A belated happy Mother’s Day to all the moms.
The rhododendrons are blooming here on Seattle’s Capitol Hill.
Saturday 🌇
Sunset is now at 8.32 pm.
Friday/ sunglass weather 😎
Happy Friday.
It was a beautiful and mild spring day here in the city (63°F/ 17°C) with sunshine this afternoon.
I wore my sunglasses as I walked over to Chuck’s Hop Shop in Central District to join my amigos for a beer.
Check out the cute stamp booklet below, with stamps featuring an illustration by the Japanese artist Jyunichi Komi.
These stamps are prefecture stamps, issued for Fukui Prefecture, Japan*.
Sabae City in Fukui Prefecture is famous for being the eyewear capital of Japan. It produces 90% of the nation’s eyeglass frames.
*Japan has 47 prefectures (political subdivisions).
Starting in 1989, the national postal ministry has issued stamps to promote each of the prefectures.
These stamps are valid throughout Japan.
Prefecture stamps can be recognized by the different font that is used for the Japan Post 日本郵便 inscription on it.
Issued Oct. 1, 1991
Perf. 13 | Issued in sheets and booklets | Photolithography | No watermark
Z112 ZA112 62y Multicolored | Stylized girl wearing large orange glasses
[Sources: 2021 Scott Standard Postage Stamp Catalogue Vol. 4A, Google Gemini AI]
Thursday/ sea lions, bailing 🦭
Here’s a sea lion ‘action picture’ from photographer Ken Lambert, taken for the Seattle Times.
Sea lions and seals differ primarily in that sea lions have visible ear flaps, large flippers for “walking” on land, and bark loudly, while true seals have ear holes, short flippers, and move by belly-sliding. Sea lions are generally larger, more social, and agile on land; seals are more solitary and streamlined for swimming. – Google AI Overview
Wednesday/ Japan’s dragon stamps 🐲
I bought a large batch of Japanese stamps from an Ebay seller.
These are from 1981, and depict the very first stamps issued by the Imperial Japanese Post (today simply called Japan Post).
Japan’s first postage stamps, known as the “Ryu” (dragon) stamps, were issued on April 20, 1871.
These imperforate, hand-engraved stamps featured dragon designs and used “Mon” currency.
It would be nice to own just one or two of the original dragon stamps, but man! they are listed for anything from $500 to several thousand dollars on Ebay.
Then you have to take really good care of this little square of paper.
Also: a lot of well-made forgeries are floating around.
Some sellers offer authentication certificates, but can even those be trusted?
Issued Oct. 9, 1981
Perf. 13 | Photolithography and engraving | No watermark
1481 A1063 60y Multicolored with vermillion 1871 stamp of pair of dragons facing characters of value 200 mon
1482 A1063 60y Multicolored with brown 1871 stamp of pair of dragons facing characters of value 48 mon
1483 A1063 60y Multicolored with yellow green 1871 stamp of pair of dragons facing characters of value 500 mon
1484 A1063 60y Multicolored with blue 1871 stamp of pair of dragons facing characters of value 100 mon
[Sources: 2021 Scott Standard Postage Stamp Catalogue Vol. 4A, stampworld.com, Google AI]
Tuesday/ Hantavirus on board 🚢
A suspected outbreak of the rare hantavirus on a cruise ship in the Atlantic kills 3 people
CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) — A deadly outbreak of the rare hantavirus unfolded over the course of weeks on a cruise ship that sailed from Argentina toward Antarctica and then across the Atlantic Ocean, stopping at or near remote islands on the way as passengers and crew members fell sick, according to information from the cruise operator, the World Health Organization and ship tracking data.
It shows nearly a month passed between when an elderly Dutch man fell sick and died in the South Atlantic and laboratory tests in South Africa — more than 3,500 kilometers (2,174 miles) away — confirmed hantavirus infections.
Three passengers in total have died, one is in intensive care in a South African hospital, and three other people still on the cruise ship have shown symptoms and were waiting for evacuations. Nearly 150 passengers and crew members from 23 countries were on the ship, which is waiting off the coast of West Africa.
– Reporting by Associated Press
I am following the hantavirus outbreak on the polar cruise ship MV Hondius.
I hope there is a resolution soon for those trapped on the ship.
Authorities do not know if the passengers that fell ill contracted the virus while on excursions away from the ship, or from rodents on the ship itself. The hantavirus is not really contagious except for one specific type: the Andes virus, found in long-tailed pygmy rice rats.
