頭から離れない「講演会の医師の言葉」

　いつも早朝にブログを発信してますが、どうしたことでしょう。今朝はブログやフェイスブックに障害か起こり、発信できない状態が続いていました。フェイスブックは現在でも不具合が生じてます。便利な機械は、一度、障害が起こると、どうにもならず困ります。

　ところで、光陰矢の如しで、一月は行く、2月は逃げる、3月は去るように、この季節はたちまち日にちが経過し、早くも今日で２月が終わります。一方、この季節は三寒四温が繰り返されるため身体がこの気候に付いて行けず、体調を崩しやすいので特に注意が必要です。

　私はすでに８年間ほどリコピンやβーカロチンを含む飲み物を早朝時に飲用してます。これは前立腺癌の専門医による講演会で学んだことです。講演会のまとめとして、講師が最後に力説したことは「トマトと大豆が良い」と言われ、それ以来、このことが私の頭から離れず、この習慣を今でも継続してます。体験上、ニンジンも抗酸化作用があるβーカロチンを含むとことから、体調管理によいと考えてます。ニンジンのことは英語でcarrotと言いますが、これはカロチンである英語のcatoteneからきている言葉といわれてます。今朝は、ニンジンジュースを飲みました。

　一方、大豆に含まれているサポニンもすぐれた抗酸化成分の一つと言われ、枝豆を時々食してます。また、バナナはカリウムを豊富に含み、塩分を排泄します。大腸にも良いと経験してます。このため、時々食してます。

　年齢を重ねつつあり、家族に頼れない現状の私にとって、最も大切な体調管理は「勝ち負けに関係ない適度な運動の励行と抗酸化作用ある食品」と考え、これらに重点を置いて生活してます。

Dear my oversea friends who emphasize the importance of antioxidant properties.
　I usually post my blog early in the morning, but what happened? This morning, my blog and Facebook were not working properly, and I was unable to post anything. Facebook is still having problem. Once a convenient machine has a problem, it's hard to do anything about it.

　By the way, like January is gone, February escapes and March leaves, this season passes in the blink of an eye, and February is already over today. On the other hand, this season is characterized by three cold days and four warm days, so the body cannot keep up with the weather and it is easy to get sick, so we should be especially careful.

　I have been drinking drinks containing lycopene and beta-carotene early in the morning for about eight years so far. I learned this habit at a lecture by a prostate cancer specialist. As a summary of the lecture, the lecturer emphasized that "tomatoes and soybeans are good," and since then, this has not left my mind, and I have continued this habit. From experience, I believe that carrot is good for health management because they contain beta-carotene, which has antioxidant properties. Ninjin in Japanese is called "carrot" in English, which is said to come from the English word "carotene." This morning, I drank carrot juice.

　Meanwhile, the saponin contained in soybeans is said to be one of the excellent antioxidants, so I sometimes eat edamame that means soy bean. Banana is also rich in potassium and help excrete salt. I have also found them to be good for the large intestine. For this reason, I eat them occasionally.

　As I am getting older and can no longer rely on my family due to living alone, I believe the most important way to maintain my health is "moderate exercise, regardless of whether I win or lose, and foods with antioxidant properties," and I emphasize these properties in my daily life.

https://ttsreader.com/ja/...  

いよいよ開花季節の到来・・・成長した「しだれ梅」

　待ちに待った「枝垂れ紅梅」の開花です。今朝、朝日を浴び、私の季節がやって来たとばかり、無数の蕾を従えつつ咲き始めてます。この大きな「枝垂れ紅梅」は前の道のすぐそばに植えてあり、3月中旬まで通る人の目を休めることでしょう。画像をクリックし拡大してご覧いただきますと、臨場感が出ます。

　私としては、年間を通じて水遣りと余分な枝や枯れ枝を剪定し樹形を整えてきました。今後、日に日に開花が進みます。見にいらして下さい。駐車場完備で庭でお茶も用意してあります。

　ところで、昨日は年間で４回発刊される「天声人語」９０日分を買ってきました。これから５月下旬まで１日１記事をめざし、昨今の社会の移り変わり、文章の書き方、難解漢字など私の教科書です。

　一方、ご覧の通り、同じ内容を英文でも対照的に読めるので、現代社会で使われてる語彙、熟語などに目を通し、可能な限り身に付けたいですが、記憶力の減退があります。それでも、幼児が言葉を覚えるように「基本は実際に使ってこそ」記憶が効果的と考えてますが、年齢を重ねつつある今どうでしょう。良い記憶法があったら、ご指南いただければと存じます。

Dear my overseas friends who are interested in flowers and the way of memorizing new words

　The long-awaited weeping plum have finally bloomed. Bathed in the morning sun this morning, it has begun to bloom with countless buds, as if to say that my season has arrived. This large weeping plum is planted right next to the path in front of my garden, and will provide a welcome rest for passersby until mid-March. Click on the image to enlarge it and get a more realistic look.

　As for me, I have watered the plum tree throughout the year and pruned off excess and dead branches to shape it. From now on, the blossoms will continue to grow day by day, I guess. Please come and see it. There is ample parking and tea is available for you in the garden.

　Not change the subject, but yesterday I bought a 90-day supply of "Tensei Jingo" which is published four times a year. I aim to read one article a day from now until the end of May, and it is my textbook on recent social changes, writing skills, difficult kanji Chinese characters, and more.

　On the other hand, as you can see, the same content can be read in English in a contrasting way, so I would like to study through the vocabulary and idioms used in modern society and learn as much as possible, but my memory is declining year by year. Still, I think that memorization is effective, just like how young children learn Japanese words, but what about now that my brain is getting older? If you have any good memorization methods, I would appreciate your advice.

https://ttsreader.com/ja/...

天気が良かったので、車にシャンプーかける

　今日は天気が良く外も温かいので、先程、本当に暫くぶりに車にシャンプーを掛け洗いました。人間の顔と同じで、何もせずにいるより、手を掛けると今までより色彩がよくなった感じです。

　人間の心理は不思議なもので、車を洗うとちょっとどこかに行きたくなるものです。結局、お気に入り喫茶「さんぽ道」にこれから行くことにしました。ただ、プレートナンバーをすべて２にしてあっても、購入以来、未だ助手席に誰も乗ってません。果たして乗ってくれる人はいるでしょうか。では、行って参ります。

Dear my FB friends who like driving and great music

　The weather is nice and warm outside today in Japanese archipelago, so I just shampooed my car after a long interval. Just like a human face, it seems to look better when I make some effort for it rather than leaving it alone.

