I cannot believe that the previous governor of Hyogo prefecture was re-elected. A mini version of what happened with Trump I guess. How can people believe in someone who is known to be ethically and morally corrupt?

世俗的な栄達よりも全身全霊で描くことに向き合った伝説の画家、田中一村。「最後は東京で個展を開いて、絵の決着をつけたい」と述べたその機会が訪れます。9月19日から12月1日まで東京都美術館（上野公園）にて開催！

Donna Nelson’s guilty verdict is not an aberration. Japan has a high criminal conviction rate for a reason theconversation.com/donna-nelsons-… via The Conversation - Australia + New Zealand

What was it like on December 17 1967, when the prime minister went for a swim and never came back? Joshua Black from @OurANU takes us back to the dramatic day - and the political wrangling that followed theconversation.com/harold-holt-is…

Instant karma's gonna get you. theguardian.com/us-news/2024/d…

With only seven more sleeps until Christmas, we are now close enough to get a reasonably accurate picture of the day's weather conditions across the country. ab.co/4gbenwl

Minus 6C in my neck of the woods this morning. Full on winter mode here already. 🥶 But at least it is sunny and may even reach 9C later today. 🌞

Wishing everyone all the best for the festive season

Excellent news! Timeline of 13-day search for Hadi Nazari after student found in Kosciuszko National Park abc.net.au/news/2025-01-0…

This summer, please leave the sea shells by the seashore theconversation.com/this-summer-pl… via The Conversation - Australia + New Zealand

The Chinese bamboo partridges are singing their song in the bamboo grove beside my cottage. I guess spring is on its way although a cold front is forecast to deliver cold temps this week.

Breaking News: In a news conference with Israel’s prime minister, President Trump said he wanted the U.S. to take over Gaza in an “ownership position.” nyti.ms/3Q2w99A

Australia 🧵 1.

For sale: Japanese antique cabinet. Pickup in Mashiko, Tochigi prefecture. Send me a DM if you are interested. I have to sell it because my daughter’s mother-in-law is coming to live with us and we have no room to put it. With some TLC, I'm sure it would come up beautifully.

この骨董品「ねずみいらず」を売ることにしました。ご興味のあるかたはメッセージください。場所は栃木県益子町。約45年前に購入しました。娘の姑さんが一緒に暮らすことになり、部屋のリフォームをするのでこのねずみいらずを置くところはなありません。買いたい方に譲ります。よろしくお願いします。

Looking after the labrador dog and the cat while everyone else is at the grandfather's funeral in Sapporo. I enjoyed a short brisk walk with the dog first thing this morning. Luckily it was only about zero degrees, unlike other mornings when it has been minus 7C. And it is sunny.

Two close friends came all the way to visit me here in Mashiko and we talked and laughed a lot and ate some good food together. Friendship really is so precious. It’s something money cannot buy.

Birdwatching and twitchers pump billions into Australia's tourism industry abc.net.au/news/2025-02-1…

It’s a lovely warm day today and I just discovered some tulips starting to come up. It’s the first of March and starting to really feel like spring. 🌷🌷🌷😊

The minimum overnight was 1C. With the winter quilt and blanket, suddenly it's too hot to sleep. 🤣 But we are promised a bit more of the colder weather in the coming week.