This post card, showing desert cacti and flora in bloom, is an example of snail blogging. Before the Internet, post cards were passed between people as a way of sharing news and images from afar, not only to the addressee but to the addressee's friends, neighbors and acquaintances.This post card was sent between two of my grandmother's church friends on February 24, 1972. The card was later given to her and she mailed it to me at university in one of her "care packages," -- a box containing cakes, candies and usually a few post cards.
This desert flower postcard was published by Bob Petley, a noted 1950's comic and Western publisher. The illustration was done by Larry Toschik, born in 1922. He illustrated books on Native Americans and is known for his illustrations published in Arizona Highways and Sunset magazines. Toschik also worked as Art Director for the Arizona State University’s Bureau of Publications.
I'm guessing that the density of plant life pictured is for illustration purposes only. Nevertheless, I had no idea there was such a variety of flowering cacti.
ReplyDeleteI learnt a lot about the Arizona desert after I posted a card from there. It was a modern card, and nothing like as interesting as this one.
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