An update on Wed 5/6: As of May 6, 2026, three people have died and eight cases (three confirmed) of hantavirus are linked to the MV Hondius cruise ship. Three symptomatic patients were evacuated to the Netherlands, and the vessel is heading to the Canary Islands with roughly 150 passengers in cabin isolation. The Andes strain, capable of rare person-to-person spread, was identified. – Google AI Overview/ PBS
[Graphic by Bloomberg]
Monday/ irises 🪻
I found these beautiful bearded irises on Martin Luther King Way in Seattle’s Central District.
Bearded irises, native to the Mediterranean, have a rich history spanning over 3,000 years, from being cherished by Egyptian pharaohs and Greek mythology to becoming a cornerstone of modern gardening.
Sunday/ three departures 🚢
The newly built Star Princess made its maiden port of call in Seattle this weekend. She was constructed in 2025 by Fincantieri in Monfalcone, Italy, with a capacity for 4,300 passengers and a gross tonnage of 175,500. The Star Princess is the second Sphere-class vessel for Princess Cruises, a sister ship to the Sun Princess.
The Star Princess was at Pier 91 with MS Noordam on the opposite side of the pier, and was scheduled to depart this afternoon at 3 pm.
Instead, it was MS Noordam that sounded her horn three times, and departed shortly after 3 pm.
I waited until after 4 pm for Star Princess to depart, and then gave up.
(I saw later online that she had departed at 5.25 pm).
I walked up to the Magnolia Bridge to take another picture or two, and right then the Norwegian Encore came by in the distance.
She had been at Pier 66.
From left to right: the Star Princess, the Arctic Fjord (a state-of-the-art, 325.8-foot/ 99-meter U.S.-built factory trawler designed for harvesting and processing Alaska pollock in the Bering Sea) and the MS Noordam.
Look at the Mountain looming in the distance, magnified by my telefoto lens.
The vessel to the left of Star Princess is Seaspan Baker, a bunkering tanker. These are specialized vessels designed to supply fuel (bunker) directly to other ships for propulsion and energy.
She had been at Pier 66 and had a scheduled 4 pm departure. She was a little late departing as well (this picture taken at 4.35 pm).
Saturday/ summery weather 🌞
We had 72 °F (22 °C) here in the city today, and we might see the year’s first 80 °F (27 °C) by Monday.
I look for the newest car registration numbers when I am out and about, and I spotted a Washington State plate with CWZ on today.
That means there might be CXA plates out there already.
My dad’s Chev truck in South Africa had a plate with CXX 360 T on. Utterly trivial and insignificant — or is it?
Why would I be able to recall that, decades later?
It is 8.06 pm and I am looking down along East Thomas St, still able to see the Needle through the newly grown leaves on the trees.
Friday/ first of May ⚾
Happy Friday.
Is that a 12 flag on the Space Needle? I wondered today.
No, it’s actually a flag with 51 on.
A “51” flag was raised today May 1 (5/1) to celebrate the retirement of Mariners legend Randy Johnson’s jersey number.
The “Big Unit” himself hoisted the flag to honor his 51 number.
Johnson played for the Seattle Mariners from May 25, 1989, to July 31, 1998.
We had blue skies for most of the day, but clouds moved in late afternoon.
The clouds will probably obscure the first of May’s two full moons: one tonight, and one more on May 31!
Thursday/ †Mimi Coertse (1932-2026)
Beloved South African soprano Mimi Coertse (93) passed away on Monday.
On 17 March 1956, she made her debut at the Vienna State Opera as the Queen of the Night in Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute) by Mozart.
She remained with the Vienna State Opera until 1978.
After retiring in 1978, she devoted her time to exposing young South African singers to the neglected art of Lieder singing.
In 1996, Austria’s Federal Ministry for Science and Art awarded her the Austrian Decoration for Science and Art.
In 1998, she received an honorary doctorate from the University of Pretoria.
‘Goodbye, Our Mimi‘ says the headline, and ‘She was a true opera diva. When she entered a room, you knew you were in distinguished and important company. An era has come to an end. Rest in peace, dear Mimi.’
KS stands for Kammersängerin, is a prestigious German honorific title for distinguished opera and classical music singers.
Wednesday/ English daisies 🌱
These little English daisies are soaking up the last of the sun before tonight’s 8:19 p.m. sunset.
They’re often called ‘lawn daisies’ and treated as weeds, but I still think they are pretty.
Tuesday/ you’ve got royal mail 🇬🇧
King Charles III is on his first state visit to the United States as monarch, and addressed congress today.