　Human psychology is strange, washing a car makes me feel going somewhere for a bit. In the end, I decided to go to my favorite coffee shop, Sampo-michi. However, as you see, even though all the license plate numbers are 2, no one has sat in the passenger seat since I bought it. I wonder if anyone will take a ride with me in the near future? Well, I will go.

https://ttsreader.com/ja/...

雨が降らず、ついに井戸水が涸れ、植物に水道水を与える

 

　上の写真の大きな「枝垂れ梅」も、ちらほら咲き始めています。画像をクリックするとピンクの数輪が見えるでしょう。こんな大きくなるとは思いませんでしたが、８年ほど前、高崎市に降った大雪で傾いてしまいました。しかし、自然は良く出来たもので、反対方向の枝が成長し、今では却ってバランスの取れた樹形となり、自然に治癒したのです。満開は３月上旬ですから見にいらして下さい。庭にはお茶が飲めるところが用意してあります。

　この枝垂れ梅も細い幼木のとき、埼玉県花園町から当時の愛車「いすゞ１１７クーペ」で、トランクに根を入れ、幹と枝を外に出し倉賀野まで４０ｋｍほどを目立たない道路経由で運んで来たのですから、平成当初、若かった私も植木への情熱は燃えていたのでしょう。この情熱を他の分野にも生かしたいものです。

　ところで、群馬県南部は長いこと雨が降らず、井戸が涸れ、植木に必要な水が不足し、ついに昨日、私は市の水道にホースをつなげ、すべての植物に思い切り水を提供しました。口のきけない植物たちも、やっと喉を潤した感じで、すでに開花してる梅や、馬酔木、そしてご覧の君子蘭は急に生き生きした表情になりました。

　やはり、人間には愛が必要なように、植物には充分な水がなくてはなりません。今日から本格的な春になると予報されてます。私は屋外でも室内でも忙しくなり、嬉しい活動期に入ります。

Dear my FB friends who are crazy about humanity for plants and great music

　The large weeping plum tree in the photo above is starting to bloom. If you click on the image, you can see a few pink flowers. I never thought it would grow like this big, but about eight years ago, it tilted due to heavy snowfall in Takasaki City. However, the nature is wonderful, and the branches grew in the opposite side, and became a well-balanced shape now and has naturally healed. It will be in full bloom in early March, so I recommend you to the core to come and see it. There is a place in the garden where you and me can have tea.

　This weeping plum tree was a thin young tree when I transported it from Hanazono-town, Saitama Prefecture, to my Kuragano-

town with the roots in the trunk of my beloved car named "Isuzu 117 Coupe", via the inconspicuous road for about 40 km. So I must have been a young person at the beginning of the Heisei era and had a burning passion for gardening. I would like to use this passion in other areas as well.

　Incidentally, it hasn't rained in southern Gumma Prefecture for a long time, the well in the garden has dried up, and there is a shortage of water for the plants, so finally yesterday I connected a hose to the city water supply and gave all the plants a lot of water. It seemed that the mute plants had finally hydrated their thirst, and the plum trees which have already bloomed, the Japanese andromeda tree, and the kaffir lily you see in the photo suddenly looked lively.

　After all, just as love needs indispensability for humans, plants need plenty of water. It is forecast that full spring will begin in earnest from today. I will be busy both indoors and outdoors, so I will enter a happy period of activity.

https://ttsreader.com/ja/...

「売り場に４キロ入りの米」・・・上毛新聞「みんなのひろば」より

　今日の上毛新聞【群馬県】読者投稿欄「みんなのひろば」に、この「ブログ」のコメンテーター「時計屋の隣りさん」の投稿文が掲載されました。誠におめでとうございます。

　内容は現在の社会で大きな問題になってる分野だけにインパクトがあります。このため、県内外の皆様にもご紹介いたします。

・・・・タイトル「売り場に４キロ入りの米」・・・・

　スーパーの米コーナーに行くと、５キロで３８５０円の価格が表示されていた。隣には３１９０円の米が並んでいる。それを手にして驚いた。内容量が5キロでなく、4キロだったのだ。１キロ当たりの価格に換算すると７９７円で、５キロでは３９８７円になる。

　少しでも安くという消費者の心理を見透かし、量を減らして安く見えるよう錯覚して売る方法を、マーケッティングの世界で「シュリンクフレーション」と言うそうだ。

　現在、米の値段は恐ろしいほどの狂騰ぶりだ。買占めによる流通の停滞をはじめ、さまざまな要因があるようだ。さらに不安に思うのは、米の絶対的不足が言われ始めたこと。事実だとすれば備蓄米の放出だけでは対応しきれず、買いだめも起こりかねない。

　政府のこれまでの農業政策が作付面積の減少と農業所得の低下を招き、稲作従事者や後継者不足を引き起こし、その結果、供給力が不足し、米価高騰を招いたという指摘もある。政府は「令和の米騒動」を教訓に、食料供給への不安を払拭するため、抜本的な対策を講じる必要がある。

国が異なっても・・・共通する花木と音楽・・・

　どうしたことか、殊更、寒かった「立春」と「雨水」が過ぎ、ようやく早春から待ちに待った春の陽気に近づきつつある今日この頃です。梅たちも例年より開花が２～３週間遅れ、太陽高度を察知してか、昨日から庭は「カッキー梅林」の様相を呈してきました。因みに今日の太陽高度は４５°【群馬県】で、冬至より１５°も高くなってます。

　梅は種類によって開花時期に若干の相違があり、真っ赤な品種名「鹿児島」は、ご覧の通り、すでに満開です。一方、１本の木で紅白に咲き分ける「思いのまま」は今日か明日には開花します。それにしても、１本の木で２色咲くとは世の中には不思議なこともあるものです。

　私は音楽が好きで昨日もお気に入り喫茶「さんぼ道」でピアノを弾かせて戴きましたが、管楽器や人間はいくら頑張っても瞬間的に二つの音は出せません。その点、ギター、オルガン、ピアノ、ハープなどは一台の楽器で、同時にいくつもの音が出せ、自らハーモニーを作ることができます。それにも増して、一人で旋律を弾きつつ伴奏ができたり、リズムの違う旋律を同時に演奏する対位法も味わえます。

　日常生活に音楽を取り入れたり、色とりどりの花を育てると心に潤いが生じます。一方、音楽や花は言葉が通じない人間同士でも共感することができます。拙い体験では、私が飼ってた鳩が迷って内モンゴルまで飛んで行ったとき、私はその鳩に再会するため現地に行き、鳩を保護してくださっていた中国の人に感謝のつもりで移動式住居ゲルの中で中国国歌をオルガンで弾きましたら、居合わせた多くの中国の方々から、私の演奏に合わせて大きな手拍子を戴いたことはいつになっても忘れません。

Dear my overseas friends who are crazy about international exchange and great music.

