Thursday, November 10, 2011

That was a blank index card, 10x15cm, onto which I put that stamp, got it postmarked by "philatelic mail-back", and then I glued that cut-out from a book, showing a cool "sectioned" view (how is that called?) of a beaver's dwelling. So I created a UNICATE/UNIKAT, custom, non-traditional maximum card with a very representative view about the beaver, capturing the ESSENCE, the BOTTOM LINE, the SPIRIT of that subject - the beaver species. I love it! :)

That was a blank index card, 10x15cm, onto which I put that stamp, got it postmarked by "philatelic mail-back", and then I glued that cut-out from a book, showing a cool "sectioned" view (how is that called?) of a beaver's dwelling.

So I created a UNICATE/UNIKAT, custom, non-traditional maximum card with a very representative view about the beaver, capturing the ESSENCE, the BOTTOM LINE, the SPIRIT of that subject - the beaver species.
I love it! :)

The backside, where that cut-out continues, and where I also glued another image with text.

"The beaver (genus Castor) is a primarily nocturnal, large, semi-aquatic rodentCastor includes two extant species, North American Beaver (Castor canadensis) (native to North America) andEurasian Beaver (Castor fiber) (Eurasia). Beavers are known for building dams, canals, and lodges (homes). They are the second-largest rodent in the world (after the capybara). Their colonies create one or more dams to provide still, deep water to protect against predators, and to float food and building material. 
The North American beaver population was once more than 60 million, but as of 1988 was 6–12 million. 
This population decline is due to extensive hunting for fur, for glands used as medicine and perfume, and because their harvesting of trees and flooding of waterways may interfere with other land uses."

Poor beavers...victims of "the quest for beaver".

"Both beaver testicles and castoreum, a bitter-tasting secretion with a slightly fetid odor contained in the castor sacs of male or female beaver, have been articles of trade for use in traditional medicine. Yupik(Eskimo) medicine used dried beaver testicles like willow bark to relieve pain. Dried beaver testicles were also used as effective contraception.[46] Beaver testicles were exported from Levant (a region centered onLebanon and Israel) from the tenth to nineteenth century.[47] Claudius Aelianus comically described beavers chewing off their testicles to preserve themselves from hunters, which is not possible because the beaver's testicles are inside its body. European beavers (Castor fiber) were eventually hunted nearly to extinction in part for the production of castoreum, which was used as an analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and antipyretic. Castoreum was described in the 1911 British Pharmaceutical Codex for use in dysmenorrhea and hysterical conditions (i.e. pertaining to the womb), for raising blood pressure and increasing cardiac output. The activity of castoreum has been credited to the accumulation of salicin from willow trees in the beaver's diet, which is transformed to salicylic acid and has an action very similar to aspirin.[48] 
Castoreum continues to be used in perfume production.
Much of the early European exploration and trade of Canada was based on the quest for beaver.[49] The most valuable part of the beaver is its inner fur whose many minute barbs make it excellent for felting, especially for hats. In Canada a 'made beaver' or castor gras that an Indian had worn or slept on was more valuable than a fresh skin since this tended to wear off the outer guard hairs."

Ladies, and other perfume users: do YOU know where YOUR perfume comes from?
Do you even WANT to know?
Keywords: animal sacs [translation: anal glands], excrement...

"Animal sources

  • Ambergris: Lumps of oxidized fatty compounds, whose precursors were secreted and expelled by the sperm whale. Ambergris should not be confused with yellow amber, which is used in jewelry. Because the harvesting of ambergris involves no harm to its animal source, it remains one of the few animalic fragrancing agents around which little controversy now exists.
  • Castoreum: Obtained from the odorous sacs of the North American beaver.
  • Civet: Also called Civet Musk, this is obtained from the odorous sacs of the civets, animals in the family Viverridae, related to the mongoose. The World Society for the Protection of Animals investigated African civets caught for this purpose.[12]
  • Hyraceum: Commonly known as "Africa Stone", is the petrified excrement of the Rock Hyrax.[13]
  • Honeycomb: From the honeycomb of the honeybee. Both beeswax and honey can be solvent extracted to produce an absolute. Beeswax is extracted with ethanol and the ethanol evaporated to produce beeswax absolute.
  • Deer musk: Originally derived from the musk sacs from the Asian musk deer, it has now been replaced by the use of synthetic muskssometimes known as "white musk"."
===========
In the top image (my maxicard), do you see a heart shape?
.
.
.
.
.
.
I barely see one, to the right of the image, formed by the contour of light-blue water where a beaver swims.

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2011

Guest Heart Thursday #83


Welcome to Guest Heart Thursday -
A place to share YOUR heart!


