This wonderful #EngravedBeauty comes from 1960 Madagascar. Though I won’t be seeing any of these particular creatures flying around here in NE Texas, we do see many butterflies and other critters native to our area.

Here’s another beautiful butterfly from 1960 Madagascar. I can hardly wait for springtime to really blossom! I have this #EngravedBeauty in my stamp collection, but I probably won’t see a live one in my neighborhood.

Here is another #EngravedBeauty featuring this beautiful moth from Madagascar. This is a beautiful addition to the set of butterfly stamps from 1960.

One more butterfly to finish the week… this #EngravedBeauty is a Mother-of-Pearl Butterfly from Madagascar as featured on this stamp from 1960. I just wish the USA had more engraved stamps featuring butterflies.

Spring is just around the corner and I’m in love with the flowers that bloom on the African Tulip Tree. This #EngravedBeauty was issued in 1961.

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Spring is almost here! The flower of this #EngravedBeauty grows well in the tropical regions of Asia, especially Viet-Nam, but has no English common name.

As we get nearer to the first day of spring, I’m dreaming of the flowers that will be blooming later this spring and into summer. This #EngravedBeauty features a hibiscus… I should plant one in our yard.

Spring is finally here, and it is time to get started on my gardening projects. This #EngravedBeauty was issued in 1958. I can only hope that my gardening will reap such an abundant harvest.

Another beautiful African creature on a stamp… the Giraffe! This #EngravedBeauty was issued in 1901 by The Nyassa Company, hired to manage Portuguese interests in a section of Mozambique, but failed to raise enough capital to continue operating.

When I was a younger man, I was fascinated by these huge, majestic creatures from Africa and would visit our hometown zoo as often as I could. This #EngravedBeauty was issued in 1970 and combined recess engraving with lithography.

Another iconic creature from Africa – the Baboon. I’ve always been fascinated by God’s creatures, both great and small. This #EngravedBeauty was issued in 1963.

Our philatelic journey to Africa this week ends with this #EngravedBeauty. The Kob is one of many kinds of antelope that make their home in the savanna regions across Africa. The rings on the horns of these creatures are most interesting to me.

Nothing ‘Fishy’ about this #EngravedBeauty. It is wonderfully designed and engraved. The choice of colors also help the focal Cod fish to really stand out on the rest of the stamp. Beautiful!

This #EngravedBeauty from 1969 Chad features a freshwater tropical fish called a Fahaka Pufferfish. It can grow up to 1.4 ft (43 cm) in length and is found in West, Northeast and East African water basins.

Here is another #EngravedBeauty featuring the Rainbow Runner, a common fish found in tropical and subtropical waters around the world. This stamp is beautifully engraved.

Today I present this pretty stamp from the French Somali Coast featuring Schooling Bannerfish. This #EngravedBeauty was issued in 1959. Beautiful!

Here is a beautiful Rainbow Trout on this #EngravedBeauty from 1971. I spent many hours with my Grandfather on the creeks, rivers and lakes in Western Oregon trying to snag one of these. I don’t think I’ve been fishing since he passed in 1977.