Land-scale oriented この方が慣れていますか

In the eastern world, calligraphy and paintings almost always have used portrait-oriented sheets of paper.

However, in order to match the taste of the people in Western world, we may try expressions on land-scale materials.

“Flower smiles” : Poetic expression of “Flower blooms”

“Fresh breeze”

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東洋の書画は昔から縦長の紙に書かれるのが常でした。

けれども、西洋の人たちに楽しんでもらうためには、横長に書くのがいいでしょうか。

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I love taking calligraphy lessons!  お稽古、楽しい!

The task for today’s practice session was this.

Cleaning comes first:

Followed by piety.

Cleaning, especially wiping, will lessen your distresses, as they say, because it is almost impossible to worry about trifles while using a dustcloth or a map. However, among all kinds of household chores, I hate cleaning the most. My biggest trouble at the moment, I am afraid, is that it will certainly enlarge the volume of my distress.

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今日のお稽古の課題。

一に掃除。

二に信心。

掃除(取り分け拭き掃除)をすれば悩みもなくなる:悩みが気にならなくなる、ということらしいですが、私は家事の中で掃除が一番嫌い。余計に悩みが増えそうなのが悩みです。

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Beautiful names 親子の縁

My mother’s name is Kinue and mine is Tomoko. I put these sounds Ki, Nu, E, Tomo, and Ko at the beginning of each line and wrote a poem.

I got this idea from a wonderful poem with a warm taste I found at a calligraphy exhibition I visited the other day.

Apparently, a mother wrote a poem putting the sounds of her daughter’s name at the beginning of each line, which I heard made the daughter so very happy. I tried the same manner.

 

Who are you?

What a strong bond we have had!

Like a coloring picture/

Let us continue painting together/

This picture of our lives, so VIVID/

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母の名前は、絹江。私の名前は知子。それで、その文字を行の頭に置いて歌にしてみました。

このアイデアは、先日見学した書展で、お母さんがお嬢さんのお名前でほのぼのとした良いお歌を書いておられるのを見て、ちょっと真似したものです。それで、お嬢さんはとても喜ばれたそうです。

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I love taking calligraphy lessons!  お稽古、楽しい!

The task for today’s practice session was the very first part of the preface to Kokin Wakashu.

Although our teacher told us to write it as our own “creation”, you may notice my growing desperate a little.

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今日のお稽古の課題は古今和歌集の序文の、そのまたごく初めの部分。自分の「作品」にするように、とのことでしたが、ちょっとやけになっているのも感じられるかも知れません。

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New relationship 友達の友達は・・・

In November last year, a heaven-sent opportunity enabled me to participate in a calligraphy exhibition in a foreign country far away from home.

I also got a new friend there. The photo shows my pieces I wrote by request from this new friend for her and her friend.

Being asked to make a calligraphy work is the greatest delight for me. I am principled to respond to this kind of request. I have never failed to.

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昨年11月に願ってもないチャンスがあり、遠い異国での作品展に参加させてもらいました。

新しい友人にも恵まれ、彼女とそのお友達のために書きました。

「書いて欲しい」と言ってもらえるのは何よりも嬉しいです。書いて欲しいと頼まれれば、絶対に断りません。断ったことはありません。

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Happy Valentine’s Day 友チョコ

It is often pointed out that in Japan, Valentine’s Day is celebrated in a quite different manner from other countries.

 

Thanking through LINE/

Reflecting memories from long-lasting bonds/

On friendship chocolate/

 

I feel very happy to receive Valentine’s Day gifts of chocolate from female friends of long standing.

Every year, I spend a long time looking back at old school days and days in old workplaces.

Memories are fantastic, just because they don’t weigh or grow voluminous.

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旧い知り合いからの友チョコは嬉しいです。

学生時代のこと、旧い職場のこと、たくさんの思い出に想いを馳せながらいただきます。

思い出は、重くないし、嵩張らない。

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I love taking calligraphy lessons!  お稽古、楽しい!

Today’s task was this; Time and tide wait for no man.

If literally translated, it would be something like “Years and months will not wait for people.”

That is THE difficulty.

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今日の課題はこれ。

歳月人を待たず。困るのですよね、それが。

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Beginning of spring 左右非対称

It is Risshun, beginning of spring today according to the old lunar calendar.

The phrase 立春大吉roughly means “Beginning of spring; Excellent fortune.” I read somewhere that all the letters in this phrase are symmetrical, which is supposed to bring good luck.

I am afraid my pretending to be a sort on avant-garde calligrapher has spoiled the effect, though.

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今日は立春ですが、字全部が左右対称なところがめでたいのだと何かで読んだように思います。

こんな風にしてしまったら台無しですけどね。

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Scattering roasted beans on the last day of winter なくなっていく行事

“Drive away ogres! Invite happiness into the house!”

When I was a small child, I used to hear the above phrase from houses in the neighborhood. People did shout while scattering roasted beans on Setsubun, the last day of winter, and I remember my father used to do that. However, these days in usual homes, the custom is seldom observed.

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私が子どもの頃、節分には普通の家庭でも「鬼は外! 福は内!」というのをやっていましたよ。

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