重遊加拿大新布蘭西維克省聖約翰港2022/莊峻華

 重遊加拿大新布蘭西維克省聖約翰港2022/莊峻華

新布蘭西維克省，是加國東北三省最北端，也是地廣人稀，三省是指新蘇格蘭省，愛德華王子省，和新布省，到了聖約翰港，郵輪七日遊，即需調頭返航，美國東西兩岸郵輪路線，是夏日避暑途徑，我如此認為，而且也樂此不疲，下船後就逛街，但也重不購物，街上紀念品，並非必需，而且多半在國外加工，美國國內無法生產，而且一般住家也無法容納得下，郵輪仍需旅行，這是休憩嗜好。

聖城有座新布省大學，約是五十年前，我在故鄉虎尾教書，因出國介紹信，幾次拜望化學系主任，他和我談起一位理化系前輩，在新布大深造，我一直記住此事，幾次郵輪經此三省，都回想到此事，其中一處大購物中心，甚至安排專門休憩處，給船上工作青少年，有網路與家人連絡，非常開明週到。

我帶這群虎尾舊識逛完街，我就逕自返郵輪午餐，準備參加下午一參觀活動，郵輪給我一福利，可以隨隊搭車參觀聖市，從市內到郊外河流入海處，有一紙廠，聖市有煉油廠，東北三省惟一，煉油廠和紙廠是同一人，此家族企業已傳到第二，三代，小巴士也帶我們專程路過此富人家屬住家，有一軼事描述塔丹尼郵輪滅頂案，一位當地居民，從倫敦託寄新婚傢具，值郵輪撞冰洲，傢俱全失，倖巧物主未趕上登船，得以傳言此事。

Revisiting Japan 2023/Carlos Pueblo

 Revisiting Japan 2023/Carlos Pueblo

Before my first Alaska cruises this year, I booked a cruise trip from Seattle to Tokyo through Alaska again. I took the advantage of the discount, yet also worried about the threat of recession because of the inflation threat. The economic has been booming for such a long time even though I understand Biden's team are trying so hard to avoid it. I only expect to live this way of life for another 4 and a half year. At the last day of my second Alaska back trip, a lady from Seattle came to discuss with me about the Japanese trip and recommended me take additional two cruises on the same ship before Seattle embarkation. I did book such two cruises when I arrived home. There are about six cruise travelers will join us for this trip.

We all have some kinds of admiration of Japan, an amazing nation of the world. We drive Japanese vehicles and we are all very impressed of Japanese good manners. We all are very impressed how Japanese mean what they say. I personally show my impression and find myself to explain such phenomenon. I was discuss such common questions about the world confusion between Chinese and Taiwanese in the time of the threat of Chinese invasion of Taiwan with a Taiwanese Canadian on the ship. I suddenly realize that I do have something related to my Japanese admiration in family history. Both of my deceased parents were imperial Japanese citizen during the Emperor ruling of Taiwan between 1895 to 1945. I was born in 1947 two years after the end of the War. Both of my parents respected Japan very much in their mind until their end of their life even though it was a taboo under Chinese rule and Chinese thought. Taiwanese like us are closed to Japanese than Chinese and I don't consider myself have very much of Chinese.

On our latest trip to Japan, we stopped at a market to search left over unsold row fish, a merchant was very impressed of my description of my self-study Japanese in English. It is very fun and I enjoy very much when I travel in Japan. I tried to ask someone in our Taiwanese community in Houston to know how to visit Fuji Mountain by myself. Amy thinks that I am properly knows more in Japan than most of our fellow Taiwanese not in the travel industry.

重返日本2023/莊峻華

 重返日本2023/莊峻華

兩週前出發前，我訂下西雅圖經阿拉斯加前往日本橫濱之船票，郵輪善於生意，回家後，我又加購兩張船票，就是重複阿拉斯加遊，十月二日在溫哥華下船後，搭乘巴士南下西雅圖，很是有趣。我已經訂好機票，再來就是購買新幹線三週票，還有日本各地旅店，研究路線，這次是逢秋日換紅葉，還有參觀日本丹頂鶴。