List of U.S. state name etymologies - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

List of U.S. state name etymologies - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Q is for QUAGGA, my entry for today at ABC WEDNESDAY MEME. I show you a MAXICARD from VENDA (ex-bantustan in the REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA) with "The plains zebra (Equus quagga, formerly Equus burchelli), also known as the common zebra or Burchell's zebra" - Wikipedia. Also, zebra is featured in Botswana's coat of arms. Drought is severe in Botswana, so "In [RAIN] we trust", I guess...[RAIN] is the official country motto, and the currency name

 I show you a MAXICARD from VENDA (ex-bantustan in the REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA) with "The plains zebra (Equus quagga, formerly Equus burchelli), also known as the common zebra or Burchell's zebra" - Wikipedia.

 I show you a MAXICARD from VENDA (ex-bantustan in the REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA) with "The plains zebra (Equus quagga, formerly Equus burchelli), also known as the common zebra or Burchell's zebra" - Wikipedia.

Plains Zebra
Equus quagga boehmi in the Ngorongoro Crater in Tanzania
Conservation status
Scientific classification
Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum:Chordata
Class:Mammalia
Order:[Perissodactyla]
Family:Equidae
Genus:Equus
Subgenus:Hippotigris
Species:E. quagga
Binomial name
Equus quagga
Boddaert, 1785
Subspecies
Plains Zebra range
Synonyms[1]
  • Equus burchelli (Gray, 1824) [orth. error]
  • Equus burchellii
  • Equus burchellii Schinz, 1845
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plains_Zebra

Coat of Arms of the Republic of Botswana.
  • The arms is made up of a central tribal shield; the three blue waves represents water, the cogwheels represents industry and the bull's head husbandry and herding. The two supporters are zebras, the dexter zebra holds an ivory tusk; representative of Botswana's former ivory trade. The sinister zebra holds an ear of sorghum an important crop in the country. Finally the blue ribbon holds the motto "Pula" which means "rain".

Republic of Botswana
Lefatshe la Botswana
FlagCoat of arms
Motto: Pula (Rain)
Anthem: Fatshe leno la rona
(This Land of Ours)
Location of  Botswana  (dark blue)– in Africa  (light blue & dark grey)– in the African Union  (light blue)  —  [Legend]
Location of  Botswana  (dark blue)
– in Africa  (light blue & dark grey)
– in the African Union  (light blue)  —  [Legend]
Capital
(and largest city)
Gaborone
Official language(s)English, Setswana


Riphabuliki ya Venḓa
Republic of Venda
Republiek van Venda
Nominal Parliamentary Democracy/Bantustan
 1979–1994 
FlagCoat of arms
Motto
Shumela Venḓa
VendaAlways Aspire for Venda
Anthem
Pfano na vhuthihi
VendaPeace and Togetherness¹
Location of Venda in Southern Africa (1979-1994)
CapitalThohoyandou
Language(s)VendaEnglishAfrikaans
ReligionChristianity, Traditional African
Political structureNominal Parliamentary Democracy/Bantustan
President
 - 1979-1988Patrick Mphephu
 - 1988-1990Frank Ravele
 - 1990(post abolished)
Head of State
 - 1990-1994Gabriel Ramushwana
 - 1994 (Jan-Apr)Tshamano G. Ramabulana
History
 - Nominal Independence13 September 1979
 - Dissolution27 April 1994
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venda

============
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Top 30 Stamp Collecting Blogs, by guidetoartschools.com

#2:
"Dorincard: Blogger Dorin C is a stamp and postcard fanatic, and luckily he's more than pleased to write prolifically and charmingly about his obsession. He has a particular bent for stamps with wild mammals on them, but his blog demonstrates an affinity for stamps of all forms and backgrounds, as long as they offer a special narrative that's worth sharing with his readers.


  • Source: http://www.guidetoartschools.com/library/best-stamp-collecting-blogs#ixzz1KirbuA4p
    "

    Some feedback received about me and my blog here

    [DORIN'S NOTE: There are over 100 million websites.]

    From alexa.com traffic rank site

    "There are 1,699,250 sites with a better three-month global Alexa traffic rank than Dorincard.blogspot.com.
    About 43% of visitors to the site come from France, where it has attained a traffic rank of 152,077.
    About 80% of visits to the site consist of only one pageview (i.e., are bounces).
    Dorincard.blogspot.com's visitors view an average of 1.5 unique pages per day.
    Visitors to the site spend roughly two minutes on each pageview and a total of three minutes on the site during each visit."



    inkling (Enthusiast)

    The best use of this site is Other.

    Likes
    • Good content

    Comments:
    Postcards and stamps, mainly featuring mammals and birds but Dorincard also has other creations
    and interests he likes to share.
    His enthusiasm for Maximum cards (a postcard and a similar themed stamps sent through the
    postal system) shines through.
    He shows how he gets the right card, stamp and postmark together.
    Visiting his site you will also learn things about the natural world told with a dry sense of humour,
    possibly with a play on words, and a unique style of headings.
    Topical and informative both for the enthusiast and casual visitor.
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    • 1 out of 1 person found this review useful.



    1 Review
    Global 1,699,251
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