　The simultaneous interpretation in English for your understanding is as follows.

................................................................

　For some reason, the particularly cold days of "Risshun" and "Usui" which means 24 solar terms in Japan have passed, so that the long-awaited spring climate is finally approaching now. This year, the plum blossoms are 2-3 weeks later than usual, and as if sensing the altitude of the sun, the garden has become the appearance of "Kakky Plum Grove" since yesterday. Incidentally, the altitude of the sun today is 45° [Gumma Prefecture], this is 15° higher than the winter solstice.

　Plum blossoms vary slightly depending on the type, and as you can see, the bright red variety named "Kagoshima" is already in full bloom. On the other hand, "Omoi no mama", which blooms in red and white on a single tree, will bloom today or tomorrow. However, it is strange that one tree can bloom in bicolor.

　I love music, yesterday I had the opportunity to play the piano at my favorite cafe "Sambo-michi", but no matter how impossible a wind instrument or a human tries, they cannot produce two sounds at the same time. In this respect, instruments such as the guitar, organ, piano, and harp can produce multiple sounds at the same time and create their own harmonies. What's more, we can play a melody by myself while playing an accompaniment, or we can enjoy counterpoint by playing melodies with different melody, rhythm at the same time.

　Incorporating music into our daily life and raising colorful flowers will nourish our soul. On the other hand, music and flowers can also be shared between people who do not speak the same language. In one of my humble experiences, when a pigeon I was keeping at my loft strayed and flew all the way to Inner Mongolia from Japan at Takasaki-city, I went there to reunite with my pigeon. As a token of my gratitude, I played the Chinese national anthem by the organ in the mobile yurt, as the result, the many Chinese people who were there applauded loudly along with my performance. I will never forget this experience perpetually.

https://ttsreader.com/ja/...

いよいよ「カッキー梅林」の様相を呈してきた

　どうしたことか、殊更、寒かった「立春」と「雨水」が過ぎ、ようやく早春から待ちに待った春の陽気に近づきつつある今日この頃です。梅たちも例年より開花が２～３週間遅れ、太陽高度を察知してか、昨日から庭は「カッキー梅林」の様相を呈してきました。因みに今日の太陽高度は４５°【群馬県】で、冬至より１５°も高くなってます。

　梅は種類によって開花時期に若干の相違があり、真っ赤な品種名「鹿児島」は、ご覧の通り、すでに満開です。一方、１本の木で紅白に咲き分ける「思いのまま」は今日か明日には開花します。しかし、１本の木で２色咲くとは世の中には不思議なこともあるものです。

　私は音楽が好きで昨日もお気に入り喫茶「さんぼ道」でピアノを弾かせて戴きましたが、管楽器や人間はいくら頑張っても瞬間的に二つの音は出せません。その点、ギター、オルガン、ピアノ、ハープなどは一台の楽器で、同時にいくつもの音が出せ、自らハーモニーを作ることができます。それにも増して、一人で旋律を弾きつつ伴奏ができたり、リズムの違う旋律を同時に演奏する対位法も味わえます。

　日常生活に音楽を取り入れたり、色とりどりの花を育てると心に潤いが生じます。一方、音楽や花は言葉が通じない人間同士でも共感することができます。拙い体験では、私が飼ってた鳩が迷って内モンゴルまで飛んで行ったとき、私はその鳩に再会するため現地に行き、鳩を保護してくださっていた中国の人に感謝のつもりで移動式住居ゲルの中で中国国歌をオルガンで弾きましたら、居合わせた多くの中国の方々から、私の演奏に合わせて大きな手拍子を戴いたことはいつになっても忘れません。

Dear my overseas friends who are crazy about international exchange and great music.

　The simultaneous interpretation in English for your understanding is as follows.

................................................................

　For some reason, the particularly cold days of "Risshun" and "Usui" which means 24 solar terms in Japan have passed, so that the long-awaited spring climate is finally approaching now. This year, the plum blossoms are 2-3 weeks later than usual, and as if sensing the altitude of the sun, the garden has become the appearance of a "Kakky Plum Grove" since yesterday. Incidentally, the altitude of the sun today is 45° [Gumma Prefecture], this is 15° higher than the winter solstice.

　Plum blossoms vary slightly depending on the type, and as you can see, the bright red variety named "Kagoshima" is already in full bloom. On the other hand, "Omoi no mama", which blooms in red and white on a single tree, will bloom today or tomorrow. However, it is strange that one tree can bloom in bicolor.

　I love music, yesterday I had the opportunity to play the piano at my favorite cafe "Sambo-michi", but no matter how impossible a wind instrument or a human tries, they cannot produce two sounds at the same time. In this respect, instruments such as the guitar, organ, piano, and harp can produce multiple sounds at the same time and create their own harmonies. What's more, we can play a melody by myself while playing an accompaniment, or we can enjoy counterpoint by playing melodies with different melody, rhythm at the same time.

　Incorporating music into our daily life and raising colorful flowers will nourish our soul. On the other hand, music and flowers can also be shared between people who do not speak the same language. In one of my humble experiences, when a pigeon I was keeping at my loft strayed and flew all the way to Inner Mongolia from Japan at Takasaki-city, I went there to reunite with my pigeon. As a token of my gratitude, I played the Chinese national anthem by the organ in the mobile yurt, as the result, the many Chinese people who were there applauded loudly along with my performance. I will never forget this experience perpetually.

https://ttsreader.com/ja/...

人間の心理は不思議なもの

　今日は天気が良く外も温かいので、先程、本当に暫くぶりに車にシャンプーを掛け洗いました。人間の顔と同じで、何もせずにいるより、手を掛けると今までより色彩がよくなった感じです。

　人間の心理は不思議なもので、車を洗うとちょっとどこかに行きたくなるものです。結局、お気に入り喫茶「さんぽ道」にこれから行くことにしました。ただ、プレートナンバーをすべて２にしてあっても、購入以来、未だ助手席に誰も乗ってません。果たして乗ってくれる人はいるでしょうか。では、行って参ります。

Dear my FB friends who like driving and great music

　The weather is nice and warm outside today in Japanese archipelago, so I just shampooed my car after a long interval. Just like a human face, it seems to look better when I make some effort for it rather than leaving it alone.