重返日本的原因，主要是郵輪降價，這艘郵輪冬天調到亞洲，乘客不足，只好降價，16日費用約是一張單程頭等艙機票，引起節約乘客如我者之注意，我約幫忙拉上六位乘客，這加上之阿拉斯加重複雙程，則是另外一位乘客所推薦，也有很好之折扣，適合有時間者。抵達日本後，加上的三週火車旅行，完全是興趣，至於停留桃園機場5小時，純粹是意外，我也有十年不曾回台灣。

郵輪旅行，可以填充孤獨的老年生活，而且船上可以認識許多有趣人物，我藉機欣賞美女郵輪職員，這些美女如花朵般之美麗，又很親切禮貌，笑容滿面，工作努力有專業態度，非常難得。

To my dear grand daughters in Spirit/Carlos Pueblo

 To my dear grand daughters in Spirit/Carlos Pueblo

As promise, I am sending our pictures together to you now. I shall try to do my best to identify each of you based on my memory and please forgive me if I make a mistake for wrongfully identify you.

In a few days, on June 3rd, I shall board on Getaway to Lisbon, Portugal and fly back to Houston, Texas. On September 18, I shall board on Jewel for a repeat of Vancouver to Seward and back to Vancouver, then take a bus to Seattle to board the same ship to repeat Alaska route and take off to Japan. I shall stay in Japan for another three weeks to visit three mountains and a red crown crane National Park at Kushiro, Hokkaido.

Thanks for your hospitality and we shall meet again.

阿拉斯加旅行回來2023－1／莊峻華

 阿拉斯加旅行回來2023－1／莊峻華

昨晚從加拿大溫哥華搭機回家，結束今年第一季郵輪阿拉斯加行，九月裡我將連續三次旅行阿拉斯加，然後隨珠寶號到日本，在日本賞紅葉換季，富士山，岩本山，和白神山，欣賞釧路丹頂鶴。

這次阿拉斯加行是，提早兩週之首季郵輪旅行，第一週可以看到滿山積雪，第二週積雪熔化一些，這是平面觀賞，回程機上可以俯視落機山脈積雪，這是第二度空間，非常有趣，美加兩國風景絕佳，郵輪飛機帶來方便，當然有日本之新幹線更佳，第二類平面風景欣賞可期待。

精神號職員，有公司傳統親切，食物亦佳，號稱全公司第一，起先遇到兩位失聯女兒，後來許多位船員，都來相認，非常愉快，而且乘客也來打招呼，因為我注意穿著整齊清潔，令人尊重，我只不過是穿二十餘年前，工作西裝和最近船上購買之襯衫，腳上也穿擦亮之舊皮鞋。

因我事先準備，尋找食伴，所以一週有四次以上繳費晚餐，讓我覺得拿回本錢，而且郵輪開放日本料理和鐵板燒，我也免繳費品嘗六次。

Return to Alaska 2023/Carlos Pueblo

 Return to Alaska 2023/Carlos Pueblo

Tuesday next week, I shall return to Alaska for my annual regular vacation. I am very lucky to have cruise trips to avoid summer heat way and winter cold front by travelling to Alaska and New England/Canadian Provinces as well as the Caribbean/Panama Canal as long as I am healthy.

This time, I shall fly to Vancouver, Canada to embark and return from Seward, Alaska to Vancouver which we call it a back to back cruises. The route is slightly difference from last year and two different glaciers to visit.

Another exciting visit is the Queen Elizabeth II Rose Garden in Vancouver. I hope that I can see roses at this late spring time.

重遊阿拉斯加2023／莊峻華

 重遊阿拉斯加2023／莊峻華

下週二出發加拿大溫哥華，搭上精神號重遊阿拉斯加州，自從選擇郵輪旅行後，阿拉斯加州，新英格蘭加拿大，加勒比海巴拿馬運河，和橫跨大西海等航行，變成選擇，一年一年，時光飛馳，這次旅行後，緊接著葡萄牙里斯本行，十月初從西雅圖，經阿拉斯加到東京，我尚未訂下東京後三週之陸地旅行，但心中有譜，只要身體健康，這些旅行均非常有趣，有益身心健康。

記得剛剛寫完2022年阿拉斯加遊，又過新年，郵輪價格有些未變，顯然國濟經濟尚未完全復甦，或是郵輪競爭劇烈，只是航空公司，班班客滿，非常納悶，不知投資所措，先出外旅行再講。

