A big one from Pakistan

This envelope is quite large actually, and has stamps on the front and back. Postmarked at the philatelic bureau in Rawalpindi. Twin to neighboring Islamabad. The 2025 souvenir sheet on the right commemorates international women's day. At the top is a 2025 stamp commemorating the five year economic plans launched in 2024 known as URAAN. And on the left is 2026 stamp that commemorates the 25th anniversary of the PARCO Mid-Country Oil Refinery.

More on the back. At the top is a pair of 2025 stamps commemorating the 75 anniversary of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Bottom left is a 2014 stamp commemorating the 2013 100th anniversary of Pakistan's paramilitary police force: the Frontier Constabulary. And bottom right is a 2 rupee Jinnah definitive.

Algerian Flora and Fauna

Here's a recent souvenir sheet from Algérie Poste featuring local flora and fauna. On the top are stamps depicting green mint and wild thyme. And on the bottom are the African golden wolf and the cat-like  and elusive genet.

Norway's Thor Heyerdahl

Here is set of stamps issued in 2014 to commemorate the 100th birth anniversary of Norwegian adventurer Thor Heyerdahl. The raft in the stamp on the left was used in his 1947 Kon-Tiki expedition to sail (drift) from Peru to Easter Island. And the one of the right is the Ra II which he used to sail from Africa to Barbados in 1970. His theories on migration are controversial and perhaps somewhat racist. But he did prove it would have been possible for ancient peoples to cross vast oceans using the limited tools and technology they had available at the time. 

More Than Meets The Eye!

Nothing really special here. Machine cancel from Florida. However, the cover does have an imperf stamp pair on it. Or more correctly, a pair that lacks die-cuts, because all US stamps are self-adhesive. This was a 2021 stamp issue that contains a hidden message in the design that isn't all that hard to figure out. USPS sells sheets or plates of stamps without die-cuts at face value but only in limited quantities. They tend to sell out fast and usually end up on the resale market.

Two Birds and a Helicopter from Mauritius

Perfectly postmarked at the Tribecca Mall in Trianon, in the Plaines Wilhems District near the center of the tropical paradise known as Mauritius. On the left is a Rodrigues Parrot stamp from the 2025 Extinct Species 3 definitive set. In the middle is a 2013 stamp showing a Mascarene Swallow. And the stamp on the right is from a 2024 set commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Mauritius Police Helicopter Squadron.

Les cabanes à sucre

The Canadian province of Quebec produces over 70% of the world's maple syrup. Sugar shacks and the maple syrup they produce are an important part of Québécois culture in Canada. During the spring when the maple sap flows, these shacks become popular meeting places for enjoying traditional food and activities. Canada Post recently issued these stamps, in the shape of maple syrup tins, to honor the sugar shack tradition.

Serbian Underwater Flora and Fauna

On this cover from Novi Sad are a pair of 2024 Europa stamps. The theme that year was underwater flora and fauna. On the left is a European pond turtle and on the right is a white water lily. And something else I just noticed: Latin alphabet on the left and Cyrillic on the right.

Winter Landscapes, USA FDC

This took a while to find it's way into my mailbox. The first-day postmark of 19 Sept 2025 is applied to the 2025 winter landscapes icicles stamp. And smiling out of the cover next to that is a 2025 SpongeBob stamp. He's square so he fits nicely on a stamp. The stamp on the right is 1982 state bird and flower stamp representing the state of Kansas, featuring a western meadowlark and sunflowers. And bottom right is a label promoting the 2026 world stamp exhibition being held in Boston this May.

Floral Greetings from Finland

The flowers on this year's floral greetings stamps from Finland's Posti are roses and malva flowers, on the left and right on this cover respectively. Way too early for flowers to bloom here right now. Helsinki too I imagine. But these stamps give those of us who have had to put up with a cold and snowy winter something to look forward to. 

Terre Adélie 76

A nice cover from the French Antarctic research base Dumont d'Urville. Stamped and signed by expedition participant and chemist-glaciologist Clémence Ferrand. The red handstamp in the middle appears to be that of the MV Astrolabe with it's slogan "Toujours plus sud": always further south. They were able to supply the base on 23 November 2025 which matches the datestamp in the postmarks.

Germany's Hildegard Knef

This is from the German town of Polch: a little to the west of Koblenz in Rhineland-Palatinate. The 2025 stamp on the left commemorates the 100th birth anniversary of legendary German actress and singer Hildegard Knef.

Hong Kong, Year of the Horse

On this cover from Hong Kong is one of the four stamps from the 2026 Year of the Horse issue by Hong Kong Post. The $1 definitive on the left I've seen before but the 50c definitive is new to me. It's from a 2025 set that shows various landmarks around Hong Kong. And on this stamp is the Hakka village of
Lai Chi Wo.