It is fun writing in my Costa Rica Banana Paper Notebook! I was not aware that paper could be made from the banana fibers!

What was especially meaningful to me was finding this beautiful stationery on the very day this blog celebrated its 11th anniversary. 

While in port at Limón, Costa Rica, I was able to explore the market. The person at the booth, which I truly enjoyed visiting, shared that his Mom had made the banana paper and bound it into a spiral notebook — the perfect travel size. Given this was at an independent booth, I was not looking for any official “certification” saying it’s made from banana byproducts. Additionally, I loved its uniqueness and the story he told with it! The concept of banana paper is eco-friendly and sustainable. 

Lastly, here are some postcards I picked up there, too.

Writing about this discovery of the banana paper stationery feels especially serendipitous, and blogging about it brings back a fond travel memory for me.

It is a joy to be back from our trip and to be posting this blog from my home office. I hope 2026 has been good to you as we now head into the 2nd Quarter 2026.  In the meantime, here’s to a great month ahead for us in April!  See you back here soon!  

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One of my dreams has been to visit the Panama Canal and yesterday was fantastic getting to visit while our cruise ship was in port!

One of the highlights was riding the train, since 1855, and the route included taking us from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific ocean, with us then resuming taking the tour bus on the trip and returning to Colon.

I will have more in my next post, but for now, I wanted to share how wonderful it was to get to include this in the trip, and that the weather cooperated.

Here’s to hoping this finds you well and enjoying the new year. It is hard to believe that tomorrow marks the beginning of March!

Thank you for continuing to be on this blog journey with me as we head into another year celebrating letter writing. See you back here next month! In the meantime, cheering for you!

Anchors Aweigh,

Helen

Blogpost #2258

P.S. March 31, 2026: I have updated the formatting of this post with font size and photos enlarged now that I am back home – the above post was written and posted from our cruise ship on February 28, 2026.

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The First Day of Issue will be on February 3, 2026, in Houston, Texas. They are available for pre-order at The Postal Store SKU # 487904, priced at 78 cents each; they are sold in sheets of 20 for $15.60.

Additionally, for pre-ordering, it includes themed Stamp & Send Notecards, a first-day cover, a Matted Stamp, and Digital Color Postmark, and Stamp Pin with Cancellation Card. 

We can view their entire collection here.

POSTMARKS!

Finally, I sent out most of the New Year’s cards today. We had them hand-canceled at the Post Office.  Thank you to Vicki for calling my attention to the Post Office change in postmarks. I’ll have more on postmarks and why hand cancels in my next post. In the meantime, they have a blurb on it at USPS Postmarking your Mail, 

With the new year, I hope this finds you well and staying warm with our current weather!

Our family dog Cooper (who turns 10 in April!) has been anticipating snow all day. Now that it’s here, he is tentatively exploring a bit. It is worth noting, we live near the beach, a less than 5 minute drive, so for it to be currently 18F degrees and having snow falling, is cold for us. 

Here’s to a Happy New Year 2026! See you back here soon.

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Even though the stamps came out 20 years ago, it is fun seeing that I can still get a booklet of them! 

I came across the 2005 37c Holiday Cookies USPS stamp over at the Mystic Stamp Company website. It’s a booklet of 20 stamps, mint condition, and they’re selling for $29.75. Should you decide to order the stamps and want to use them for mailing, be sure to add the difference in postage so it equals the current postal rate. As of December 2025, a one-ounce Forever stamp costs 78 cents.

Speaking of current postage rates, here is a screenshot of the 2025 Holiday Stamps I’m seeing at the USPS Postal Store.

More about my focus on Christmas Cookies!

In deciding WHAT cookie recipe to make, I have found myself going down the YouTube rabbit hole chasing inspiration. Add to that, I find myself STILL decorating the tree. It seems the more lights I add to it, the more it needs! Likewise, the garland of popcorn with berries (faux) strings for the tree seems like it is crying for more to be added, even after already adding more of them. And I am still dreaming of writing the Christmas newsletter and personally addressing our Christmas cards. The project manager in me wants to include pictures of the tree and cookies in the newsletter; therefore, my timeline is okay to do all this first, THEN the Christmas newsletter. And then today’s latest – yes, an old-time recipe I came across on cornstarch ornaments. Again, the YouTube rabbit hole is competing for my views. Is it like that for you? Christmas Eve is two weeks away, and there is still time to pace ourselves and enjoy the countdown. 

Celebrating Big Birthdays!

This week, on December 13th, my friend Bruce Patterson, Wilmington Philatelic Society, will be celebrating his 95th Birthday!  I am also seeing actor Dick Van Dyke will be celebrating his 100th birthday on December 13th. This year, in 2025, we have been celebrating the blog’s 10th anniversary. Back on December 13, 2015, I blogged “Keep Moving” – Celebrating Dick Van Dyke’s 90th Birthday! And here we are, ten years later, and it’s his 100th!

Wrapping up 2025 & See you back here in January

Before closing out December and with it the year, I wish you good health and very Happy Holidays. For those of you traveling, I hope you have safe and happy trips.  Thank you for continuing to be on this blog post journey with me.  Next year, we’ll continue to encourage more letter writing. See you back here next year in 2026! 

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And I am including a free printable from a previous Thanksgiving post of mine if you are wanting to just print one (or more) and send.

This novelty book of hers came out in 2018 and is still very relevant. It is part of her “Letters to My” book series. Previously over the years we have looked at some of them.

“Letters for a Year of Gratitude includes 52 tear out-and-send letters that will inspire a year’s worth of notes of love, appreciation, and thanks. Keep track of the letters you’ve written in the correspondence log in the back. Secure each letter with the included 150+ stickers before sending a little gratitude to friends and family!”

Here is a link to the book, Letters for a Year of Gratitude: Write Now. Keep in Touch Always, by Lea Redmond.

And I am including a snapshot view of previous posts of mine on some of her letter writing books.

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