這次阿拉斯加遊，和去年稍異，去年是西雅圖出發七日來回，然後重複一次，這次是溫哥華出發，七日達阿拉斯加蘇握港，就在安可路治市外港，再折回溫哥華，停靠碼頭有異，冰洲不一，而且我尚能兩次參觀溫哥華，伊莉莎白二世女皇玫瑰花園。

Swimming 2023/Carlos Pueblo

 Swimming 2023/Carlos Pueblo

Finally I got the opportunity to swim at our community pool this year yesterday. Swimming is the only exercises which I can maintain regularly for the time being. I am afraid to injure my left knee again; therefore, I quit playing tennis. Of course, I can still walking to have some physical exercises while the weather is cool. Swimming is very nice for an old man.

Our homeowner association pays very much attention to our community pool and tennis courts. There are one and a half standard Olympic size pool at our community center. The pool is open between April 1 to October 1 every year; however, I have been busy travelling around and it is very difficult to keep a healthy body and warming weather simultaneously. I did have the opportunity to swim this year when I was on the Caribbean; yet, the pool on the cruise ship was sea water. It is not nice when I choke in the pool. I like the fresh water on our community pool.

Yesterday I did 10 laps altogether. I estimated about 2 kilometers, almost 1.2 miles. I am going back today and Sunday before I go to Alaska on a back to back cruises.

游泳2023／莊峻華

 游泳2023／莊峻華

下午網路氣候曰華氏88度，提醒我應該游泳去也，自日本回家已近三週，時差感冒，加上修葺庭院草坪，每日散步運動中斷，深懼習慣養成，對身體不利，於是拾起小包設備，前往社區游泳池，其實我在年初，東加勒比海巴拿馬運河行，在船上游泳，當然外出散步，一直持續到日本。

社區游泳池空無一人，下水後發現淡水，確實較船上之海水溫和，我們社區游泳池，約有一座半標準奧林匹克大，這半座屬稍深水區，我估計一整圈周圍約是200公尺，因此我準備游十圈，約兩公里，一點二哩，完事後剛好有一鄰居來，明日和週日，我都可持續，下週二我就需上船兩週，到阿拉斯加，六月初再赴葡萄牙里斯本，就是盡量為之。

夏日游泳比起散步，有趣甚多，而且對膝蓋也較溫和，我的左膝蓋傷勢，有些好轉，我不敢再打網球，散步和游泳，也許試試高爾夫球，對我老身有益。

Return visit to Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada 2022/Carlos Pueblo

 Return visit to Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada 2022/Carlos Pueblo

Halifax is quite a lovely city in the Canadian Nova Scotia Province where I have been visited on my cruises since 2011. I am very familiar with the set up of decks path along the harbor. I could walk more into the city center when I was a little bit younger. Now I am satisfied with the harbor decks walking from the pier to the casino hotel at the end of the path. I was attracted to the fleet of naval carrier Gerald Ford's maiden voyage at the Halifax Bay drilled with fellow battle ships of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization NATO, specifically Germany and Netherlands mint shaped cruisers. A couple of years ago, I did see another maiden voyage of Queen Elizabeth II UK carrier at a drill in this same bay. Gerald Ford is now on the Mediterranean to response in case Russian uses the nuclear weapon toward any of NATO members or Ukraine as Putin's threat.

I was more interested in finding handsome Canadian mountain dogs on decks. Usually the locals would bring out their dogs during a sunny day. I have had some photos on my files in my desk top. I walked with Ivy and her friend on the path. At the end, there was a military fan taking photos of battle ships and explained to us what was going on. She and her friends went to take a ferry ride and the captain took them closed to Gerald Ford which was a treat. I tried again on the next week of the back, All ships were gone.

The three Canadian prov

inces are Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and the Prince Edward Island. On the city center area, there are some nice places where we can visit.

