〜Around this time of year 土筆摘み〜

Yesterday I paid a formal visit to my late mother’s family grave.  Then I remembered my grandfather often took me as a child to the fields for picking horsetails around this time of year.  However, I can’t recall how he cooked the horsetails we brought back home and fed me.

Giving complimentary remarks/

To horsetails/

Sun sets in the west/

Calligraphy and translation by Chio

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If you have a favorite character or phrase that you would like me to write, please let me know by sending it (them) to my address, chio_art@yushokai.com

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昨日は亡母の郷の墓参に行きました。今ぐらいの季節には、祖父が幼い私を土筆摘みに連れ出してくれたのを思い出しましたが、取ってきた土筆をどういうふうに料理して食べさせてもらったのかは思い出せません。

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さて、私の書で見てみたいと思われるお好きな字や、言葉などがありましたら、chio_art@yushokai.com宛にお教えください。

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〜Black birds leave 七十二候〜

This is the seasonal phrase for this time of the year.  “Black birds” here mean house swallows and the whole phrase means house swallows leave for the south in fall.  According to a folklore, swallows have always been a symbol for happiness.  The story goes if they come to your house and build a nest every year, they should bring happiness.  My mother’s natal home was just like that, which made my grandpa very happy.

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この時期の七十二候の名称です。燕が南国に向けて帰っていく時期だという意味だそうです。燕は昔から、毎年家に来て巣を作ると縁起がいいとされていたようで、母の実家でも毎年燕の一家が春に来て秋に帰っていくので、祖父が喜んでいました。

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