I saw little cucumber flowers in a home vegetable garden in a neighbor’s and remembered this one.
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ご近所さんの家庭菜園のキュウリが花を付け出したので、これを思い出しました。
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One good elderly/
In one house/
Flowers on gourds/
Calligraphy and translation by Chio
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Because the gardenias in my garden are blooming beautifully, I wrote a haiku on them and their flower languages, “I am so happy”, “I diffuse delight”, “refinement” and “elegance”. What came into my mind is have I not been always happy.
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家のクチナシの花が綺麗なので、その句と花言葉（私は幸せ、喜びを運ぶ、洗練、優雅）を書きました。それで思ったのは、私はずっと幸せではなかったかということです。
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Living in the house/
Where/
Gardenias blooming in profusion/
Calligraphy and translation by Chio
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I cooked some wheat noodle（素麺）after a long interval. It is known to many people that cooking it is rather time-consuming, however, it is so easy to eat it fast.
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久しぶりにお素麺を作ってみましたが、これって作るのは面倒だけれども、食べるのは時間がかからないんですよね。
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Oh, thin wheat noodles/
Finally, only one is/
Drifting about in the bowl/
Calligraphy and translation by Chio
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The calligraphy on this stone monument was done by my teacher. Probably, it is his calligraphy at his most energetic days. I am sure those who know me have seen it at least once or twice.
However, you can’t any comment that it was done by Akiyama Kodo 秋山公道 anywhere on and around the monument. I just wonder if there remains a record in the Kyoto Prefectural Office about their asking him for his calligraphy here and their paying rewards to him.
There are many advantages of practicing under an esteemed calligrapher, and this is the one, that is, you can say “Hello!” to your teacher quite easily even while taking a walk.
Incidentally, today, July 3rd is his death anniversary.
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この石碑の字は私の師匠によるものです。力強くて、多分一番お元気だった頃の字だと思われます。私と知り合いの方々は、一度はこれをご覧になった方が多いのでは？ と思います。ただこの石碑とその周辺のどこにも『秋山公道揮毫』と記されていません。府庁のどこかにこの揮毫を秋山公道に依頼して、いくらいくらの謝金を支払ったという記録が残っているかしら？ と思うのです。
高名な書家に師事することの利点は数多くありますが、このように、散歩の途中でもお気軽にご挨拶ができる、というのも挙げられます。
ちなみに、今日7月3日は先生の祥月命日です。
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The seasonal phrase for around five days from today is this, “Saururus chinensis（swamp lily）grows”. However, I have a feeling it is a little too early because the flowers in the house of my neighborhood haven’t bloomed yet.
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今日からの５日間ほどの間の七十二候の名称がこれです。「半夏生」でも少し早い気がします。ご近所のお庭のこのお花がまだ咲いていないからです。
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The seasonal phrase for around five days till today is this, “irises bloom”. However, I have a feeling it is a little too late because irises are symbols of 端午の節句, in other words “festival of irises”.
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今日までの５日間ほどの間の七十二候の名称がこれです。でも少し遅い気がします。菖蒲は端午の節句の象徴ですし。
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As today marks the end of the first half year, rituals to get rid of the stains attached to you during this period in many shrines. There seems to be some foods associated with this day.
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今日で一年の半分が過ぎ、多くの神社ではその半年間の穢れを濯ぐ行事が行われています。この日のための食べ物もあるようです。
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The other day, I went to an exhibition of Japanese style paintings where a work by my good, old friend was displayed. I happened to ask a gentleman who happened to be there how he liked my friend’s work. He answered “this person is very good at representing greenery, green leaves and grasses in a pretty subtle and varied way, just like Monet’s touch. I was very happy to hear his comments for my friend.
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先日旧い友人が出展している日本画展を見学してきました。たまたまそこにいた人にふと「これは私の友だちの作品何だけれども、どう思いますか？」と尋ねたところ、「木や葉の緑の描写が繊細で多彩でいいと思う」との答えでした。「モネの作風を思い出させる」ともおっしゃったので、その友だちのためにとても嬉しく思いました。
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I chose a phrase about “Japanese plum fruits ripen to be yellowish” from the subdivided seventy-two seasonal phrases and wrote it on a wooden piece the other day. Then, someone liked it very much and offered to buy it. However, I felt a little sorry because it is such a small work. So, I sent this person a postcard work as well as a gift. Then to my greatest pleasure, I received these images showing me how she is enjoying my calligraphy.
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先日七十二候の中から「梅の実が黄色く熟す」という内容の言葉を選んで、木の札に書きました。これをとても気に入った方が購入を申し出てくださいました。けれども、こんな小さな作品では申し訳ないと思いましたので、ハガキ作品をおまけにつけたところ、このように飾っていますと、画像を送ってきてくださいました。自分の字を喜んでもらえて、本当に嬉しいことです。
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This set is the last one for the postcard collection that is in session till this Sunday. This character generally represents “longevity”. However, when I try to explain its meaning in English, I always put “happy” before longevity. For, I believe living a happy, long life is the most important. Technically, for this one I used a brush with longer and softer hair than most normal ones.
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次の日曜日まで開催中のポストカードコレクションに出展した最後のセットです。「寿」は普通長寿の意味とされますが、私は英語で説明したいときにはいつも長寿の前に”happy”を付けます。幸せに長生きすることこそ大事だと思うからです。技術的なことを書きますと、これには長鋒を使いました。
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