SKS Postcard: Park Inn, Mason City, Iowa


This is from the only hotel Frank Lloyd Wright designed that is still operating as a hotel. Super cool! Sara and Shawn are very good at finding cool things on their trips.

Sara reports that it was fun to stay in the only Historic Suite and get a taste of what a 1910-era couple’s visit would have been like.

SKS postcard: Minnesota lingo and Minnesota letters

Two days later, all postcards are reunited. Here are postcards #2 and #3 of the trio. Where were postcards #2 and #3 while #1 was speeding toward me? One never knows.
Sara reports that she’s had a bit busier summer than usual, hence her lack of social media participation of late. However, she is halfway through the course she’s adjuncting.This is my other favorite style of postcard. The letters of the name filled with highlights of the place. Of the things pictured on this postcard, I’ve seen two: the state capitol building and Spoonbridge and Cherry.

What a nice postcard trio.

SKS postcard: Minneapolis highlights.


Here’s one of my favorite postcard styles: highlights of the city. Interestingly, many Postcrossers don’t like this style, a fact that indicates the relative picky nature of people who exchange postcards internationally.

This postcard is part of a trio, so Sara writes on the back, but its mates weren’t to be found in my mailbox today.

Sara also reports that she picked up new postcard stamps featuring seashells. She wishes for the birds to come back.  This is a big wish for Sara, as she doesn’t like birds. I’m right there with her wish as the seashells are not that great. Unfortunately, with postcard stamps, there’s not a choice.

SKS postcard: Minnesota State Capitol Rotunda


A place where we have both visited together!  Also, apparently Shawn picked this card. I’m not sure if he picked it out at the store, or picked it as the one for Sara to write to me, but either way, good pick.

Sara reports that summer is hard this year due to lack of people.  So she is taking herself to a coffee shop to do some work.  Tangential people are better than nothing.

SKS postcard: University of Illinois


Sara sent this one from her ICQI conference. It arrived covered in–something? Mud? It’s a very sticky, sandy mud. It also smells a little like food.  I’m not sure what it is.  And on what part of the journey did this happen?

Sara remarks that this campus is truly lovely. It looks to be, from this vantage point.

SKS postcard: diorama part III


Sara wrote this on 5/13/18 which she pointed out is 5+13=18. She often does fun things with dates, which is left over from her time as a classroom teacher.

This is the last of the creepy diorama postcards from New York City and I find this one to be less creepy, possibly due to the character’s face turned away, and the red hue. I’m not really sure what I’m supposed to be learning from this diorama though. Photo developing in a pre-digital era?  I’m already familiar with that, having taken photography in ninth grade, but perhaps people younger than me wouldn’t be.

SKS postcard: New York


This is a great postcard from Sara which she picked up at a NYC street fair. It’s an advertising postcard–the back is full of details about the artist, but Sara has covered most of those details with blank address labels, so she can write me.

Sara reports she’s made it to the last day of the semester!  Hooray for that!

If you want to see more from this artist, her website is www.bicyclepaintings.com

Postcards: SKS and one from Alaska


I got a very fun postcard invitation of Cindy’s parents’s anniversary.  In strange happenstance, they are also expecting their first grandchild this year.   Here’s a delightful post from 2013 where Matt and I attended Cindy’s wedding.

I also got a fun postcard from Sara.  She got it at the Red Balloon Children’s Bookstore because she LOVES Jane Mount, the illustrator.  I was not familiar with Jane Mount, or Ideal Bookshelf, but it seems to be a good way to celebrate books.

SKS Postcard: DC. Plus another from Florida

I’ve always liked this stamp, and also this postcard of this stamp. Sara reports that there is a lot going on as she creeps ever closer to the end of the semester. She also used a Mister Rogers stamp for postage, which isn’t even a postcard stamp!  They had just gotten them and she couldn’t resist. I loved it, so it was well spent.

Maureen sent me this great map postcard of the Orange State. She and her son went there “NOT during Spring Break” she says in an aside, to meet up with her Mom and her sister’s family. Not only was it sunny (it was not sunny here) but they also got to hold a baby alligator.

Once again, two postcards in one day. Where do they hang out together before making their way to my mailbox? Maybe I should post a reward for evidence?