Cats and dogs...and Peter Rabbit

Postcards from my collection;

My postcard collecting habit isn't confined to any particular subject. I like cards with cats or dogs just as much as cards with fairies or children. If there is an interesting message and a pretty picture, it makes them twice as nice, but it only needs one of those things to grab my attention.

A hand coloured card produced by E.W. Savory of Bristol.

I’m not sure what ‘the joke’ is but this happy looking dog certainly seems to be enjoying it.

You Naughty Bird! By Louis Wain. Posted  January 11th, 1905. 
Message reads - Dear May, what is the matter, are you ill, how is your face? Please write soon as we are so anxious. Hoping you are well, I am your loving friend Gwen. 

Oh dear I do hope May replied to poor Gwen! How much easier it is now with email and mobile 

phones!

Oh! I've got a pane! Illustration by A. E. Kennedy. Published by C. W. Faulkner and posted in 1943.

I can’t make head nor tail of the handwriting on this one so although there is a message, I’ve no idea what it is!  I may not be able to read the message on the back, but I love the message on the front! It reminds me of a poem called English is a pain! (pane?)

Rain, reign, rein, English is a pain. Although the words sound just alike, the spelling's not the same!

Bee, be, B, I'd rather climb a tree than learn to spell the same old word not just one way, but three!

Sight, site, cite, I try with all my might. No matter which I choose, it's not the one that's right!

There, their, they're, I almost just don't care. Too many ways to write one sound, I just don't think it's fair! To, two, too, so what's a kid to do? I think I'll go to live on Mars and leave this mess with ewe! (you?)

The unchained dog. Come any nearer if you dare.  By Cecil Aldin. Published by Raphael Tuck in their "Oilette" series. Message reads - Have got address elsewhere. Let me know if you have sent. 

Interesting! I wonder what that's all about. 

Have landed safely here, having a good time.

Published by E. T. W. Dennis. Posted to a Miss Elizabeth Webb on the 25th August, 1954. Darlings, here is a pussy to bring my love. Hoping you all are well and will have a good holiday with some nice warm weather. Such love to you all. K & G.  

I'm fed up waiting! Art and Humour Publishing, London. A & H Funny Dogs Series.

Posted on the 20th March, 1920. 

Message reads - Say Siss, do I owe you a letter, or do you owe me one? I dinna Ken the noo; but I hae ma douts. Anyhow I'm fed up waiting so you may expect a six page letter soon. From Yours Truly Pearl.

The last card is my favourite, more because of the message than the illustration. ”From Yours Truly Pearl” is a great way to end, but I hae ma douts about her Scottish Ancestry!

Peter Rabbit;

A week ago yesterday this little rabbit appeared looking dazed and bewildered. We watched for ages in the hope that another rabbit, preferably his mum would come and fetch him, but by the time it got dark he was still sitting in the same spot in the corner of the garden. We thought about trying to catch him but each time we made a move his ears shot up and his nose started to twitch, so with sinking hearts we went to bed not expecting him to survive the night. But on Sunday morning, he emerged from under the shed, took a look about and proceeded to explore.

We so enjoyed watching him meandering around, but the threat of the neighbourhood cats gave us more than a few sleepless nights. We have been on rabbit watch all week!  On Friday night, the security lights came on and lo and behold there was not one but two cats prowling around the garden. Opening the bedroom window and shouting proved pointless but the sight of a mad woman (me) in PJs careering around the garden was enough to make them scat! Yesterday morning the little rabbit once more emerged from under the shed looking none the worse for wear.

Spot the Rabbit!

In the Peter Rabbit stories by Beatrix Potter, Peter was partial to some lettuces and some French beans and some radishes. Not so with ‘our’ little rabbit – first he ate some London Pride (Saxifrage umbrosa), some daises and some grass. Then he explored the rockery and the bedding plants and tried a little nibble of each. And that was the last we saw of him. We keep going to the windows and the back door, but the garden is quite empty. Has he moved on to another garden with nicer things to nibble? We hope he is safe, but don’t suppose we will ever know. It may be that one of the cats carried him away or maybe one of the buzzards that are always around, or perhaps bedding plants and saxifrage were his undoing.   It was such a privilege to meet you little rabbit – be well!

I saw this the other day; The Little Things That Separate andUnite Cat Owners vs Dog Owners.  It’s well worth a read.