Something Special for Sunday Stamps

Today is the 100th edition of Sunday Stamps on Viridian's postcard blog, and so therefore the task for participants today was to share something "special"... worthy of the centennial milestone.

So, I have shared a lot of 'special' stamps on this here blog in the past, but today I thought I would whip out this sheetlet, which I didn't even realise I had until I found it amongst a miscellaneous box of 'stuff' at my parents house a few months ago. Therefore I don't actually know the provenance of this sheet - but I suspect it was a gift from one of my host families from when I did an exchange to Japan in 1999.

The ten stamps illustrate world heritage sites in Japan, several Shinto Buddhist temples, as well as some of the artworks that adorn the temples. It is a beautiful sheet. I think all the stamps are lovely, but I like the traditional Japanese image of a temple scene behind the stamps the best. I haven't been back to Japan since 1999, but looking at these beautiful temples makes me a little nostalgic, and definitely makes me want to return.

If you would like to see what special-somethings other bloggers have found to share for the 100th edition of Sunday Stamps, click on the button below to find their blogs. Thank-you Viridian for continuing to organise Sunday Stamps every week, it is a lot of fun to participate in!

Animal Definitives: Sunday Stamps

Ok. If it is one thing Australia has, it is plenty of strange wildlife. The fauna (and flora) confounded the Europeans when they arrived here a couple of hundred years ago and the unique animals cohabitating our continent continue to amaze and inspire.

So it is no surprise that there are plenty of animal stamps issued by Australia Post, as our native fauna helps us to define ourselves. We are a young nation (albeit with a long indigenous past) and quirky animals are easy totems by which we can distinguish ourselves in the world.

 All of which is to say, our animals are basically kick-ass.

Australia Post has issued stamps on our reptiles, our birds, animal welfare and even our bugs. But I thought the above definitives issued in 1986 and 1987 were appropriate to share this week on Sunday Stamps which has an animal theme.

And just to prove how nationalistic animals can be, I also dug up this 1995 joint-issue with China which celebrates the Koala and the Panda.

But just for good measure, and a bit of frivolity, I thought I would also share this cute dog stamp from Japan, which is perhaps the cutest stamp in my whole collection.

You gotta love an irregularly shaped stamp. Especially one featuring a puppy. Awww. Cute.

That's it from me for this Sunday. Have a great week all!