Mail Call

In recent days I've had the joy of getting some fun and original mail. There is no doubt that receiving mail- both expected and unexpected- is one of life's simple pleasures. If you're up for a challenge this February, you may want to consider The Month of Letters Challenge.

I love books and reading and bookstores A LOT! So imagine my delight when I received the above postcard from Rift Vegan. I even joined my first book club (online) and for January we read "The Sense of an 
Ending" by Julian Barnes.  Next up is "Bento's Sketchbook" by John Berger.

This Edward Gorey postcard came from Emilie from Winnie's Girl blog. She had been a recipient when I mailed my Gorey postcards last year and wanted to return the favor.

 

Finally, this lovely "J" collage comes from Limner. It arrived in a clear package that was also nicely decorated, but I didn't take a photo. On the back of the J is a beautifully handwritten letter. What a wonderful idea and keepsake. The photo doesn't do it justice, but even the quarter inch sides of the J block has writing and quotes on it. Unfortunately, the scanner couldn't capture that and the camera is acting up (granted, this could be ignorance of a changed setting on my part.)

Edward Gorey #26

Here is the final entry in the Edward Gorey postcard collection from the 2011 postcard calendar book. I've enjoyed sharing these cards and sending them to unsuspecting recipients.

"A future unremembered poet of the seventeenth century accepts a Christmas cookie from the Great Veiled Bear."

 I like the winter theme of this card. And who doesn't love the image of a polar bear wearing ice skates?

"Floating Worlds: Never-Before-Seen Letters and Envelopes" is a wonderful collection of some of Gorey's letters, envelopes and postcards.

This has been fun and I will probably do it again someday. I'm just not sure when.

Edward Gorey #24

The 24th Edward Gorey postcard is a scene from The Doubtful Guest. There's a short rhyme on the card that says:

"It came seventeen years ago- and to this day it has shown no intention of going away."

The 'it' in question looks like a lonely malformed seal wearing tennis shoes or ice skates.

And there we have it - the second to the last Gorey postcard from the 2011 postcard calendar.

Edward Gorey #23

The Edward Gorey postcard collection draws closer to the end with postcard #23 in the 2011 postcard book. Somewhere I must have missed a week as I only have two more after this one.

R is for Raccoon Coat

I'm in the process of mailing postcards to the people who kindly entered the mailbox contests in the Sept/Oct newsletter so I expect that one or two recipients will get one of the Gorey postcards. Others will receive postal museum cards, Minnesota cards, L&J cards or Antarctica postcards.

I've enjoyed having a theme and I'm considering what kind of regular blog updates I can do in 2012. Thoughts?

Edward Gorey Postcards #21 and #22

I love the night sky eyes in this Edward Gorey postcard #21. 

Dracula and Lucy

And since I am just a bit behind, below you will see postcard #22 for the weeks of 10/31 and 11/7. The three characters here are from the collection called The Black Doll. Admittedly, this illustration is not one of my favorites.

There was a comment recently that the person will be glad when this series of postcards is done as they are not enjoying them at all. I would feel the same way if I liked a blog, but not a series of posts or illustrations they were featuring. I was glad that the person spoke up as it's nice to hear what people are thinking when they read your blog. Usually we just hear from the people who like it, so it's refreshing to get other input. Thank you. (We're almost done.)

Edward Gorey #20

Welcome to Edward Gorey #20. Only four cards remain from this postcard collection book for 2011.

This card is from the Blue Aspic about Ortenzia Caviglia, an unknown opera understudy who gets a lucky break when the opera diva goes missing.

Since I've recently received some unexpected and fun mail from the Call for Correspondents at the Good Mail Day blog, I will send this card to someone from there.

Edward Gorey #19

This Edward Gorey postcard looks like it is taking place next to a body of water or at the bottom of the sea. I can't decide. It's from 'The Tuning Fork'.

"The simple creature was taken aghast

at hearing of her cruel past."