　Human psychology is strange, washing a car makes me feel going somewhere for a bit. In the end, I decided to go to my favorite coffee shop, Sampo-michi. However, as you see, even though all the license plate numbers are 2, no one has sat in the passenger seat since I bought it. I wonder if anyone will take a ride with me in the near future? Well, I will go.

https://ttsreader.com/ja/...

雨不足で井戸が涸れ、植物に水道水を与える

　上の写真の大きな枝垂れ梅もちらほら咲き始めています。画像をクリックするとピンクの数輪が見えるでしょう。こんな大きくなるとは思いませんでしたが、８年ほど前、高崎市に降った大雪で傾いてしまいました。しかし、自然は良く出来たもので、反対方向の枝が成長し、今では却ってバランスの取れた樹形となり、自然治癒したのです。満開は３月上旬ですから見にいらして下さい。庭でお茶が飲めるところが用意してあります。

　この枝垂れ梅も細い幼木のとき、埼玉県花園町から当時の愛車「いすゞ１１７クーペ」で、トランクに根を入れ、幹と枝を外に出し倉賀野まで４０ｋｍほどを目立たない道路経由で運んで来たのですから、平成当初、若かった私も植木への情熱は燃えていたのでしょう。この情熱を他の分野にも生かしたいものです。

　ところで、群馬県南部は長いこと雨が降らず、井戸が涸れ、植木に必要な水が不足し、ついに昨日、私は市の水道にホースをつなげ、すべての植物に思い切り水を提供しました。口のきけない植物たちも、やっと喉を潤した感じで、すでに開花してる梅や、馬酔木、そしてご覧の君子蘭は急に生き生きした表情になりました。

　やはり、人間には愛が必要なように、植物には充分な水がなくてはなりません。今日から本格的な春になると予報されてます。私は屋外でも室内でも忙しくなり、嬉しい活動期に入ります。

Dear my FB friends who are crazy about humanity for plants and great music

　The large weeping plum tree in the photo above is starting to bloom. If you click on the image, you can see a few pink flowers. I never thought it would grow like this big, but about eight years ago, it tilted due to heavy snowfall in Takasaki City. However, the nature is wonderful, and the branches grew in the opposite side, and became a well-balanced shape now and has naturally healed. It will be in full bloom in early March, so I recommend you to the core to come and see it. There is a place in the garden where you and me can have tea.

　This weeping plum tree was a thin young tree when I transported it from Hanazono-town, Saitama Prefecture, to my Kuragano-

town with the roots in the trunk of my beloved car named "Isuzu 117 Coupe", via the inconspicuous road for about 40 km. So I must have been a young person at the beginning of the Heisei era and had a burning passion for gardening. I would like to use this passion in other areas as well.

　Incidentally, it hasn't rained in southern Gumma Prefecture for a long time, the well in the garden has dried up, and there is a shortage of water for the plants, so finally yesterday I connected a hose to the city water supply and gave all the plants a lot of water. It seemed that the mute plants had finally hydrated their thirst, and the plum trees which have already bloomed, the Japanese andromeda tree, and the kaffir lily you see in the photo suddenly looked lively.

　After all, just as love needs indispensability for human, plants need plenty of water. It is forecast that full spring will begin in earnest from today. I will be busy both indoors and outdoors, so I will enter a happy period of activity.

https://ttsreader.com/ja/...

日没でシルエットになった荒船山

　私の家から見た今日の日没です。太陽が沈む位置は群馬県の西南に位置するテーブルマウンテン「荒船山・標高１４２３m」の少し北側になりました。あいにく雲がかかってましたが、太陽はキラキラ輝き、荒船山がシルエットです。日没は１７時２５分でした。

　この風景は、その名の通り、荒海を進む船の如しです。すでに荒船山に４回登頂しましたが、今年、もう一度登りたいと思います。

Dear my FB friends who like mountaineering and great music.

　This is today's sunset as seen from my house in Takasaki-city at Kuragano-town. The sun set a little north of Mt. Arafune (1,423m above sea level) which is a table mountain located in the southwestern Gumma Prefecture. Unfortunately, there were clouds, but the sun was shining brightly so that Mt. Arafune formed a silhouette. Sunset was at 5:25pm.

　As the name suggests, this view resembles a ship sailing through rough sea. I have already climbed Mt. Arafune four times, but I would like to climb it again this year with you who exist in my heart.

https://ttsreader.com/ja/...

人工的食品を避けてます。

　一見、寂しい一人暮らしでは、人に頼ることなく毎日生活してます。もうすっかりこの会話のない生活に慣れてしまいましたが、実は、「この環境で唯一頼るものは食物の栄養」です。日々、どうしても同じような食品になる傾向なので、手を変え品を変え、自分に厳しく食品の変化に努めてます。私が住む倉賀野町上四地区には６０人も同じ環境の人がいると民生委員から聞きました。今後、自然現象として、ますます一人暮らしの方が増えるでしょう。

　スーパーではいろいろの食品に目を通します。中でも私の好きなものはお刺身です。これで一杯飲めれば、あとは何でも食します。この何でもですが、実は、油物、甘いもの、塩辛いものは控えてます。肉は本当にたまにで少なめです。それでも美味しいものはたくさんあります。昨日は、軟骨を買い食したら、世の中にこんなに美味しいものがあるのか、と再認識しました。

　人間の骨は、体内で日々溶け、日々新しいものが生成されてると聞いたことがあります。このため今後、軟骨や豆乳・牛乳は欠かしません。要は、美味しくて「身体に良い食品」選びです。それでも可能な限り人工的食品でないもので、いろいろ変化をつけてます。

　一年を通じて食してるものは「自然による色彩の濃いもの」です。先ずトマトです。そしてトマトジュース、人参ジュース、グレイブフルーツ・ジュースです。これらにはリコピンやβーカロチンが含まれてるからです。一日で最も楽しいことは、空いてる時間に行き、スーパーのレジの女性と話しをすることです。

Dear my overseas friends who are crazy about nutrition and great music.

　The simultaneous interpretation in English for your understanding will be done after my breakfast Japan time.

.................................................................