The Washington Post: As the king spoke, the White House posted an image of Trump and Charles on X, calling it “TWO KINGS,” with a crown emoji.
My comment: The United States of America has no king.
Meanwhile, my latest purchase from an Ebay seller in London arrived yesterday, with a stamp on the envelope that features the king.
Issued Apr. 7, 2026
Perf. 15×14½ syncopated | 39mm x 30mm | Design: Martin Jennings | Engraving: Cartor Security Printing | Gravure printing | Bar-coded | Phosphor bars, lettering | Self-adhesive
5194 FCP19 £3.60 Purple Heather | Profile of King Charles III
[Sources: stampworld.com, royalmail.com, Google AI]
Monday/ earthquake stamp from Japan 🇯🇵
I am expanding my collection of stamps from Japan, and have bought some older ones on Ebay recently.
I love the graphic design of this one.
Check out its interesting history in the caption below.
Issued Oct. 25, 1923
Imperforate | Offset lithography | Granite paper with colored fibers, parallel lines watermark | No gum
183 A51 4 sen Gray-green | Mount Fuji, cherry blossoms and dragonflies around the Imperial Chrysanthemum Seal (the 16-petal flower at the top center)
Text on the stamp:
日本郵便 Nippon Yūbin (Japan Postal Service)
四錢 Yon Sen (or Shi Sen) 4 Sen, equal to 1/100th of a Yen
[Sources: 2021 Scott Standard Postage Stamp Catalogue, Vol. 4A, Google AI]
Historical Background
These stamps were created following the Great Kanto Earthquake of September 1, 1923, which devastated Tokyo and Yokohama. The disaster destroyed the government’s Printing Bureau, along with its stamp-making equipment and stored inventory. To maintain postal services during reconstruction, the government commissioned a private corporation to produce these emergency definitives.
Unlike standard stamps of the time, these were issued imperforate (no holes) and without gum (adhesive) on the back due to the emergency conditions. They were used until April 30, 1925, after the Printing Bureau was restored.
Sunday/ at the park 🌲
There was plenty of sunlight outside today (65°F/ 18°C).
Here are my pictures from Volunteer Park here on Capitol Hill.
Saturday/ bon voyage 🛳️
It was a beautiful spring day here in the city (62°F / 17°C).
The Norwegian Bliss set sail for Sitka, Alaska shortly after 4 pm this afternoon, from Pier 66 here at the Seattle Waterfront.
Then she will make her way back to Seattle along the Alaska Inside Passage (a network of sheltered waterways, fjords, and lush islands stretching from Washington State through the British Columbia coast to the Alaska panhandle).
[Map generated from cruise itinerary with Nano Banana 2 by Google AI. The map is close but not 100% accurate. Icy Strait Point (5) is to the west of Juneau.]
The staircases are part of the pedestrian overpass to Pike Place Market and downtown.
The expanded Seattle Aquarium is housed in the structure with the darkened wood shell on the right.
There was no tugboat, and Norwegian Bliss did not sound her horn.
Friday/ the twilight zone 🌇
Happy Friday.
Here is tonight’s lookout towards the Olympic Mountains, from 13th Avenue East and East Mercer Street.
It is a few minutes after sunset, now at 8.12 pm.
Thursday/ expensive diesel ⛽
Expensive diesel is a much bigger problem than expensive gasoline.
The world economy runs on diesel because diesel has more energy per gallon and powers trucks, marine vessels and heavy equipment.
Supplies of diesel were tight even before the war in Iran— and, writes Emmett Lindner for the New York Times— refineries in the Persian Gulf exported much more diesel and jet fuel than gasoline, while no other countries have the capacity to make up for that loss.
And here we are at $6.30 for gas and $7.70 for diesel.
(Gas is very expensive on the West Coast. The national average for the USA stands at $4.03 per gallon. Diesel $5.60).
Since the war began, diesel has gone up about 45% and regular gasoline by 35% percent.
Wednesday/ Earth Day 🌎
Happy Earth Day.
It is a rainy day here in the city of Seattle (55 °F/ 13 °C).
Do all plants have chlorophyll?
No, not all. The vast majority do (they are called autotrophs).
Even Venus flytraps have chlorophyll, but some plants are without.
Those without are called heterotrophic: they are parasitic, or feed on fungi.
Tuesday/ the leaves are out 🌿
Here comes the No 12 bus, northbound along 19th Avenue East.
I am standing in the middle of the street by Stevens Elementary School to take a picture of the lovely lime green tree leaves.
