If this is Thursday it must be postcards, 518

 

 

 

 

Tunnel between Bulken and Hodnaberg, Norway, ca 1950

These two Normann postcards were part of the Dick Thompson Scrapbook Collection.  They were glued onto the page and could not be removed without causing severe damage.  The caption indicates that the tunnels are on the road between Bulken og Hodnaberg.  The number 11-54-39 is found with the caption at the lower left.

 

There are over 900 tunnels in Norway with 33 of them subsea tunnels.  Until tunnels were built traveling from place to place meant taking many small ferries across fjords or trains around and over the mountains.  When we visited Norway in 2014 we drove through several tunnels including the long Eiksund Tunnel that runs under Vartdalsfjorden connecting Ørsta and Ulstein.  The tunnel is 7,765 meters or 25,476 feet long and goes 942 feet or 287 meters below sea level.  The Eiksund tunnel was part of a large project connecting several islands to the mainland and serves a population of about 40,000.  One of the most amazing things to see, for me, was a roundabout intersection in the tunnel where connecting tunnels joined the main tunnel.  When it first opened Eiksund Tunnel had a toll and the estimated usage of the tunnel was predicted to be 1,000 vehicles per day but that ended up closer to 2200.  After 6 years the tunnel was fully financed and the toll was removed.  The number of vehicles increased to 2880. At the time we drove through the Eiksund Tunnel was the deepest undersea tunnel in the world.  Since that time Norway’s Ryfast tunnel system opened in 2019.  It is slightly deeper at 958 feet or 292 meters. 

 

 

 

Tunnel entrance

 

 

 

The tunnel has colored light bars along the sides and ceiling lights.  These modern new long tunnels are much different than the old tunnels shown on the postcards.

 

 

 Tunnel between Bulken and Hodnaberg, Norway, ca 1950

The title of the photograph and the number 11-54-38 are found at the lower left of the card.

For additional information, see:

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_subsea_tunnels_in_Norway

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_tunnels_in_Norway

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eiksund_Tunnel

 

 

 

If this is Thursday it must be postcards, 517

 

 

 

 

 

Ballard Locks, painting by Carl Funseth

 

This Carl Funseth painting of the Ballard Locks is found on an unused postcard published by Mark Ukelson.  The reprints of the original painting are available through Russell Galleries in Seattle.  The card was purchased at the Locks gift shop. 

 

The artist, Carl Edward Funseth (1931-2000) was well known for his paintings, many local scenes in Spokane.  His work is described as straddling impressionism and naturalism.  His series of old Seattle, such as on the postcard, were made into prints. 

 

The Ballard Locks or Hiram M. Chittenden Locks are located at the west end of Salmon Bay, in Seattle, Washington’s Lake Washington Ship Canal between Ballard and Magnolia.  These locks have more boat traffic than any other lock in the United States.  There are also a fish ladder and botantical gardens on the grounds surrounding the locks.  When we visited here recently we saw large boats in the larger lock and small pleasure craft, including several kayaks, in the smaller lock.  An added attraction that day were the harbor seals hunting for fish in and around the locks and a great blue heron that was also fishing. 

 

A navigable connection between the fresh water in Lake Washington, 8.8 ft or 2.7 m higher than the salt water Puget Sound, for the purpose of moving logs, milled lumber and fishing vessels was a topic of discussion as early as 1854.  Originally a Naval shipyard was also proposed but later that was built at Bremerton instead.  In 1867 the United States Navy endorsed the canal project but it was not until 1891 that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers started planning the project.  Some work began in 1906 but work in earnest did not begin until 1911 under the direction of Hiram M. Chittenden for whom the locks are named.  The locks were completed in 1916/1917 .  The Lees visited the locks shortly after they were open to the public and would often bring out of town visitors to see the locks.  There are movable walkways that allow visitors to watch as the water is raised and lowered and the boats pass through to either the Sound or the Lake.

 

The construction of the Locks required rerouting the Cedar River into Lake Washington so that there would be sufficient water flow for operating the locks.  The rerouting disrupted the Duwamish salmon runs.  To solve that problem salmon runs were reintroduced to migrate through the locks via fish ladders.  To prevent salt water from flowing upstream into the fresh water lakes it was necessary to design of system of siphons and flushing mechanisms.  Also, the Cedar River is the main source of drinking water for the city of Seattle so problems with maintaining an adequate water supply to operate the locks needed solving.  The second unused postcard, also purchased at the Locks gift shop, has views of the lock construction as well as drawings of how the locks work. 

