Dear Cathy:

HAPPY 68th BIRTHDAY!

Here is Woodblock Print #68 for your 68th birthday from Hiroshige's 100 Views of Edo "Open Garden at Fukugawa, Hachiman Shrine" (1857) Brooklyn Museum inspiring this stanza:   Crossing bridges from isle to isle,   seeing blooming of pink cherries   and red azaleas at the same time.

Greetings from Postage Stamps from Canada & Cyprus with 68 denomination—

Canada 1069, 68¢ Christmas Tree (issued 10-23-1985)

Canada 1115, 68¢ Angel with Ribbon (issued 10-29-1986)

Cyprus 1111, 0.68 Euro Astronomy: Andromeda (issued 5-4-2009)

Cyprus 1124, 0.68 Euro Christmas Star (issued 11-12-2009)

Cheers from France Postage Stamps with 0.68 Euro (6.80 Francs)—

France 4745, 0.68 Euro Valenine's Day (issued 1-23-2015)

France 4889, 0.68 Euro Tango Dancers (issued 10-10-2015)

France 4914b, 0.68 Euro The Singing Lesson (issued 11-6-2015)

France 4914f, 0.68 Euro Dulcimer Player (issued 11-6-2015)

France 4916a, 0.68 Euro Gauloise Rooster (issued 11-13-2015)

France 4916b, 0.68 Euro Houdan Rooster (issued 11-13-2015)

France 4916c, 0.68 Euro Meuse Rooster (issued 11-13-2015)

France 4916d, 0.68 Euro Marans Rooster (issued 11-13-2015)

Words of Wisdom from the Chinese Sage Lao Tzu—

Lao Tzu (604 BC-517 BC), Tao Te Ching, Verse 68: The best athlete wants his opponent at his best. The best general enters the mind of his enemy. The best businessman serves the communal good. The best leader follows the will of the people. All of them embody the virtue of non-competition. Not that they don't love to compete, but they do it in the spirit of play. In this they are like children and in harmony with the Tao. (translated by Stephen Mitchell, Tao Te Ching (4th century BC) Harper & Row, New York, 1988)

Lao Tzu (detail) Silk Painting in British Museum

Happy 68th Birthday Dear Cathy—
May you find 68 a wonderful year!

With well wishes,