Here are the postcards!

I’ve been collecting postcards since 2008. Since then, I’ve sent and received over 1800 postcards from all over the US and dozens of countries. I respond to every postcard I receive, so I’m always open for private swaps.

My origin story: Back when I was a young boy, I got the idea to write a letter to several world leaders, but I only ever ended up writing the US president and the Queen of England. I was so tickled to receive responses from President Bush and then Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II! Well, they weren’t directly from the world leaders, but rather from their staff members. President Bush sent me an autographed photograph (which I lost later in a show-and-tell accident).

One of the Queen’s ladies-in-waiting sent me a very detailed letter, typed on Buckingham Palace stationery, answering all of my questions about the Queen’s horses and her corgis and her favorite foods. I marveled at the strangely-sized paper, the texture of the embossed coat of arms centered at the top of the page, and the stamps on the envelope. A real person had spent time reading my letter, responding to it, folding it and placing it in an envelope, and then more real human beings had taken the time and effort to transport it from London to some mail distribution center, to an airport in England, to an airport in the US, and back through the various USPS chains until it arrived in a plastic mailbox at the foot of my driveway in southeast Michigan.

I’m still fascinated by this process today, and all for less than the price of some chocolate! So I maintain correspondence with about a dozen penpals across the world, and send and receive postcards. At last count, I have a little under 2,000 postcards that I’ve received. Keep scrolling to see the most recent postcards that have arrived in my mailbox.

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Hahndorf (Australia)

What strange hotel with a stranger history! Do all hotels in Australia look like this (outside the big towns, I guess)? I swear I’ve seen many before in other images.

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MUNI dogs (California)

Look at these great dogs trying to get to the store or museum or home! I love a good dog on public transit.

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troubled birds (California)

Julian and Salvo sent this postcard to us, timed to arrive as we got back from vacation! What a lovely welcome-home gift.

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Who? Who is it?! (Illinois)

We got a great postcard from our niece and nephew in Chicago who were hosting friends and family for the weekend. I miss family gatherings sometimes.

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all of Australia

I love all of these stereotypical views of Australia; I’m not going to lie — if I were to travel there, I’d want to see so many of these! But it’s a big country/continent so I’m not sure how realistic that is. I wonder how many of them Matty has seen?

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Obernai (France)

Dominique sent this postcard before we departed for France, doubting it would arrive before we did; he was right! But I got it upon our return. Obernai is a great town with very expensive housing and delicious restaurants. It’s on the list for next time!

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bear series 11/12

Did you notice the little peach icon in the lower right hand corner? That’s not an accident, I don’t think! ;-)

Tickle My Belly Pink

Jason Lloyd Art

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Australian magpie

I asked Matty about wildlife in Australia and he sent this postcard about the magpies, which are apparently a real menace! He writes that he regularly sees kangaroos in nature parks near his home and he saw an echidna on a walk last summer, and had a blue-tongue lizard in his backyard. A PS written along the side says he won’t mention the spiders (thank you!).

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3D printing (California)

My student Han sent this postcard, which I presume she designed! It’s really beautiful and printed on excellent card stock.

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bear series 10/12

This was the last postcard I sent before our trip, and of course the last one to arrive. Drinking coffee in pajamas is apt right now since we’re very jet lagged and awake at 3:15a

Coffee Bear

Gufiart

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baseball players (Japan)

Our friend Greg went to Japan to visit family, where Greg earned his new name “oji” (uncle) after visiting his new niece!

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bear series 9/12

What a tender image! It was waiting in the mailbox for Andy when we got back from our trip.

Adam Loves Ben

Bobobear

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le bretzel alsacien (France)

Voici une recette authentique de l’Alsace. J’ai préparé des pretzels mais jamais avec le méthode ici. Je m’interesse à la badigeonne d’oeuf, bière, et lait!

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Capitol Reef (Utah)

Matt sent this postcard from his photography trip to Utah. These photos pale in comparison to the ones that he took!

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Booksmith Bingo (California)

How many of these can you check off? Kimee and Michael did this one and it doesn’t surprise me in the slightest!

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la rivière à Strasbourg (France)

Although this postcard arrived at the end of May, it’s only making it to the blog today, which is perfect because our trip to France is approaching and I’ll soon be in Strasbourg! Dominique wrote it exactly one month before our departure, so it’s perfect to be posted today.

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More to come from the past…