Dear Cathy:

HAPPY 69th BIRTHDAY!

Here is Woodblock Print #69 for your 69th birthday from Hiroshige's 100 Views of Edo "Hall of 33 Bays, Fukugawa" (1857) Brooklyn Museum inspiring this stanza:   Two lofty pines in the foreground—   an archery contest is underway   whose arrow will hit the target?

"Pick a flower will move a distant star" — Paul Dirac
Flower & Galaxy Wishing You Joy—

Clements Rose with 69 petals

Messier Galaxy 69 28,700 light-years away

Greetings from Postage Stamps from Canada, U.S. & Monaco with 69 denomination—

Canada 1369, 69¢ Hickory Tree (issued 2-25-1994)

U.S. C142, 69¢ Okefenckee Swamp, Georgia (issued 6-1-2007)

Monaco 2129, 0.69 Euro Honoré Balzac (issued 5-25-1999)

Words of Wisdom from the Chinese Sage Lao Tzu—

Lao Tzu (604 BC-517 BC), Tao Te Ching, Verse 69: The generals have a saying: "Rather than make the first move it is better to wait and see. Rather than advance an inch it is better to retreat a yard." This is called going forward without advancing, pushing back without using weapons. There is no greater misfortune than underestimating your enemy. Underestimating your enemy means thinking that he is evil. Thus you destroy your three treasures and become an enemy yourself. When two great forces oppose each other, the victory will go to the one that knows how to yield. translated by Stephen Mitchell, Tao Te Ching (4th century BC) Harper & Row, New York, 1988)

Lao Tzu (detail) Silk Painting in British Museum

Happy 69th Birthday Dear Cathy—
May you find 69 a wonderful year!

With well wishes,