A new book and a blog post on letters

On her blog, author Mary Alice Monroe writes about her new book, "The Summer Girls," which begins with a hand-written invitation.

Mary Alice then goes on to write a personal post about letter writing.

She writes:

"I love that pause a special letter gives you while standing at the mailbox.  You’re so interested to see something ‘special’ that you’re ripping open the envelope even before you walk back in your front door..."

 Click on the link above and read the rest of her post. I think you'll enjoy it.

Johnny Cash stamp released last week

About a month ago, I posted information about the USA Philatelic catalog and the upcoming Johnny USPS website, John Carter Cash, Larry Gatlin, Jamey Johnson, The Oak Ridge Boys, The Roys, Marty Stuart, Randy Travis and other entertainers were on hand to pay tribute to Johnny Cash as he was inducted into the Postal Service’s Music Icons Forever stamp series at the Ryman Auditorium on June 5. 
Cash stamp. Well, that stamp was released with great fanfare last week. According to the


“It is an amazing blessing that my father, Johnny Cash be honored with this stamp. Dad was a hardworking man, a man of dignity. As much as anything else he was a proud American, always supporting his family, fans and country. I can think of no better way to pay due respect to his legacy than through the release of this stamp,” said singer-songwriter, producer John Carter Cash, Johnny Cash’s son.

“My family is thrilled that my father will grace a Postal Service Forever Stamp, a great honor for any American, and an honor that would have particularly delighted him. It is a joy to know that generations will use this stamp, and my father will forever be where he loved to be: traveling the world,” added singer-songwriter and author Rosanne Cash, the music icon’s eldest daughter.

The stamp features a photograph taken by Frank Bez for Columbia Records (now part of Sony Music Entertainment) during a photo session for Ring of Fire: The Best of Johnny Cash (1963). The reverse side of the pane includes a larger version of the photograph featured on the stamp. Greg Breeding of Charlottesville, VA, served as art director and designer of the stamp. Breeding chose a photograph taken during the photo session for Ring of Fire: The Best of Johnny Cash (1963). Breeding designed the square stamp pane to resemble the appearance of a 45 rpm record sleeve.

Also available with the stamp are a variety of postal products, including first day covers, press sheets with and without die cuts, digital color postmark, ceremony program, framed art, poster and more. 

Look in the USPS online shop to purchase.

Write now!

Yesterday, I found out that a friend's daughter died suddenly and unexpectedly at the age of 29. I knew her when she was just a baby, and her tragic death has reminded me how fragile life is.

As I look at my life and that of those around me, I think that too often we procrastinate things we ought not put off. It's easier to wait until we have more time or are less stressed or are in the right frame of mind. Much of the time, the things we're postponing isn't something unpleasant, just thought-requiring.

Take a moment and think about those letters you need to write. Do you need to say "thank you" or "I'm sorry" or "I love you"? If there's a letter you've been meaning to write but just haven't written yet, I'm encouraging you to do it today. Find a piece of stationery and a pen or pencil and put those thoughts on paper. Then, go drop it in a mailbox.

Don't wait any longer!

Great love letter story

As many of Steve Hartman's stories do, "Love at 81: Worth the Wait" has a twist to it.

Writer Cynthia Riggs received a coded letter in the mail. She knew who it was from, and the letter led to a happily ever after story.

Watch the CBS video for the whole story!

A blogger's snail mail swap

The blogger over at "A butterfly in my hair" is hosting a snail mail swap. It's a lovely blog. Check it out.

Summer letter writing

It's almost summer! Well, around here, we've already had 100-degree days, but the first day of
summer isn't for another three weeks.

How do the seasons affect your letter writing? Do you find you have more time in the summer to write letters? Do the "longer" days give you more energy and more daylight hours for corresponding?

Or, do you find yourself so busy with summer activities that you don't have time for writing? Do you find it easier to write letters when you're stuck indoors in the winter?

What about letter writing topics? Do you find more to write about in the summer or the winter?

How do the seasons affect your letter writing?

(Four Seasons clipart courtesy of www.freeclipartnow.com)

Pretty new US stamps

The U.S. Postal Service recently introduced a new set of Forever stamps, the "Flag for All Seasons."

In the stamps dedicated earlier this month, Old Glory is illustrated in four different stamp designs. According to the USPS website, each stamp shows the American flag, viewed from below, flying from a pole at full staff against a background of trees painted to evoke all four seasons of the year.
The stamp art, consisting of opaque watercolors on illustration board, is the work of Laura Stutzman, who used personal photographs of the flag for reference. The seasons are reflected in the colors of the leaves on the trees or, in the case of the flag in winter, the lack of leaves on the background trees.
 
These stamps are being issued as Forever stamps. Forever stamps are always equal in value to the current First-Class Mail one-ounce price.

Booklets of 20 "A Flag for All Seasons" Forever stamps will go on sale nationwide Friday, May 17, followed by booklets of 10 stamps Aug. 16. The stamps also are available in coils of 100 stamps at local Post Offices, online at usps.com/stamps or by calling 800-STAMP24 (800-782-6724).