重返加拿大新蘇格蘭哈里費克斯港2022／莊峻華

 重返加拿大新蘇格蘭哈里費克斯港2022／莊峻華

哈里費克斯港也是美洲東北線必經之港，加拿大東北有三省，獨立戰爭以來，美洲英皇保守派，退居此區三省，新蘇格蘭省，新布朗斯維克省，和愛徳華王子島省，英國皇家守住這塊土地，獨立後之美國也無法越過雷池，美加兩國兩三百年來，和平共存，我旅行加國幾十年，美加兩國真是不分彼此。

這次到哈里費克斯港，又遇見北大西洋公約組織，海軍演習，美國那艘造價千億美金之福特號，就在哈里費克斯灣停泊，旁邊有十餘艘飛彈導彈巡洋艦陪伴，美國，徳國，和荷蘭三國軍艦，上次我遇見的是英國之新航母，伊莉莎白二世號，在此演習，說巧不巧，今日福特號已經進駐歐洲地中海，準備配合烏克蘭軍春季反攻，美國防部奧斯汀部長，佩北約14國相印，準備接待俄羅斯之核武蠢動。我興奮的踏上港都舖設之木板步徑，走向盡頭，就是一家大飯店兼睹場，然後再折返郵輪，念華她們倆中途，搭乘渡輪遊覽海灣，她說渡輪船長，故意駕駛小船接近福特號，看得更清楚，我在第二次抵達時，演習已結束，但我確實拍攝幾張相片，我也曾在加州聖地牙哥，拍過雷根號航母，這雷根號現在在南中國海執勤，維護南中國海海運暢通，還有台灣海峽，非常有趣。

我很喜愛哈里費克斯港，新穎設備，乾淨俐落，我通英語，當地居民，偶攜愛犬外出甲板步徑，這些加拿大高山巨犬，非常英俊友善，令人喜愛。過去我稍年輕，容許我逛到街面，此市有很具規模之城中心，有一巨大之草坪，上有紀念建築，許多遊覽車打卡重點，我曾逛過幾次，甚是懷念。

我將此行當作避暑勝地遊，幾乎每年都來玩，每年都很滿意興奮。

Return to Osaka Castle, Osaka, Japan 2023/Carlos Pueblo

 Return to Osaka Castle, Osaka, Japan 2023/Carlos Pueblo

Osaka Castle was first built by the famous Toyotomi Hideyoshi in 1583, the current one was a re-built of the third times. We took a JR train of Osaka Loop from our Fukushima Station to the Park for only four stops. I need to mention to our hotel at Fukushima that is a old city center with several famous names in Osaka history, i.e., the Umeda section, Umeda Kawa Bridge, the Kita no Shin Chi, and the famous Kabuki play Sonezaki Shinju, a double suicide love story. Kita no Shinchi is Osaka's Ginza in Tokyo. I know these because I have been doing self study Japanese for years. I am glad that Michelle selects this hotel for us to stay.

We entered the city park early to see many venders preparing for the Cherry Blossom Festival. Cherry groves were fully in blossom. We first walked pass the plum garden and was a week late to miss the plum blossom, the Japanese plum called Ume flowers. We could see some small green fruits formed on branches. Then, there were lovely cherry blossom all over with various kinds at leas

t I knew one called Yashino cherry blossom. I also took some attractive photos for newly coming out red pink blossom. We didn't intend to enter the castle this time; however, there was a long line waiting outside to purchase tickets to enter. Hideyoshi almost unified the entire Japan; therefore, he built the largest castle at that time in Japan. Osaka Castle is not so famous as three other castles, the Himeji Castle, the Kumamoto Castle, and the Matzumoto Castle; yet I felt like an emperor's residence. Of course, the current Emperor's in Tokyo is also great; yet it was built by Tokugawa Ieyasu who had a little bit low key attitude than Hideyoshi.

I found some Japanese young girls accompanied with their parents with traditional Kimono in some beautiful spots to take photos. I know that is an unique ceremony for their even year birthday, like 20 years old, the most important one, etc. With their permission, I took some photos of them with Amy for our collection. They are about our granddaughters age if we would have one.

We wnet out to have a lunch break in a big office building and shopping center outside of the Castle park. We had had a very delicious meal and thanks to the dollar's exchange rate. Amy helped me for a large warm sake. 

Upon our return to the castle, we ran into a group of Taiwanese tourists. They recommended us visit the Kiyomitsu Temple in Kyoto on the next day. We went back to the peach garden to take more photos of lovely red peach flowers.

