◎Thank you for the October update. I enjoyed the photos of the early fall in Japan. I especially like the photos of pure white heron and higanbana. They are really beautiful.

Our morning temperature is very chilly (the lowest -4C last week) , but usually in the afternoon it warms up to 15-20 c. I go for a one  hour walk almost everyday and enjoy the wide open prairie and a big sky above it. I also enjoy walking through the residential area and look into their garden. Right now most of the houses are displaying  Halloween decorations. Instead Japanese Halloween focuses their creative energy on their costumes , ours is still quite a traditional children's fun festival- “trick or treating” by children with scary costumes and garden ornaments of pumpkins and ghosts (or anything spooky ).

The best season is ahead of you. Enjoy!!

Here in Armidale we had a slow start to the Spring Season, however the cold weather has returned ……….  

Despite this our small garden is full of flowers and our vegetables are growing well too.

Best wishes to you, your family and correspondents.
 

----------------Claus &  Michiko JEHNE, Armidale, NSW. Australia.--------------

◎ How are you all?

 In Japan, still very hot and continuing like midsummer.

 At the university, the graduation ceremony was held in September and the autumn term will start soon.

I am busy with preparations for the autumn term.

 Last month, we went on a trip to Hokkaido for the first time in a while.

Hokkaido was somewhat cooler and it was nice to spend time there comfortably.

The photo shows a lavender farm in Biei (near Furano).Many of the landscapes are similar to New Zealand and I feel very nostalgic.

 Please take care of yourselves, everyone!

 Cheers,

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

◎残暑お見舞い申し上げます。

I enjoyed reading about “2010 Bon Home Page” again. You must be feeling nostalgic looking back the traditional event of 13 yeas ago.

 Here we are in the beginning of the fall – temperature between 4 °C  to 20°C  . The golden canola crop which presented an image of heaven in June , is now laying in swaths drying in the September sunshine. Huge round bales of hay (1.5x1.8 meters while weighing around 690 kg) were scattered on the vast hay field. I enjoy the views of the fall farm field from my window.

 Will your next home Page be titled “ small signs of the fall'?

I am sending my message this way, because your homepage reply link did not open this time. 

 Your photographs are so good to see, and are always interesting for us to see and read about here in Christchurch.  Your comments bring back such good memories of our earlier days, and how lucky I was to visit you at Sonoda.

 All is well with us here in Christchurch, as we now head into winter here.  

  　　　-------------- Tom Gregg , Christchurch , New Zealand -------------

◎I always look forward to the updates on your website.

　You can see carp streamers every year in Shukugawa Park near my workplace.
　The train in the back of the picture is a JR train.
　It's my daily commuting route,so walking this route is enjoyable.

　This week I will visit Doshisha University in Kyoto.
　Kyoto is so crowded with tourists that it is known as overtourism.
　I spent my university years in Kyoto and there were many people during the autumn leaf season, 　but not as many as now.　
　I would like to visit the Kyoto Imperial Palace, it is a good season.

 --------------------Jocelyn Fifield, Christchurch, New Jealand--------

You came across the wonderful display of the carp streamers. What a find! I wonder who put them up. Residents of the houses background?

Or municipal hall? I hope you remember this location and visit next year again. The real carp in your pond also looks magnificent. All of your photos are beautiful and the accompanying English essays are well-written and interesting.

 After the long winter I got almost emotional when I spotted the first dandelion during my usual walk on May 1. Here (latitude　52° North, 1050m

above sea level) May is the beginning of spring. Right now tulips and daffodils are blooming side by side. From my window of 3^rd floor condo I admire the early spring green of the great grass and farm lands that extend as far as the eye can see.

 Please take care of yourself. Looking forward to June Home Page.

 ---------------------------- Haruyo Konishi Hazelton, Alberta, Canada ----------- 
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◎Thank you very much for your May 2024 Coffee Club Homepage.

　It arrived when we were travelling in New Zealand …..

　Attached please find a photo (from our Hotel room) of 

　Akaroa Harbour   about 80km south of  Christchurch.

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 We also visited Hamner Springs, Kaikoura and the town of Picton, in the 

Malborough Sounds area.   The weather was sunny fro the whole time ……

I am sure that you too may have visited these places on your past travels to 

Christchurch …..With our best wishes to you and all your Coffee Club correspondent
s.

-----------------Claus &  Michiko JEHNE, Armidale, NSW. Australia.------------------

◎It is always a great joy to study your homepage and also to find out what is happening　in locations far and wide — from the reports of your faithful correspondents.

 Here on the New England Highlands (in the State of New South Wales, Australia), the Autumn Season has arrived and the trees are displaying their seasonal　colours ……. 

      
However, if we drive 180km westwards, down to the coast, we can still experience warm summer weather and go swimming / surfing in the ocean …….

 With our warmest Autumn Greeting to you and your Homepage Readers.

 
------------------Claus &  Michiko JEHNE, Armidale, NSW. Australia.------------------


◎Thank you for the beautiful photos and excellent English essay. I am happy to see the wild cherry bloom in your garden every year. You and Rumiko-san worked hard to send us the Home Page! I appreciate it very much.

April is the best time in Japan: Cherry blossoms and the beginning of the school year - one of the best times in their life for students who could get into the schools of their choice. ( I suppose  the education system in Japan has not changed much from my student years there – very tough entrance exams to good schoosl! I cannot forget April was the most cruel and depressing time for some of my friends who failed university entrance exams.)

 Our weather here at the foothills of Rocky Mountains are quite different from yours. Although yesterday's the temperature was close to 20C, overnight it went down to -6C and right now I am admiring the blizzard over the great prairie. This kind of drastic weather changes are quite common here and very entertaining to watch. I walk everyday for 30-60 minutes and only one spring sign I encountered was a single vivid yellow dandelion flower against the sunny fence. When you are enjoying millions of cherry blossoms, I a single flower.

 Please take care of yourself. Looking forward May Home Page.

　　 ------------------Haruyo Konishi Hazelton、Alberta, Canada --

It is especially good to see the cherry blossoms in your own fine garden.
I well remember being in your fine country as cherry blossoms were in flower.  One year you took us to Himaji Castle grounds, and we had a Cherry Blossom picnic  - with many other picnics happening around us.  

　　　　--------------------------- ---------------------------- --------------------------- 
 
I certainly DO remember the days in Kyoto, and when we experienced the beautiful cherry blossoms AND snow.  

I have such great memories of my trips to Sonoda Womens University and our visits to other areas in your beautiful countr

--------------Tom Gregg , Christchurch , New Zealand --------------

◎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----------------

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