　At first glance, living alone seems lonely, but I live every day without relying on others. I've gotten used to this life without conversation, but in fact, "the only thing I can rely on in this lonely environment is food nutrition." I tend to eat the same foods every day, so I try to change my diet and am strict with myself. I heard from a welfare officer that there are 60 people in the same environment like me in the Kami-4th district of Kuragano-town where I live. In the future, as a natural phenomenon, the number of people living alone will increase, I guess.

　At the supermarket, I look through various foods every day. My favorite is sashimi that means sliced raw fish. If I can get a drink with this, I'll eat anything else. Of these, I actually avoid oily, sweet, and salty foods. I eat meat very rarely. But there are still many delicious foods in this world. Yesterday, I bought and ate cartilage, and it reminded me that there are so delicious food in the world.

　I've heard that human bones dissolve in the body every day, and new ones are generated every day. For this reason, cartilage, soy milk, and milk will be indispensable for our health. The point is to choose foods that are tasty and "good for the body." However, I try to avoid the artificial foods like a sausage and ham as possible as I can.

　I eat "naturally colorful foods" throughout the year. First of all, tomatoes. Then tomato juice, carrot juice, and grapefruit juice. These contain lycopene and beta-carotene for anti-cancer measures. The most enjoyable time in a day for me is to go to the supermarket and talk to the lady cashiers at a leisurely time.

https://ttsreader.com/ja/...

　

子供に頼らず、自立の気持ちで生きる

　庭が広いので各種の植木と、音楽【ピアノ、ソプラノサクソフォーン】と、ドライブが好きな私は、一人暮らしであっても、日々やることが多く、あまり寂しさはありません。というものの、本当は寂しさの極みです。このため、人との出会いや交流を大切にしてます。最近も良い出会いがあり幸せです。

　一方、2人の娘がいるので精神的に助かってます。それでも、娘たちに「何かしてもらう」いわゆる「頼る気持ち」があってはならないので、生活に対する自立の気持ちは強いと思ってます。このため、抗酸化作用を考えての栄養とウォーキングや筋トレなど適度な運動を実践しています。大切な心臓のため、脈拍は１０８以上に上げません。

　ところで、前述の通り、植木が好きなので最近2本の「枝垂れ桜」の苗を手にし、１mほどの大きい方は築山に直植えし、７０cmほどの小さい方は植木鉢で育ててます。昨日は上から栄養のある腐葉土を掛けました。小さくても蕾があり、今春にはもう咲く気配です。それにしても、ご覧の通り、幹がＳ字状にカーブし、年間を通して樹形が楽しめます。数年後、高い位置から枝垂れ、八重の花が咲くことを夢見てます。

　このように植物の成長とその開花を期待することは気持ちの上でプラスになり、親しい人を呼んでの観桜会とその後の拙いピアノ演奏と夢は広がります。

Dear my overseas friends who are crazy about plants and great music

　I have a large garden about 660㎡, so I have a variety of plants, I like music [piano, classical soprano saxophone], and I like driving by Audi TT Quattro. Even though I live alone, I have a lot to do every day, so I don't feel lonely. However, in reality, it's the height of loneliness now since my birth. For this reason, I value meeting and interacting with people. I've had a good encounter recently, so I'm mentally happy.

　On the other hand, I have two daughters, who help me mentally. Still, I don't rely on my daughters and ask them to do things for me, so I think I have a strong desire to be independent in my daily life. For that reason, I practice nutrition that takes antioxidant effects into consideration and moderate exercise such as walking and muscle training. Because my heart is important, I don't raise my pulse rate above 108 per minute.

　Not change the subject, but as I mentioned above, I like plants, so I recently got two "weeping cherry tree" seedlings, and I planted the larger one, about 1m tall, directly on the Tsukiyama that means artificial hill, and the smaller one, about 70cm tall, in a flowerpot. Yesterday, I poured nutritious leaf mold over her. Although they are small, there are buds, so that it looks like they will bloom in next April. This isn't April fool. Even so, as you can see, the trunk curves in S shape, so I can enjoy the tree's shape all year round. I dream of a few years from now when the branches will droop from high position and produce double flowers.

　Anticipating the plant's growth and flowering in this way is a positive thing for me, and my dreams continue to grow as I invite close friends including Ms. Sarah in NZ over for a cherry blossom viewing party and of course, my clumsy piano playing afterwards.

https://ttsreader.com/ja/...

ちょいちょい行ってると珍しいことも起こるもの

　珍しく今日は午前９時半の開店時間から、お気に入り喫茶「さんぽ道」に行ってリラックスしてたところ、中学時代の同級生【男性】が2人来ました。このため、昔話しや同級生のことで話に花が咲き、思いがけず楽しい時間になりました。

　昔、私は痩せていたので、私を見るや否や「あれっ、太ったね」と言われました。私はいつも一人でここへ行くことから、今まで比較的静かに時間を過ごしてましたが、行く回数を重ねると今日のようなことも起こり得るのです。

　ところで、話は変わりますが、最近、昼食に「お赤飯で出来たおむすび」を食することがあります。その結果、どういうことが起こるかと言えば、餅米は消化がよいのでしょう。夕方4時頃になるとお腹が空いて困るほどです。今日もそうなので申し訳ありません。お先に、５時半頃から夕食にします。   

 

Dear my FB friends

　Today, unusually, I went to my favorite cafe, Sampo-michi, from opening time at 9:30am to relax, when two male classmates of Junior school came in. This led to lively conversation about old times and classmates, so it was an unexpectedly fun time.

　As you don't know, I used to be slender, so as soon as they saw me they said, "Hey, Kakky has gained weight." I always go there alone, so I've been able to spend my time there relatively quietly until now, but if I go there more and more, something like today can happen.

　By the way, changing the subject, I have recently been eating "rice balls made of glutinous rice" for lunch. As a result, I guess glutinous rice is easy to digest. I get so hungry around 4pm that it's a real problem for me. Today, now I am hungry so I feel sorry. Ahead of you, I'll have dinner around 5:30pm, of course, including a drink.

https://ttsreader.com/ja/...