重返大阪城2023／莊峻華

 重返大阪城2023／莊峻華

這次重返大阪城，是事隔五年，非常愉快，剛好趕上春季花開，日語曰花見，我們先住大阪一週，首日遇雨，僅能和一位當地姑娘娘午餐，翌日我們開始逛大阪城，城堡之城，大阪是府，日本第二大城市，我們住的酒店在福島區，是老城中，離北之新地步行約半小時，而且是大通直行，我對日本有特殊親切感，我的雙親都曾是大日本帝國國民，一直到1945年，雙親都受日本學校教育，有日本精神，講話算話。我上年紀後學習日本語，效果不佳，但不斷自修改進，現在膽敢發問。

福島離北之新地甚近，這北之新地就像東京之銀座大鬧區，講到大阪就讓我想起艷歌中都春美的大阪時雨，歌詞中提到北之新地，這福島車站附近也有一新梅田站，有一年我走過梅田橋，這梅田和福島相鄰，橋在梅田川上，我旅行日本，非常仔細，人歌地一氣喝成，演歌中提島曾根崎心中，更是逼人心弦，曾根崎也在北之新地，是日本文學歌舞妓中，著名之悲劇。

大阪城是豐臣秀吉所興建，是1583年，現址是第三座，前二座已損壞，秀吉是日本三國時代之大諸侯，繼織田信長後，幾乎統一日本。這大阪城有帝王規模，和當今姬路城，熊本城，和松本城，三大名城有異，畢竟秀吉年俸高達三百萬石以上，僅德川家康堪可比較，家康之江戶城興建，還得秀吉之許可。

我們搭日鐵大阪環城線，過幾站就抵達大阪城，這城已屬大阪府管理之公園，櫻花開始怒放，我們到時尚早，攤販正在佈置，我們沿著梅園逛去，梅花已謝，果實可見，倒是吉野櫻花到處，非常美麗，我不停拍照。我們走近城垣，已經開始有遊客排隊購票參觀，我們找到座蹬，欣賞遊客來來去去，確實熱鬧。我又帶領愛美逛城周圍櫻花林，鼓勵她和和服少女姑娘拍照，當然都經過家長同意，春天有新婚夫婦，著傳統和服拍紀念照，還有雙數年華少女，有成年禮儀照，都甚講究，愛美也有興趣，這些都像我們之孫輩。

離去午餐前，我們找到桃園，紅色桃花盛開，我們拍照後離去。街道上遇見兩位女同鄉，推薦我們上街百貨公司午餐，果然找到一家理想午餐廳，美金真好用，日本餐廳變成合理，我叫一大瓶米酒，連愛美均曰好。

我們又逛回大阪城，在桃園前休息，遇見一群台灣遊客，他們建議我到京都清水寺曰，人山人海。

Return to Bar Harbor, Maine 2022/Carlos Pueblo

 Return to Bar Harbor, Maine 2022/Carlos Pueblo

Bar Harbor is a fishing port and a stop of the New England/Canada cruise route. Bar Harbor is located in the middle of the State of Maine coastal line not far away from the three Canadian Provinces, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island. Our cruise shall stop at Halifax and St Johns. There is a tender service to carry us to Bar Harbor from the ship. On the small boat, I ran into Ivy Pan, my old neighbor at my hometown Huwei, Taiwan almost half a century ago.

It was 1973 when I returned home from Lei-Yu Island of Ka-Moi, the frontier island of Chinese Fu-Chien Shore of Amoy Island after a two years Taiwanese Army Conscription. Our fathers both worked at Taiwan Sugar Corporation Huwei Factory and we lived on the same street with one house between our sector, we were number 20 and they were number 22. We both remember vividly our neighbors and elementary school years life. Of course, she is much younger age than me, she is about my younger sister Grace's era. Yet she remember that I am the second older brother to Grace. I was a high school teacher at that time for only one year. She knows well with Grace and her husband at young age. She lives in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

One of her friends from childhood was in her company. She is a daughter of a principal of Huwei Girls High, Mrs. Shi, Si means Stone in English. Mrs. Shi recommended me to Mr. Lee the principal of Huwei Boys High to hire me as a chemistry teacher. My adopted mother Dr. Pei was a closed friend to Principal Shi and that was why I remember such favor. I have had a fond memory of that teacher's year at Huwei before I came to the United States.

I volunteered to be their guide for the rest of the cruise. We turned pass the white Bar Harbor Inn and its lovely flowers garden before we were marching along the coastal line. On the sea surface we could see the floating balls of lobster traps while on the landside, we could enjoy the lovely villas of the township with garden facing the sea. Right at the fence of the famous Acadia National Park, we turned right toward the town center main street. On my repeated trip on the next week, I remembered that I forgot to point out the apple tree in the middle of the walking path. The house flowers garden at the corner is my favorite full of the Dahlia and Rose flowers.

