United States and the Netherlands

Well lookie here, my mailbox was double happy today! That's actually how they keep it in your stats on Postcrossing, they count the days your mailbox was happy that month.

The first card is from the Johnston family from Baton Rouge, LA:

They sent me a postcard of the Laura Plantation. The text on the back reads:

Laura Plantation, Vacherie, Lousiana. A raised Creole Villa built in 1805. The main house was rennovated in 1905. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, it is the largest and oldest plantation complex in St. James Parish.

Upon reading the description, the first thing I noticed, is that apparently whoever wrote it out, didn't have a spelling checker available. No, the extra "n" in renovated wasn't a typo of mine, that is actually how it's printed on the card. But then again, it really doesn't matter much, since I only see the front picture in my folder anyway.

The house does look pretty though. I like that style of houses, just looking at it makes me want to find a comfortable rocking chair to put on that patio (which upon closer inspection there actually is one on the far right) and curl up with a cool drink and a good book. I am however really glad I'm not the one having to clean such a big house.

I did some more research on this place, and apparently it used to be called Duparc Plantation, and can be visited with guided tours. It's significance isn't just the big house but also the fact that several of the outbuildings are still there, even some of the slave quarters. It was actually built by a Frenchman who was a veteran from the American Revolution who had petitioned the U.S. president at the time to receive some land, and he got this place to secure his loyalties to the United States.


The second card came from Stephan, who lives in Waddinxveen in the Netherlands:

An adorable puppy!! It doesn't say what breed it is, but it looks like a golden retriever maybe? I'm not quite sure (other than it's not a dachshund), but no matter the breed this is a really cute card. This little fellow just makes me want to go over to pet him and scratch his ears.

On my Postcrossing profile, it lists the languages I speak (so people know in which languages they can write to me). Besides English, which is technically my fourth language, I also speak Dutch/Flemish (my native language), French and German. So Stephan decided to write the card in several languages as well, alternating between Dutch and English. Funny enough it took me a minute to realize it...

Once again I got the comment about sending a card to a U.S. address to have it end up in Germany (I have a feeling I'll get that a lot). He was funny though, adding that it really doesn't matter that the card will travel that far since he's not the one carrying it back and forth across the ocean.  Made me giggle. Pin It