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.
Vancouver panorama (British Columbia)
Andy went to Vancouver for a work trip recently and I told him not to worry about sending a postcard, knowing that he wouldn’t have time to find one and mail it. I’d put it out of my mind until visiting our good friends Julian and Salvo who had a Vancouver postcard on their dining room table. Two days later, Kimee and Michael sent us a photo of theirs, thanking Andy. I privately was a little hurt that he’d send our friends postcards but not one to me! When this massive, panoramic postcard showed up a few days later, I realized why it’d taken so long. No worries at all!
“a watchdog!” (Michigan)
Kim has had the same trouble I do — finding postcards! Those of us exchanging them are getting fewer with each year, so fewer places are selling postcards. Lucky for me, I live in a very touristic city, so finding San Francisco-related postcards is easy. But that’s more difficult elsewhere. Hence, the lovely joke postcards that Kim’s bought so our nephew Jasper and his brother Brandon can send some! Honestly, while some postcards are more interesting than others (their fronts, anyway), what really counts is the message and the time it took the person to send it.
pineapple birthday (Illinois)
One of my oldest friends never ceases to make me smile, this time with a beautiful postcard of the peace-bringing pineapple. Paw Paw for Jesus, Erin!
brown bear and cub (Alaska)
Normally, I only post postcards that have been mailed to me, but I’ll make an exception here for this fantastic lenticular postcard, especially one so beautiful as this! Furthermore, Yutian got it while she was in remote Alaska so it was particularly challenging to find stamps and a postbox.
Massive omnivores weighing between 600 and 900 pounds, brown bears eat everything from large mammals to fish, birds, nuts, tubers and rodents. Litters of one to four pups are born in their mother’s winter den while she hibernates. A pronounced hump, enormous claws and brown color distinguish brown bears, also called Grizzlies, from black bears.
chocolate pancakes (Russia)
This postcard arrives from Kate, who sent a beautiful postcard not too long ago via PostCrossing. I had chocolate chip pancakes this morning, in fact, although I cooked mine in the rice cooker!
Cottonwood Bloom (California)
This beautiful watercolor is appropriately called “Cottonwood Bloom” by Serena Supplee. Trust Kimee to pick a gorgeous postcard to send me in celebration of my birthday.
Pacific Grove poppy (California)
After a glorious month in Pacific Grove, Cynthia and Tracy are on their way back to the East Bay. I am so grateful for a great many things that they bring to my life, but here I am happy to highlight the great postcards that Tracy finds and sends.
Flagstaff Train Station (Arizona)
Our dear friend Kimee was visiting Flagstaff and writes: “It’s really a toss up whether I am more excited about the this postcard or the underwater treadmill.” Amazing as this postcard is — and it is amazing — an underwater treadmill sounds super exciting! Why not both?!
Berwartstein (Germany)
Quand les américains pensent à l’Europe, on pense toujours aux châteaux et les forteresses. Dominique écrit qu’il y a plusiers que sont maintenant des sites à visiter. J’imagine que celle ci mérite bien le visite.
Garmisch-Partenkirchen (Germany)
Dominique is starting his annual summer vacation (3 weeks in a row) and send this great card from southern Germany. He’ll travel around and end up in Salzbourg.
“Ruff!” (Michigan)
It’s great to receive postcards from children so you can track their literacy through time! I hope to share these with Jasper some day as he grows older and comes to appreciate it.
Books for Cooks (Oregon)
This is the combination of two of my greatest loves: eating and reading! We have one of these in San Francisco, too, and it’s one of my favorite shops ever: Omnivore Books. Thanks to Linda for sending this to me!
Janet Echelman, 1.8 (Washington, DC)
This postcard was one of few casualties of the US Postal Service, who otherwise does a very fine job delivering the large amount of mail that I receive. Quinn is in Washington DC on a writing retreat and took a break to visit the Renwick Gallery, which is my favorite art museum in our nation’s capital! This work, 1.8 (2015) by Janet Echelman is particularly arresting!
Chris and Troy (California)
How sweet of Julian and Salvo to arrange a visit for my birthday from these lovely gentlemen! ;-)
Quéribus (France)
J’admets que le nom de cette forteresse me fait penser à la série de fantasie Harry Potter. Mais évidemment, ce n’est pas de tout un livre mal-écrit, sinon “le Château de Quéribus (Aude) - la forteresse élevée sur un piton rocheux des Corbières (du XIème au XVème siècle) [qui] fu l’un des derniers bastions de la résistance Cathare contre l’Inquisition." Beaucoup plus intéressant, ça!
giant Pacific octopus (California)
Do Tracy and Cynthia know that octopus is Andy’s favorite seafood? They’re enjoying their vacation in PG, one of the many places you can find this terrific creature.
Wisconsin State Capitol
How do you remember the difference between capital and capitol? For me, I remember that most capitol buildings look like bells, and bells toll. So that’s how I remember which word goes with which phenomenon.
Anyway, Nozomi was in Madison attending a conference on her way out to her new gig in Iowa and found the time to send this great postcard. I also have admired the terrific cupola in the Wisconsin State Capitol.
nothing to eat (Illinois)
Here’s a great postcard from our niece and her boyfriend! They sent it to welcome us to our new apartment; what better welcome than a full fridge (especially with a delicious yellow cake with chocolate frosting)!?
the Booksmith (California)
Kimee and Michael have welcomed us to the neighborhood in our new apartment by sending this hello from their favorite bookstore! It’s just a short walk away!
History Museum at the Castle (Wisconsin)
Nozomi is making her way east to her new home and job in Iowa City, and took a detour into Wisconsin for a conference and some sightseeing, this time in Appleton, Wisconsin. Apparently, the locals call this museum the Houdini Museum! I can’t imagine why?