今朝、暫くぶりの円高に！

　今朝、起きてびっくりしました。何でしょう。それは世界経済です。暫くぶりに１ドル＝１４０円台の円高となり、これは米国経済には望ましいことではなく、結果的に今朝のダウ、ナスダックは共にかなりの右肩下がりになってます。この影響を受け、私の予想では来週火曜日の日経平均もかなり下がるでしょう。

　多くの場合、がっかりするものです。しかし、ものは考えようです。がっかりする前に株価が下がると、反対に「これをチャンスと捉える人」も世の中にはいます。このような人が多ければ、株価は上がります。つまり、安いときに買いに入れば、次の値上がりに期待できると考えるのです。経済は長い目で見たいものです。

　私たちの人生もこれに似てることがあります。長い期間、思うように行かなくても、結果的に「その苦難があったからこそ」、新たな世界が広がったり、新たな目標が達成できたり、素晴らしい新たな邂逅があったりします。ですから、辛いときにこそ精神が踏ん張りを見せられるかどうかでしょう。

　ところで、今日からの三連休は最後の寒波襲来と予報されてます。これをクリアーすれば、いよいよ寒さとお別れになるでしょう。お互いに春という希望を胸に今日一日を頑張りましょう。来週は早春から本格的な春への橋渡しになるでしょう。私たちの経済も春になってほしいものです。

Dear my overseas friends who are crazy about world economy and great music.

　The simultaneous interpretation in English for your understanding will be done after my breakfast Japan time.

................................................................

　I was surprised this morning. What is it? It's the world economy. After a long interval, the yen has strengthened to 140 yen range against the dollar, which is not good for the US economy, and as a result, both the Dow and the Nasdaq this morning in Japan time are falling sharply. As a result, I predict that the Nikkei stock average of Japan will also fall significantly next Tuesday.

　In many cases, it is disappointing foy people. However, it all depends on how we look at it. When stock prices fall before we feel disappointed, there are also people in the world who seize this as a good opportunity. If there are many people like this, stock prices will rise. In other words, they think that if they buy when they are cheap, they can expect the next price rise. The economy is something we should look at in the long term.

　Our lives can be similar to this. Even if things don't go as we expected for a long time, in the end, though it is those hardships, future may bring new possibility, such as that new goals are achieved, and wonderful new encounters can occur. So, it's all about whether we can persevere mentally during difficult times.

　Not change the subject, but the last cold wave is forecast to hit over the three-day weekend starting today in Japanese archipelago. If we can get through this, we will finally be able to say goodbye to the cold season. Let's all do our best today with hope for spring in our hearts. Next week will be the bridge from early spring to full spring. I hope that spring will come to our economy as well.

https://ttsreader.com/ja/...

　

早朝時のルーティーンは１０年来続けてます。

　今年の早春は例年に比較し、本当に寒く、屋外での作業はあまり長い時間できません。早く本格的な春の到来を望んでます。今日の日の出は６時２５分、太陽高度は４３°、日の入りは１７時３０分予定です。特に太陽高度は冬至の３０°より１３°も高くなっており、自然環境は徐々に変化してます。それでも、大陸の冷たい高気圧の影響は強く、明日からの３連休は再度寒波の襲来と予報されてます。

　ところで、１２月～２月まで３ヶ月間、休みであった倉賀野上四公園での「ラジオ体操会」はあと１週間後に再開され、皆さんと会えるのも大きな楽しみです。というのは冬季はどうしても室内に閉じ籠りがちで、運動不足となり体調は今一です。人間の身体は心とは別で、肉を少なめにし、バランスの取れた栄養と適度な運動の継続が必須です。

　写真は柑橘類の一つ「八朔」を八等分しましたが、このように並べると、美味しそうに見えます。こらは昼食のデザートにします。これら柑橘類にはクエン酸が含まれ、疲労対策に効果が感じられます。私の庭に生ってる金柑は未だ数百個も生っており、コツコツ食べてますが、一人では食べ切れない感じになってきました。しかし、お陰で風邪を引かずに過ごしてます。

　右の写真はミカンとポンカンのジュースです。早朝など空腹時に飲むと一気に身体に浸透していきます。毎朝、品を変え、トマトジュース【リコピン】、人参ジュース【βーカロチン】、グレープフルーツジュース【リコピン】などは抗酸化作用があります。すでに１０年来、コップ一杯を朝のルーティーンとして飲んでます。

Dear my overseas friends who are crazy about antioxidant and great music.

　This year's early spring is really cold compared to previous years in Japan, so I can't work outdoors for long periods of time. I hope that spring will arrive soon. Today's sunrise in my Gumma Prefecture was at 6:25, the solar altitude is 43°, and sunset will be 17:30. In particular, the solar altitude at noon is 13° higher than the 30° at the winter solstice, therefore the natural environment is gradually changing. However, the influence of the cold high pressure system on the continent is strong, so it is predicted that another cold wave will hit the Japanese archipelago during the three-day weekend starting tomorrow.

　By the way, the "radio gymnastics meeting" at Kuragano Kami-4th Park, which was closed for three months from last December to February, will resume in one week, and I am very excited to see everyone including ladies. That's because in winter, we tend to stay indoors, and we don't get enough exercise, so our physical condition is not so good. The human body is separate from the mind, so it is essential to eat less meat, have a balanced diet, and continue moderate exercise.

　The photo shows a hassaku citrus fruit cut into eight pieces, which look delicious when arranged like this. I'll have this as a dessert for lunch. As you know, these citrus fruits contain citric acid, which seems to be effective in preventing fatigue. I still have several hundred kumquats growing in my garden, although I'm steadily eating them, it's getting to the point where I can't eat them all by myself. However, thanks to them, I've been able to stay healthy without catching a cold.

　The photo on the right is mandarin orange and ponkan juice. When I drink it on an empty stomach, such as early in the morning, it will be absorbed into my body all at once. I change the juice every morning, such as tomato juice (lycopene), carrot juice (beta-carotene), and grapefruit juice (lycopene) have antioxidant properties. I've been drinking a glass of them as part of my morning routine for the past 10 years.

https://ttsreader.com/ja/...

既に１５年ほど地区の仕事に参加

　「あなたとつくろう子供たちの未来」を目標に、今日も倉賀野小児童たちの下校時に合わせ、仲間三人で手分けし、横断歩道での旗振り、交通安全、不審者対策、及び声掛け運動など、校区一周パトロールを通して行いました。

　たまたま、倉賀野町上四地区では、明朝が「不燃物の日」なので、パトロールを行いつつ、不燃物を入れる箱のセッティングも数か所で行いました。この仕事内容は、空き瓶を入れる数個の折り畳みの箱を広げたり、ペットボトル入れ、不要となった電池や蛍光灯入れ、使い終わったスプレー缶の入れ物などを並べました。

　今日も殊更冷たい風が吹きすさぶ中でしたが、小学生のため、地区のため、黄色いユニホームを着て予定通りにできました。このため、結果的によい運動となり、今宵の一杯が美味しくなりそうです。

Dear my friends

　With the purpose of "Let's build the future of children with you" today, we divided the work, such as patrolling in the school district, the student's returning home from Kuragano Elementary School, waving flags at crosswalks, teaching traffic safety, taking measures against suspicious people, and calling out to students.