It appears as if the woman is telling a tale- apparently of her cruel past. The card says the creature looks aghast, but to me, he just looks mildly amused.

I will send this to one of you who has not received one yet. Just send your address to Jackie (at) LettersAndJournals (dot) com.

Edward Gorey #19

Hard to believe that there are only 7 more Gorey postcards for the remainder of 2011. In #19 we have "E is for Ernest who choked on a peach." Too bad for Ernest. I guess he'll be joining Prue from card #17.

 Both Prue and Ernest are part of The Gashlycrumb Tinies which one reader informed me is part of the 'abecedarian book' where Gorey told 26 tales of children's untimely demise in the form of an alphabet book.

 As I reviewed this information on wikipedia, I also found this image:

That is surely one of my favorite Gorey illustrations. I can't explain it.

Edward Gorey #18

The Edward Gorey postcard mail-a-thon continues with card #18 from the 2011 postcard collection book. This addition to the Edward Gorey postcard collection doesn't say anything about the image on the card, only that it was a drawing by Edward Gorey.

To me, it looks like a cat is wearing a mask and walking dangerously close to a well or a pool. Possibly the cat is dancing or drunk. What does it mean? I have no idea. Do you?

Edward Gorey #17

The description on the back of card #17 says, "P is for Prue trampled flat in a brawl." - from The Gashlycrumb Tinies by Edward Gorey. I'm not familiar with The Gashlycrumb Tinies but I assume this is P.

This cannot bode well for young P as she reaches for the saloon doorknob to go beyond the foreboding brick wall. Or maybe it's worse to stay outside?

What story would you imagine for this scenario? I will send this postcard to one of you who leaves a comment. Just be sure to leave a way to reach you if you're not registered or I don't know who you are. Winner selected on Sept. 1, 2011.

Edward Gorey #16

Apparently Donald imagines things. He seems to have imagined a friendly reptilian creature in his bedroom. At least he looks friendly- like he wants to have a discussion. This is from the 16th Edward Gorey postcard in the 2011 calendar book.

At first glance I thought he was a boy, but Donald appears to be a diminutive man as he sits on his bed and talks to his imaginary creature.  The back of the card says this image is from "Donald and the ..."

I am sure enjoying really looking at these cards and sending them out to suspecting and unsuspecting persons.

Edward Gorey #15

Postcard #15 in the Edward Gorey Postcard Collection is from his collection "The Tuning Fork". In this illustration we see a woman riding some kind of sea monster. Her expression seems resigned and I'm not sure if she is wearing a long string of beads, or perhaps it's a string of popcorn. Anybody?

"The natives, afterwards, took fright

When she was seen, off the shore, at night."

I had some lovely emails and responses to my previous postings on the Edward Gorey postcards so I'll choose one of those and surprise one of those fans with this card.

Edward Gorey #14

Who doesn't love to get a postcard in the mail? Sending these Edward Gorey cards from the 2011 Postcard calendar has been a lot of fun.  Behold postcard #14!

 People on bicycles eating berries, because that's what people in Edward Gorey's world do.

So I've chosen a number between 1-100. The first person to guess the number will get this postcard. Just leave a comment with your email so that I know how to reach you to get your mailing address.

#4 was the selected number in honor of the July 4th holiday. Since #2 was the closest, I will send bascombe2 this card. Send your mailing address to Jackie (at) lettersandjournals (dot)com or jackieflaherty (at) yahoo (dot) com. If anyone else who entered the contest wants to leave their address I will send them another card. Specify if you want 'Gorey' or 'Any'. If you select 'Gorey, you may get one of the upcoming ones. If you select 'Any' then I will send a MN postcard.

Edward Gorey #13

Edward Gorey Postcard #13 is the mile marker to being halfway through the year and half done with the Gorey postcard theme. How does time go by so quickly? Slow down, I say.

There is a lot of detail in this color postcard called "The Galoshes of Remorse".  We see four bored gentlemen framing the scene of the woman in the swamp wearing gloves and holding galoshes.

