◎Thank you for showing us the signs of spring in Japan. When I lived in the west coast of Canada, our spring was only 2-3 weeks behind yours. Now that I live in further interior , on the foothill of Rocky Mountains, the difference between your early spring and ours is remarkable.

Although the temperature is still fluctuating between -20C and 10C , and not a single  spring flower,  in early March I saw the first subtle sign of spring – softness in the color of the sky . On March 11, I saw the definite sign of spring from my living room window -hundreds of Canada geese on the snowy field. Although some people associate the arrival of spring with blooms of dandelions and the arrival of swallows, the people on Canadian prairies believe that the first sign of spring is the arrival of the Canada Geese.

I am very happy to see you are enjoying the day on Rokko. You look happy and energetic. You are a good role model to us seniors.

---------------------------- Haruyo Konishi Hazelton, Alberta, Canada ----------- 
44°

◎As always, thank you for your Homepage with the sign of Early Spring in the Kobe Area.

　There is not much to report from our country town of Armidale, except to say that we are planning a short trip to the South Island of New Zealand

　There we plan to visit the town of Akaroa (a former French Waling harbour), Hamner Springs (Onsens), Kaikoura (on the ocean) and the Kahurangi National Park near the town of Picton in the north.

　With our best wishes to all the Coffee Club members around the globe.

------------------ Claus & Michiko Jehne,  Armidale, NSW, Australia-------------  

◎Takeuchi sensei

I visit your website from time to time,always enjoy looking at your wonderful photos!
I was very happy to see the comments of my old friends when I met them in New Zealand and Australia.

I am now working at Otemae University in Hyogo.
I work in the Academic Affairs Department and international exchange center.

Otemae University is affiliated to a Japanese language school in Myanmar and has 10 Myanmarese students enrolled.
I visited Myanmar 3 years ago （Just before COVID-19）and visited Yangon
University of Foreign Languages, among others.
I hope Myanmar will be at peace soon.

I hope you are doing well,Takeuchi sensei.
Also, kiwi and Aussie, please take care of yourselves.

If I have a chance, I would like to visit New Zealand and Australia.

---------------------Masayuki Kishimoto, Sanda, Hyogo Pref. Japan----------------

◎I enjoyed your December Home Page. Your selection of photos and haiku for each month of 　2022 are excellent.

 　Your feature photos of April (I could be wrong. I will pay more attention in April.)

 　Just before Christmas, we had an unusually heavy snowfall  (about 50 cm)and I had a good opportunity to observe chickadees from my front windows and did a few pencil sketches. They usually look very cheerful and energetic , but on this cold snowy day (-20c) some of them looked hungry and freezing.

 Happy New Year!

---------- ---------- ----------- Haruyo Konishi HazeltonBC, Canada ----------- 

 
◎Dear Takeuchi-sensei and family and Coffee Break Friends.

Wishing everyone a Happy New Year.  And the energy to keep going ….… the alternative would be too terrible to contemplate. 

After 3 years of the COVID Crisis we must not give up, despite the terrible situation that is continuing in many countries. 

International travel must resume to what it was before the Year 2000.

We hope and pray that this will be possible … 

　　　　　　　　　　　-------------------------------------------- ----------------------

 　　　　A picture describing the current situation in Germany:

　　　Hospital Emergency Centr

　　　　　Person 1.:   I am feeling totally exhausted ! ! 

　　　　　Person 2.:    ….. and who are you saying this to …? ?

...

------------------ Claus & Michiko Jehne,  Armidale, NSW, Australia-------------

 　◎I am happy to know you are enjoying the cool season after the hot, humid summer. Thank you for showing us the beautiful autumn on Rokko. I especially like your Susuki photos. Susuki is my #1 favorite autumn flower and cosmos #2 . They are very elegant swaying in the slight breeze -symbols of Japanese fall.  Although we are overloaded by bad news- “Covid is not going away”, “Wildfire risk is remaining high”, “A destructive category 4 hurricane has impacted Eastern Canada”, etc., we are enjoying an extended summer in the middle of October. The weather here seems too good to be true: normally this time of year it is wet and cold , but this year it is just like summer 15-25 degree. Walking through my apple trees loaded with colorful fruits in the early clear mornings (I am a morning person) , I feel like I am in the most beautiful place on the earth.

 Looking forward to your autumn reports of chrysanthemum, cosmos , colorful leaves....

 --------　Haruyo Konishi HazeltonBC, Canada  
 

I am well. We hope to go to Hamner on The 27th of this month to their big market .

So far I have avoided Covid but anew strain is on the way so. Like you we must still  Take care.Keep well and stay safe.Warm wishes

------------------Jocelyn Fifield,Christchurch,New Zealand------------

 ◎Thank you very much for your update, Tak and Rumi. 

It is so good to hear from you, and to see Rumi’s photos of the lotus flowers. 

We are currently in Ireland, and enjoying being with our family in Celbridge, County Kildare. 

--------------------Tom & Kate Gregg, Christchurch, New Zealand------------

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