I recommended them to a lobster restaurant on the main street. Miss Shi loves birds. I asked her about the red head crane on the trade mark of Japan Airline. She told me that she did visit Hokkaido, Japan one year in October to view such beautiful bird.

重返緬因州棒港2022／莊峻華

 重返緬因州棒港2022／莊峻華

緬因州之棒港位於加拿大邊界，是一美麗之小鎮，郵輪必停靠之站，並無大船碼頭，需要接駁艇，這是愛開迪亞國家公園所在地，我在接駁船上，巧遇舊日台灣虎鄰居，而且她又憶得寒舍家人，這位女鄰居住匹茲堡市，和童年好友同遊，我們有一精彩之回憶。這位女士周念華，家住民主二路24號，我們是20號，中間隔一郭家，郭太太是我們虎尾中學護士，郭先生是軟式網球健將，念華有很好之記憶，而且也認識小妹茜茜，她問我是否為莊二哥，因為我排行第二，上有長兄峻嚴，峻嚴在埔里讀國小，我們都是虎尾糖廠安慶國小前後期。

1973年，我從烈嶼解甲歸田，在母校虎尾高中任教，當年是經過念華同行閨蜜石姑娘令堂虎女石宛珠校長之輾轉推薦給虎中李世昆校長，始得聘書，中間經過義母裴玉梅大夫，當然石姑娘年幼，不知此事，我們談起舊日糖廠生活美憶，十分興奮。上岸後，我當導遊，經棒港旅店，這是一濱海豪華飯店，有一座迷人之花園，主要的是玫瑰花和大理花，我們沿濱海步徑，走過棒港之豪華別墅，海上可見漁人捕龍蝦之球型標誌，這次未遇後院糜鹿，而且我忘記介紹那株蘋果樹，走到愛開迪亞國家公園邊界鐵籬，即需右轉折入鎮中心，此時有一住宅，前有美麗花園，我就鼓勵拍照留念，這是我環遊世界僅見，也是玫瑰花和大理花，還有幾種艷麗花朵，我將上傳供讀者欣賞。

她們在前站波特蘭，未得品嘗龍蝦，於是我介紹她們到街上一家龍蝦餐廳，很有趣的是，翌週我又回棒港，該餐廳已經關閉，而且廣告招牌都撤除，顯然這週是季節之最後。

這位石姑娘喜愛鳥類，其夫婿幫她買件鳥像夾克，我請教她北海道之赤首鶴，她去參觀過，但需要特別時間，好像是年底時刻。

Repair the front yard/Carlos Pueblo

 Repair the front yard/Carlos Pueblo

Our front yard has a lot of damage throughout years of my negligence and finally, I must face it.  We have asked two landscape guys to give us offers to repair the dame in vain. I believe that is very difficult for guys to change their routine jobs to tackle with a different task. The number will be a shock to both of us. My last lawn repair was 11 years ago, the sod was one dollar a piece and now is $3.50 a piece. Most of the time it is out of supply. See, you have to grow the sod on a big piece of land with warm weather and plenty of water. Once the sod is ready, you must have a machine to harvest the product and cut it into pieces to be shipped to the garden supply store. $3.50 a piece is reasonable and I need about 100 pieces plus tax and shipping cost. Landscape bosses told me would cost $150 a day to hire a hand.

At the beginning, I slightly dug the damaged area with a shovel to soften the ground which didn't last very long because I was tired easily. I applied the sod on the damaged surface and believed that plenty of rain or water could make the difference. I see new grass leaves are coming out gradually. I find that there are more I need to repair on both of my front and back yard.

We do have neighbors who are keeping their yard in excellent shape like a small garden. I know that will take very much of effort and I admire it. I notice that I still need to remove all weeds out of our front and back yard. It is very difficult.

My west neighbor Mark and Forest's Mom Kathy both place seasonal flowers on their flowers beds and both of them receive the Yard of the month honor. It is a different kind of homeowner which I admire dearly. I always admire homeowner with a lovely front yard like a flower garden. I know that I must repair my front yard first and gradually make an improvement.