　It just so happened that tomorrow morning was "Non-burnable items day" in the Kami-4th district of Kuragano-Town, so while we were patrolling, we also set up boxes for non-burnable items in several places. This work involved spreading out several folding boxes for empty bottles, arranging containers for plastic bottles, containers for unnecessary batteries and fluorescent lights, and containers for used spray cans.

　As you know, it was particularly cold today, but because it was for elementary school students and the district, we wore yellow uniforms and were able to do it as planned. As a result, it became good exercise, therefore, I guess tonight's drink will taste better beyond expectation.

https://ttsreader.com/ja/...

中田章作曲の秀でた作品二曲

　立春を過ぎても毎日本当に寒く、春は名のみの風の寒さやの歌詞で始まる「早春賦」の歌がぴったりの季節です。この歌の作曲家は中田章です。一方、彼の子供はいずれも有名な歌である「夏の思い出」「小さい秋見つけた」「雪の降る町を」を作曲した中田喜直です。父は優れた春の歌を作曲したので、子供は父に敬意を払い、春以外の歌を作曲したと言われます。

　実は、群馬県立前橋高等学校の校歌は父である中田章作曲です。校歌の出だしの３つの音は「早春賦」と同じです。素晴らしいことは卒業生の平井晩村が作詞していることです。このためメロディーは歌詞とよく融合し歌いやすく、この校歌は生徒の心情をよく捉えており、機会あるごとに力強く歌います。例えば、卒業式では式典の中でもちろん校歌斉唱がありますが、卒業式が終わった直後も３年生は再度集まり、青春と共にあった思い出深い校歌を４番まで力の限り大声で歌います。ですから、この校歌は芸術的に非常に優れてます。これは７年間勤務した私の深い印象です。 

　ところで、例年に比較し、今年は殊更寒冷で人間は気づき難くても、角度にして、すでに１０°も高くなった太陽高度を花梅たちは的確に察知し、いよいよ庭は「カッキー梅林」になりつつあります。早春譜の三番の歌詞「春と聞かねばしらでありしを　聞けば急かるる胸の思いを　いかにせよとのこの頃か　いかにせよとのこの頃か」と、春という言葉を聞かないでいれば知らないで済むのに、春と聞くたびに何か急かされる。今まで家でじっとしてたのに、一体「私は何から始めたらよいのか」と、この時季の人間の心境を歌ってます。

　近いうちにお気に入り喫茶「さんぽ道」で、父・中田章作曲の二曲「早春賦」と「前高校歌」をピアノで弾いてみよう。

Dear my overseas friends who are crazy about the joy of spring and great music.

　The simultaneous interpretation in English for your understanding will be done after my breakfast Japan time.

.................................................................

　Even after the "Risshun" that means beginning of spring in calendar, it is still really cold every day. So the song "Soushunfu" (score for early of Spring) which starts with the lyrics "Spring is only in name, the wind is cold" is exact in this season. The composer of this song is Akira Nakata. Meanwhile, his son is Yoshinao Nakata who composed the famous songs such as "Natsu no omoide", that means memory of summer, "Chiisai aki mitsuketa" that means found small autumn", and "Yuki no Furu Machi o" that means Town of snow. It is said that his father composed excellent spring songs, so his son composed other season's song out of respect for his father.

　In fact, the school song of Gumma Prefectural Maebashi High School was composed by his father, Akira Nakata. The first three notes of the school song are the same as "Soushunfu". It blends well with the lyrics written by graduate Banson Hirai and is easy to sing, and this school song is in line with the students' beliefs, so they sing it powerfully whenever they have the opportunity. For example, at the graduation ceremony, the school song is of course sung in unison during the ceremony, but immediately after the graduation ceremony, the third-year students gather again and sing the memorable school song that was with them during their youth as loudly as they sing up to the fourth verse. Therefore, this school song is artistically very excellent. This is a deep impression by me who worked in this school for seven years.

　Not change the subject, but this year has been particularly cold compared to previous years in Japan, and although it is difficult for people to notice, the plum blossoms accurately detect the sun's altitude, which has already risen by 10 degrees compared from Winter solstice, and the garden is finally becoming a "Kakki Plum Grove." The third verse of the song "Soushunfu" goes, "If I hadn't heard the word spring, I would never have known, but when I hear it, my heart is hastened, and now I wonder what I should do, what I should do, now," and it sings about the state of mind of people at this time of year.

　In the near future, I'm going to play two songs composed by Akira Nakata, "Soushunfu" and the school song of "Maebashi High School" by the piano at my favorite cafe "Sampo-Michi".

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スッペ作曲「軽騎兵序曲」で若返りたい

　トランプ氏が米大統領に就任して以来、為替レートは１ドル＝１５２円前後の円高気味であり、一方、世界が注目してるダウとナスダックを見ても米国経済は思ったより良い動きをしてません。私が特に関心を持つハイテク・ＩＴ関連のナスダックも４万ポイントを前に足踏み状態です。経済とは上がり下がりの波であり、思いようによっては、つまり、人によってはこの停滞気味もチャンスと捉えることができるものです。今日、私は高崎駅前の証券会社で今後の世界経済状況について勉強してきます。

　ところで、話は違いますが、昨日、日帰り温泉施設である「吉井牛伏ドリームセンター」の休憩室で上毛新聞に目を通したところ、定例群馬県議会の冒頭で群馬交響楽団による「軽騎兵序曲」が演奏された記事を読みました。併せて、橙色がよく似合う議員も写真に写っており、すごく嬉しく、また、懐かしく感じました。

　というのは、私も現役時代に幾度かこの「軽騎兵序曲」を吹奏楽演奏会で指揮したことがあるからです。ご存じの通り、曲は明るく華やかなファンファーレに始まり、続いて如何にも馬が快走するギャロップのリズムとなり、聴く人も演奏する人もウキウキする部分です。

　　

　しかし、途中、これでもかと悲壮感に満ちたこの上なく悲しいメロディーになっても、暫くするとそれから抜け去り、再度、快適に馬が走るような生き生きしたテンポに戻り、曲は終盤となって、華やかに曲を閉じます。いつの日にか、昔勤務した高校の演奏会に呼ばれたら名曲「軽騎兵序曲」を指揮し、かつての青年教師に戻りたい。この音楽によってきっと気持ちが若返るでしょう。

Dear my overseas friends who are crazy about world economy and great music.

