Deutsche Post releases its stamps for the Federal Republic of Germany in batches with several different issues at the beginning of most months in the year. For January, there were eight different designs issued on the 5th day of the New Year. All of these came in gummed sheets of 10 stamps for each design. … Continue reading Stamps of 2023: Germany (January 2023)
Germany
Stamps of 2023: France (January 2023)
La Poste has announced its first several issues for 2023, four in January and three so far in February. The four issues scheduled for January include a total of twenty-two stamps as detailed below. Jan. 6, 2023 Between Heaven and Earth France's first issue of 2023 is a set of 12 stamps titled "Between Heaven … Continue reading Stamps of 2023: France (January 2023)
Christmas Stamps 2022: Germany
On November 2, Deutsche Post released the two designs for Germany's 2022 Christmas stamps, each in perforated gummed and self-adhesive varieties. Prof. Annette Le Fort and Prof. André Heers designed the religious stamp, with the legend "The Message of the Angels: I Announce to You a Great Joy", while the secular stamp -- "Winter Forest" … Continue reading Christmas Stamps 2022: Germany
Postcrossing Topical Catalogue 2011-2022
Welcome to my updated catalogue of Postcrossing-themed stamps, issued between 2011 and the present 2022. This covers mainly those stamps officially released by postal administrations around the world. There are also a number of personalized stamps on this topic, some official but most privately created as well as a large variety of pictorial cancellations and … Continue reading Postcrossing Topical Catalogue 2011-2022
A Philatelist’s Tribute to QEII
I tend to wake up earlier and earlier as I become older, often just to urinate and return to bed until the alarm jars me into the shower at a more reasonable hour. Thus, it was just after three o'clock in the morning that I awoke last Thursday, the 8th of September 2022, and discovered … Continue reading A Philatelist’s Tribute to QEII
New Postcrossing Stamps 2022
Updated 7 September to include the Estonian Postcrossing stamp as announced on the Postcrossing Blog. Within the next month, Estonia, Luxembourg and Germany will each release single stamps marking the Postcrossing project, established in July 2005. I joined in late June 2006 and wrote a little about my early experience on my Postcards to Phuket … Continue reading New Postcrossing Stamps 2022
Daily Phuket #18: 14 March 2021 – Rasta Crossroads
I spent much of Saturday waiting for a freight company to deliver my new refrigerator, a replacement for the tiny one I bought during the pandemic lockdown nearly one year ago. There is even a freezer compartment so I can buy ice cream and other frozen foods and not have to consume them almost immediately. … Continue reading Daily Phuket #18: 14 March 2021 – Rasta Crossroads
My Family, My Life: The Marstellers (Part Two)
Much of a family's history is tied up in places as much as in people. Both sides of my own family reach back to locations in Germany. My father's side left the home country only in the early part of the twentieth century (and there is family lore that puts portions of it in the midst of the … Continue reading My Family, My Life: The Marstellers (Part Two)
My Family, My Life: The Marstellers (Part One)
When one begins to delve into family history, many interesting stories begin to emerge. My own family is no different. In this first entry in a planned series of genealogically-inspired articles, I will introduce one branch of my family tree which I can currently trace back seven generations and ultimately has a connection to the first … Continue reading My Family, My Life: The Marstellers (Part One)
Philatelic Pursuits: April 2015
Another month gone and this one went by very quickly indeed! I was on holiday for much of April due to the Thai New Year (Songkran) occurring mid-month and my language school students canceled most of their lessons in order to enjoy the nationwide bout of laziness. Even my local postman took a couple of … Continue reading Philatelic Pursuits: April 2015
Mark Joseph Jochim 