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.

修葺前院／莊峻華

 修葺前院／莊峻華

前院聖奧古斯丁草坪有病蟲害，枯死一大片，我估計修葺工程巨大，剛好割草師傅和鋸樹師傅，都無興趣接此工作，於是我就開始土法煉鋼，自行動工，我年輕時有過這種經驗，草皮是可以移植，草坪可以維護改進，我曾經整理過租屋出售兩次，都是自己動工。

我先移植幾塊草皮，從後院到前院，能移植草皮太少，只好求助於大賣店，一大賣店草皮售罄，我到另一家購買25塊，此匹草皮已甚枯黃，未知能否順利，正好下雨兩日，草皮有些動靜，愛美從握爾瑪歸來曰，有大賣店草皮特價，於是趕去察看，大賣店新貨也售罄，僅剩一些，經理同意半價，於是我又買下15塊，這些是破碎草皮，但我覺無妨，只要我認真澆水，或者遇見梅雨，補上後，還是感覺不足，於是今日我再趕去大賣店，殘餘存貨草皮無幾，而且也無完整一塊可計算，所以經理就打一折賣出，我檢一堆回來，仔細的補上前院空隙，然後澆水，我等四日後下雨預告。

我估計約補上50平方呎，如果順利，幾年後可以長滿前院，當然我需要春夏秋冬勤澆水，春秋兩季定時施肥，注意病蟲害，莫等待到如今日之嚴重。