here they are...

the first one was issued by Croatian Post Mostar (if you are a bit familiar with postal administration, you are familiar then with the division of the postal administration of Bosnia and Herzegovina)

the second FDC also comes from Bosnia and Herzegovina, but this time from the Bosnia and Herzegovina Postal Administration.

Well, without wanting to sound politically incorrect, I included both of these since they both represent Gagarin and for the time being, these are the only FDCs I have with him :)

Tonight is also Yuri's Night - the World's Space Party celebrated throughout the world...I hope I will attend the one organized here in Skopje, if my allergy symptoms somehow ease until tonight.

Happy World's Space Day everyone! And drink one to Gagarin tonight :)

The 200th anniversary of the birth of Hans Nielsen Hauge, Norway

Hans Nielsen Hauge ((3 April 1771 – 29 March 1824) was a noted Lutheran lay minister who led a Pietism revival in Norway and is also considered to have been influential in the early industrialization of Norway

On 27 April 1971, the Norwegian Post issued two stamps commemorating 200 years since his birth...and today it would have been 245 years exactly...

It is generally agreed that Hans Nielsen Hauge had a profound influence on both secular and religious history in Norway. His message emphasized the type of spirituality he felt originated with Martin Luther. He led charismatic meetings, and his organization became an informal network that in many ways challenged the establishment of the state church. As a result, he and his followers were persecuted in various ways. Hauge was imprisoned on several occasions, spending nine years in prison.


Because Hauge's preaching coincided with the years during which many Norwegians were migrating to America, the Haugean influence on Lutheranism in America has been considerable. The Lutheran Church in America had a Hauge Synod, Eielsen Synod and Lutheran Free Church all indicative of that influence. Hauge is remembered on the liturgical calendar of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America on March 29th as one of the Renewers of the Church.

I am not exactly sure how I have acquired this FDC, but it is a nice one to have....I mean, it is from Norway :)

Sunrise at the Martinsloch, Switzerland

Greetings all from this absolutely gloomy day here in Skopje - it was supposed to be sunny but for some reason it's been like this these past two days...

 Anyways, without too much chit-chat, let's get down to today's Sunday Stamps edition on the subject of mountains, for which I have this Swiss cover to show.

The Swiss Post issued this strip of 3 stamps on 8 March 2012, and I am happy to have this cover sent on its first day of issue (million thanks to Sara for that), with a postage value of 100 CHF, named "Sunrise at the Martinsloch", where you can see a truly remarkable phenomenon.

The Martinsloch mountain in the Alps has developed a hole that is 21 meters high and 18 meters wide in the rock of the Grosser Tschingelhorn.
Twice a year - on 13/14 March at 8.53 a.m. and on 30 September/1 October at 9.32 a.m. - the sun briefly shines straight through the Martinsloch just before it is due to rise, illuminating the church tower in Elm, as can be seen on these stamps here.
At set intervals, the moon can also be seen through the Martinsloch.

The site is now designated a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site.

For more mountain beauties, see what others have chosen today at Sunday Stamps