For those of us who are new to stamp collecting, a First Day of Release Cover Page is the envelope that the newly released stamp is put on and hand canceled on the first day of release of a commemorative US postage stamp. It is hand canceled with a specially designed, US Postal approved cancellation stamp. These First Day Covers then become collectibles and some are highly regarded by collectors for their creative artworks.

According to the description provided by the American Society of First Day Cover Pages, the cachet, as the artwork is called, is supposed to connect with the stamp as well as reflect the city where the unveiling occurs.

Steve Buchanan, the 2007 Pollinator stamp creator, is well known for his photo realism, especially with insects. His new release stamp is called the Pollinators. My intention when creating these first day covers, was to try and compliment Mr. Buchanan's beautiful stamps and to convey to the public the essence of light and shadow and mountain that is Tucson. My goal to "connect" to the Pollinator stamps was to show some of the different types of flowering plants that are native to Tucson and that live here at Tohono Chul Park.

Ocotillo Bloom - This one I created for the Hummingbird stamp with its red-throated hummingbird and the red trumpet flowers. I wanted to get up close and personal with the Ocotillo bloom, which usually towers so high above us that we rarely get to inspect this very unusual flower.

Saguaro - The magnificent and luminous blooms of the Saguaro was an easy choice for subject matter since Mr. Buchanan had already chosen it. I wanted to expand on his choice by showing these wonderful monuments of Tucson as they stand in their natural habitat, the desert. They stand outside our homes, in traffic and next to our favorite quick stop, sometimes going completely unnoticed. What would Tucson be like without them?

Prickly Pear - I chose the Prickly Pear for the bees stamp. To me the Prickly Pear is the tulip of the desert - If you dare to smell one, I believe there is a resemblance in fragrance and their color is so vibrant and spring-like and the bees love them!

Owl's Clover and Poppy - I created this one for the butterfly stamp because it grows in wild lavender and yellow patches throughout the desert here and is a natural for butterflies. The Owl's Clover with its soft billowy, windblown nature is a compliment to their stoic blooming counterparts that share the desert floor.