Catalina Mountains, Arizona

Postcard US-4029693 to Belarus shows a storm brewing in the Catalina Mountains at Tucson, Arizona. Snow can be seen on the mountain peaks behind the Saguaro Cactus. Photo by Ray Manley.

Gone but Not Forgotten

Postcard US-2698995 to Taiwan shows a cactus grown in a lot across The Orleans in Las Vegas, Nevada that I used to see often on my way to an evening workout. The ever changing impressions of the cactus' silhouette against the evening skies had made up an fascinating time-lapse movie in my mind over time.

However, after a long absence from that location, I recently found out that the cactus had been since removed, and an advertisement post was in its place. A current Google Street View image with a capture date in June 2014 still shows its existence.

I had made a card out of an inverted image from the photo above to go with a Shirley Chisholm Black Heritage Forever stamp. "Unbought and Unbossed", this cactus is just a perfect example that one can still have a long lasting positive impact on others, even her physical existence has been destroyed.

Unbought and Unbossed

Postcard US-2692593 to the United Kingdom shows an inverted image of a cactus grown in Las Vegas, Nevada. I pass this location often when I go to a gym in the evening. I have been fascinated by the ever changing impressions of the cactus against the evening skies.

The postcard had a Shirley Chisholm Black Heritage Forever stamp and was sent to Brooklyn, NY along with several items for a first-day-of-issue postmark on April 1, 2014. However, it took a detour to Trenton, and Bellmawr, NJ after it already reached Brooklyn, NY on April 3, 2014. It was finally delivered at Brooklyn, NY on April 10, 2014. I am curious what happened between April 3 and April 10, 2014. 

Shipment Activity	Location	Date & Time
Delivered	BROOKLYN, NY 11256	April 10, 2014 9:54 am
Arrival at Post Office	BROOKLYN, NY 11256	April 10, 2014 9:47 am
Depart USPS Sort Facility	BROOKLYN, NY 11256	April 10, 2014
Processed through USPS Sort Facility	BROOKLYN, NY 11256	April 10, 2014 4:33 am
Depart USPS Sort Facility	BELLMAWR, NJ 08031	April 5, 2014
Processed through USPS Sort Facility	BELLMAWR, NJ 08031	April 5, 2014 5:38 pm
Depart USPS Sort Facility	TRENTON, NJ 08650	April 5, 2014
Processed through USPS Sort Facility	TRENTON, NJ 08650	April 5, 2014 3:41 am
Arrive USPS Sort Facility	BROOKLYN, NY 11256	April 3, 2014 7:14 am
Depart USPS Sort Facility	FLUSHING, NY 11351	April 3, 2014 6:22 am
Depart USPS Sort Facility	FLUSHING, NY 11351	April 3, 2014
Processed through USPS Sort Facility	FLUSHING, NY 11351	April 3, 2014 2:45 am
Electronic Shipping Info Received		April 2, 2014
Processed at USPS Origin Sort Facility	LAS VEGAS, NV 89120	April 2, 2014 12:15 am
Dispatched to Sort Facility	LAS VEGAS, NV 89199	April 1, 2014 6:15 pm
Acceptance	LAS VEGAS, NV 89199	April 1, 2014 5:32 pm

BeaverTail PricklyPear

Postcard US-2070982 was sent to the Netherlands on February 2, 2013 and had since expired. It is about to fall off the PostCrossing Universe as it is approaching its life span of 365-day travel time. The postcards shows the Beavertail PricklyPear (opuntia basilaris), a cactus species mostly found in the Mojave Desert, Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, Colorado Deserts and Colorado Plateau, and northwest Mexico. A single plant can grow up to 60 cm tall and may consist of hundreds of fleshy, flattened pads that are measured up to 14 cm long, 10 cm wide 1.5 cm thick. Their flowers are mostly pink to rose in color, but also rarely white or even yellow,  blooming from spring to early summer.

The postcard was purchased at the gift shop of the Las Vegas Springs Preserve, which again offers free admission to the Bank of America or Merrill Lynch debit/credit card holders through the Museums on US program on February 1 and February 2, 2014.