Over the weekend I was organizing my recent purchases of postcards – really just savoring the additions to my collection. There were a few dogs and cats and some c.ards of geographical significance (o me).

I

It seems as if I have a lot going on but I can’t focus on any particular thing to relate to you. Nevertheless I’ll start by saying how much I am enjoying the recent good weather and the transition to Fall. Then is so much lower in the sky and the days are pleasant. We do need rain but no significant amount has fallen to date. Meanwhile I am keenly enjoying the bird life in my garden. This morning the birds were particularly abundant and active – but all the same type – little brown jobs as a friend used to say in Kenya. This morning I had an extra treat as my friend Katerina was there when I arrived.

Speakingi of jigsaw puzzles, after my annoying experience with a 500 piece puzzle I couldn’t finish – I have almost finished another 500 piece puzzle by a different artist. The unfinished Manet puzzle had too many similar pieces. The Charley Harper puzzle has been much more doable.

My history of stamp collecting has been erratic, to say the least. I had great enthusiasm as a child. But my interest lapsed when I reached junior or senior high school age and then college and beyond. But I think my interest resumed sometime in my 30’s when I was married and had small children – and most importantly was living in Fiji in the South Pacific where there was a very active Philatelic Society. We joined the group and participated in the monthly meetings and the circulation of books of stamps to buy.

I have a very interesting response to a letter that I wrote at that time to the Philatelic Society in Norway.

After Fiji we went to Bangladesh and I had a penpal with whom I exchanged stamps

The years went by, my collecting interests lapsed – and now some 40 years on I am picking up the odds and ends and becoming a rather avid collector again. Onward!

AndI I have discovered that I have my son Andrew’s collection as well. I wonder if he wants it for his son – I doubt it.

Anyhow, here we are and I feel swamped. There is too much to collect. How do I narrow it down to manageable dimensions? I think I will sort what I have and not buy anything more.

But postcards – that’s another matter!

What a joy to visit a real live bookstore. And Barnes & Noble is really quite close to us here at Ida Culver. And. it’s an easy Uber destination. There – I’ve puit in a plug for a bookstore and a ride service. I am am avid reader and as regular readers of this blog know, I love books – and I like to own the books I read – although I’m at the point now that I am giving my books away to worthy causes.

Today I purchased 2 books – one by an author that I know and like – Haruki Murakami. And the second by a much revered author that I have read about and a topic that I have little to no interest in. Well how is that for being adventuresome.

Have you ever been diagnosed with skin cancer? I wonder.

Well the good news is that Katerina has been a regular visitor to my garden of late. She saunters in, stays for a while,, assumes her position for bird watching, and sooner or later decides to exit via another watching post. Yesterday she missed seeing the hawk – yes a hawk! First time I have ever seen a hawk so close. That really was a highlight.