 

 

An Impact photo graphics card with Impact photography

 

For additional information, see:

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ballard_Locks

https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/spokesman/name/carl-funseth

 

 

If this is Thursday it must be postcards, 516

 

 

 

 

Great Goosenecks of the San Juan River, Utah

[photo:  Betty Crowell]

 

 

This used postcard with an aerial photograph by Betty Crowell of Goosenecks State Park, Utah was sent by friends in 1995.  Beautyway of Flagstaff, Arizona produced the card with cooperative publisher Museums, Parks, and Travel organizations.  The blurb at the upper left on the reverse says:  “One of the most impressive geologic features to be viewed in North America is the Great Goosenecks of the San Juan River.  Here the ancient river meander became an entrenched 1,000 foot deep canyon flowing more than 6 miles back and forth while advancing only 1.5 miles westward.  Monument Valley is evident in the background.”

 

Goosenecks State Park is located not far from Mexican Hat, Utah.  Millions of years ago in this area of Utah the landscape slowly rose in elevation.  This rise in elevation is known as the Monument Upwarp and it forced the river to carve incised meanders.  Erosion by water, wind, frost, and gravity, has resulted in canyon depths of 1,000 ft or 300 m.  Goosenecks Park is mostly undeveloped with primitive campsites, a few picnic tables, and back country toilets, but no developed hiking trails.  A few miles to the northwest is the Honker Trail that provides access to the San Juan River.  Campers have to bring their own water, food, and other gear. 

 

For additional information, see:

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goosenecks_State_Park

 

If this is Thursday it must be postcards, 515

 

 

 

 

 

Flower Fairy, illustration by Cicely Mary Barker, ca 1923-1925

 

This, and the others shared here, are unused postcards with illustration reprints by www.PIXILUV.COM.  They are part of Cicely Mary Barker’s flower fairies collection.  I saw pictures of some of Barker’s illustrations and then discovered that I could order a set of 24 as postcards.  Imagine my surprise when they finally arrived—from New Zealand!  The envelope included some nice stamps as well. 

 

Here are a few more of her flower fairy illustrations.

 

 

In this example it is possible to see how Barker used the leaves and berries or flowers to create the costume.

Here the fairy is sewing buttons made from the Tansy flowers onto a jacket.

 

The lacy Hydrangea in the little fairy's hair and the ruffle skirt of the larger fairy resemble the petals

 In our garden we have a raised bed with mixed raspberries, Marion berries, and Loganberries and a second bed with strawberries, hence this illustration caught my attention. 

 

Cicely Mary Barker was born 28 June 1895 in Croydon, Surrey England.  She had one older sister, Dorothy.  She grew up in a moderately prosperous home with a nanny, cook, and governess.  Barker took art classes by correspondence when she was a girl and later at Croydon School of Art.  Eventually she held a teaching position there.  Her first professional illustrations were found in juvenile magazines, as greeting cards and as postcards.  Her first book, Flower Fairies of the Spring, was published in 1923.  Flower Fairies of Summer and Autumn followed with a series of Winter Fairies published posthumously in 1985.  She also produced a few Christian-themed books such as The Children’s Book of Hymns and He Leadeth Me, in collaboration with her sister.  She designed a stained-glass window for the St. Edmund’s Church, Pitlake.  Barker worked in watercolor, pen and ink, oils and pastels. 

 

In 1912 Barker’s father died.  In 1924 the family moved into a four level Victorian house where Barker had a studio built in the garden and her sister conducted a kindergarten in a room at the back of the house.  Some of the children Barker’s sister taught modeled for the fairy illustrations.  The plants in the illustrations were painted from specimens at hand or provided from Kew Gardens.  Barker also designed and built flower fairy costumes and incorporated the leaves and flowers into the costumes based on the plant that was featured in the illustration.  The wings were made of twigs and gauze.  After each illustration was completed, she recycled the parts for other costumes.   She signed her fairy illustrations with her initials CMB usually at the lower right corner. 

 

Cicely Mary Barker was epileptic as a child and was cared for by her mother and sister.  Her sister passed away in 1954.  Following her mother’s death in 1960 she moved to Storrington Sussex, England where she restored an apartment in a larger building.  The apartment or flat had been bequeathed to her by a friend, Edith Major.  After she moved Barker’s health declined.  Her last years were spent in and out of nursing and convalescent homes and tended by relatives and friends.  She died 16 February 1973.

 

 

 

Perhaps fittingly one of the stamps on the envelope features Children’s Health.  The other stamp features Tongariro National Park.

 

For additional information, see:

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cicely_Mary_Barker