#328 Ireland...Thanks Paola!

The 55c stamp was issued in 2009 celebrating European Dog Show in Dublin.

A dog show is not a comparison of one dog to another. It is a comparison of each dog to a judge's mental image of the ideal breed type as outlined in the individual breed's breed standard. A judge chooses the dog(s) that most closely resemble the ideal on that particular day.

Dog show judges attempt to identify dogs who epitomize the published standards for each breed. This can be challenging, because some judgements must necessarily be subjective. For example, what exactly entails a "full coat" or a "cheerful attitude", descriptions found in breed standards, can only be learned through experience with the breed that has that particular requirement.

#267 Ireland...Thanks Brian!

The 7c and 20c stamp are from Flowers definitive issues showing Fly orchid and Thrift.

Fly Orchid (Ophrys insectifera) is a species of orchid and the type species of the genus Ophrys. It is native to Europe and favors sites with alkaline soil. The name arises because it resembles a fly, being totally dependent on flies and bees for pollination. The plants use scent to attract male flies, which pollinate the flowers as they attempt to mate with the flower. The scent released by the flowers mimic female fly sexual pheromones.

Thrift (Armeria maritima) can be found in the wild in coastal areas across the Northern Hemisphere, especially in Europe, but also occurs in parts of South America. It is a common sight in British marshes. It can grow in dry, sandy, saline conditions such as those at beaches and salt marshes.

The 55c stamp is from 2010 Wedding Stamps issue featureing a pair of devoted lovebirds which embody the love and joy shared by the happy couple.

#082 Ireland...Thanks Paola

These se-tenant stamps was issued on Aug.14,2009 to celebrate four of the world s leading composers with a set of commemorative stamps.

Handel and Mozart feature on two 55c stamps while Chopin and Hayden appear on a pair of 82c (international) stamps.

George Frideric Handel (1685-1759) was born in Halle, Germany. He wrote over forty operas during his lifetime and, in 1741, composed his masterpiece, Messiah. This exuberant, joyful religious work was first performed in Fishamble Street, Dublin in 1742. The stamp features a portrait of Handel c.1736 (oil on canvas) by Thomas Hudson, set against the original score of the Last Folio from the opera Susanna.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) was an Austrian child prodigy, who became an official court composer at the age of just seventeen. He composed an extraordinary number of concerti, symphonies and operas, of which the best known today is The Marriage of Figaro. The stamp features an image of Mozart (oil on canvas) by Grassi, and is set on a background incorporating the manuscript music score of the Overture of the opera Don Giovanni.

These composers were at the heart of the Classical movement. They expanded the scope, range and intensity of emotions that could be expressed in serious musical form, and created a musical legacy which endures to this day.