"Frivolity, at the edge of a Moral Swamp, hears Hymn Singing in the Distance and dons the Galoshes of Remorse."

I have to be careful to send some of these cards to people who, either like Mr. Gorey's work, or who know that I'm doing this bi-weekly mailing project. Otherwise, what would they think when they receive this card about morale galoshes out of the blue?

I will send this card to someone who leaves a comment that they would like it. You will need to provide your mailing address either in the comment or in an email to me (unless you know that your address is already in the system) It will be a surprise as the person won't know until they receive the card that they were the one selected. If no one comments then I'll send it to my sister. She'll be confused but will probably guess its from me as she knows how much I love mail and postcards and such.

Edward Gorey #12

The Year of the Edward Gorey Postcards continues. This one is going to my niece who is turning Sweet 16 on Wednesday. I don't believe she's a fan, but who cannot be enchanted by this image?

 It's a mystery to me what's going on, as often is with Mr. Gorey's illustrations. I think that is part of the charm.

Next week I think I will send to a random name from the list of L&J subscribers, just to change things up a bit.

Edward Gorey Postcards #8-11

I thought it would be so easy to keep up with this postcard project. Alas, that has not been so. I'm going to do a big catch up in this post and list 4 cards that will take me through May 2011.

Postcard #8 has a man in a dressing gown being carried off by a giant rodent. Oh, the things this man comes up with! At the bottom of the card it says 'Pouf'!' but I'm not sure what that means.

 Next, we have a cat in a rowboat. This color illustration says it is from Edward Gorey's 'Category' collection. Aptly named, don't you think?

"They lived in a house covered with roses on the edge of a marsh," says the description on this card from the Deranged Cousins. You can barely see the woman inside who looks as if she is blending in with her surroundings.

I'm not quite as fond of the color illustrations as I am of the black and whites. This one doesn't speak to me at all except that the gentleman's sweater looks like a corn cob.

Now, I shall sit down with one of my favorite pens (currently a Pentel Hyper G .07) and write a brief note on each of these cards so that I may get them in tomorrow's mail and then be caught up with the Edward Gorey Postcard collection at least through May.

Edward Gorey #7

Edward Gorey has a wonderfully comic way of expressing himself as he displays in this illustration with men wearing skirts.

I haven't decided yet who this card should go to. Certainly someone with a fine sense of humor and an appreciation of the more subtle things in life, such as men with mustaches wearing long skirts.

Edward Gorey #6

This is one of my favorite Edward Gorey postcards, 'Bibliophile with cats'.

As you can tell by the date in the calendar below, I am a few weeks behind on my Gorey postcard updates, so I'd better get this in the mail.

I'm sure I won't have a problem finding a reader and cat lover to receive this card.

Edward Gorey Postcard #4

The Edward Gorey postcards continue with this fourth card going out in the mail this week. Not all of the postcards in this postcard calendar are black and white. It's nice to have variety.

Keeping with the theme of variety, I think I will change this up and send this card to someone I don't normally correspond with.

Singer

Actor

Politician

Newsmaker

CEO

Author

I will think on this for a day or two and see who I am inspired to send this to. I'll keep you posted.

Edward Gorey Postcard #4

The Edward Gorey postcard theme has encouraged me to learn more about Mr. Gorey and become more of a fan of his. In Feb I had heard it was his birthday (Feb 22) as there were a few blogs mentioning this. Here is one and another and another.

One of the blogs mentioned his home in the Cape Cod area is now a museum, so naturally, I have added this to my list of places to visit. I love literary themed travel and have been busy planning a trip to New England later this year. (If you also like literary themed travel, check out the blog Literary Traveler.)

This 4th postcard is of Mr. Earbrass, a novelist '...studying a game left unfinished.' I think this card needs to go to a dog loving accountant in Florida who is bogged down during the busy tax season. This woman is also the one who suggested that I include in my blogs something about each of the cards that I send. Thanks, Julie!

If you are an Edward Gorey fan you can also find him on Facebook and Twitter.