　The simultaneous interpretation in English for your understanding will be done after my breakfast Japan time.

.............................................................

　Since Mr. Trump became the US president, the exchange rate has been around 152 yen to the dollar, which is a strong yen. On the other hand, the US economy is not moving as well as expected, even when looking at the Dow and Nasdaq, which the world is paying attention to. The Nasdaq, which is related to high-technology and IT, which I am particularly interested in, is also stagnating before 40,000 points. The economy is a wave of ups and downs, and depending on how we look at it, depending on the person, this stagnation can be seen as an opportunity as well. Today, I will study the future state of the world economy at a securities company in front of Takasaki Station.

　By the way, on a different note, yesterday I was looking through the Jomo Shimbun newspaper in the lounge of the Yoshii Ushibuse Dream Center which is a day spa facility, and read an article about the Gumma Symphony Orchestra's performance of the "Light Cavalry Overture" at the beginning of the regular Gumma Prefectural Assembly. In addition, there was an assembly member named Ms. Atsuko in the photo who looked good in orange color, which made me very happy and nostalgic.

　I have ever conducted this "Light Cavalry Overture" at wind orchestra concerts several times during my active career. As you know, the piece begins with a bright and festive fanfare, followed by a galloping rhythm that sounds like a horse galloping, making both the listeners and the performers feel happy.

　However, even though the melody becomes extremely sad and filled with a sense of tragedy at one passage, it fades away after a while and returns to a lively tempo like a horse galloping comfortably, as the piece reaches its final stage and closes with a flourish. Some day in the future, if I am invited to a concert as a conductor at the high school where I used to work, I would like to conduct the famous "Light Cavalry Overture" and return to the young teacher I was. I'm sure this music will make us feel younger.

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喫茶「さんぽ道」で５日分のデザートをゲット

　夕方4時になってから、お気に入り喫茶「さんぽ道」でホットコーヒーを戴きつつ、今日一日を静かに振り替えり、リラックスしてきました。夕方なので客も少なく、ママさんと話ができました。私には話をする人が必要なのです。

　最近、ここ「さんぽ道」ではトマトなどが置いてあり、今日は帰り際に、八朔とトマトを買いました。これで私の５日分の昼食のデザートになります。トマトは美味しいことはもちろん、抗酸化作用があるので身体を若々しく保ち、老化を防いでくれると秘かに期待してます。果たしてどうでしょう。

　一方、八朔については、美味しいうえに、柑橘系なのでクエン酸が多く含まれ、疲労回復に効果があると考えられます。最近の私は疲労を感じることは少ないですが、予防も大切でしょう。ただ、私に不足するビタミンＩはこの中に含まれてないようです。こちらはきれいな音色の音楽で摂取しましょう。

Dear my friends

　At 4pm, I stopped by my favorite cafe "Sampo-michi", for a hot coffee and a chance to reflect on the day and relax. Since it was evening, there were not many customers so that I was able to talk to the owner. I need someone to talk to.

　Recently, "Sampo-michi" has started selling fruits such as tomatoes. Today on my way home I bought some hassaku oranges and tomatoes. This will be my five-day lunch dessert. As you know, tomato is not only delicious, but also it contains antioxidant properties, so I secretly hope it will keep my body young and prevent aging. What will the outcome be?

　On the other hand, hassaku orange is not only delicious, but because it is a citrus fruit, it contains a lot of citric acid, which is thought to be effective in relieving fatigue. I don't feel tired much these days, but prevention is also important. However, Tomato and hassaku orange seem that they do not contain vitamin I which I am lacking. In this case, I means love in our tongue. I will take this with some beautiful music.

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「雨水」における地球の公転上の位置について

　今日は二十四節気の一つ「雨水」です。私にはこの「雨水」がとても待ち遠しかったのですが、群馬県高崎市では今のところ雨がほとんど降らず、庭の井戸は涸れたままです。昨日も枝垂れ桜や、枝垂れ桃など植え替えたばかりの植物に少しだけ水を根元にかけ、我慢してもらいました。ですから、水をたくさん出すと出なくなってしまい、無駄にできません。現在、地下水が井戸に入るまで待っている状態です。

　先ず、二十四節気とは、地球が公転軌道を１年かけて一周する３６０°を２４で割ります。つまり、１５°ごとにやって来ます。ところが、二十四節気と次の二十四節気までの距離は同じではありません。それは地球の公転軌道がやや楕円形だからです。それでも、平均すると、その距離は1天文単位【太陽・地球間の距離】×２πｒ÷２４でおよそ３千９百万㎞で、計算すると地球は１秒間に平均して約２９㎞の速さで公転しています。速いですね。今後、二十四節気は「啓蟄」「春分の日」と続きます。

　ところで、「雨水」の今日、私たちを載せた地球は宇宙空間の一体どの辺を浮遊しているでしょうか。

　　

　それは深夜０時に真南を見れば分かります。そこには黄道十二星座の一つ「獅子座」があります。このため、「雨水」の今日、地球は「獅子座」の方向にあります。「獅子座」は東の空では天に上る形となり、南の空では図のように横向きになり、西の空に沈むときは下向きになります。この現象は地球の自転に因ります。「獅子座」の中心の星は一等星のレグラスです。全部で２１個ある一等星のうち太陽が通過する道【黄道】に位置してるのは、このレグラスだけです。

Dear my overseas friends who are crazy about astronomy and great music.

　The simultaneous interpretation in English for your understanding will be done after my breakfast Japan time.

.............................................................

　Today is "Usui" one of the twenty-four solar terms in Japan. I was really looking forward to this "Usui" but there has been almost no rain in Takasaki City, Gumma Prefecture, so the well in the garden remains dry. Yesterday, I watered a little on the roots of newly replanted weeping cherry and weeping peach trees to make them bear it. So, if I give them too much water, it won't come out and I can't waste it. I'm currently waiting for the groundwater to enter the well.

　First of all, the twenty-four solar terms are calculated by dividing the 360° that the Earth takes to complete one revolution in one year by 24. In other words, they come every 15°. However, the distance from one solar term to the next solar term is not the same. This is because the Earth's revolution orbit is slightly elliptical. Even so, on average, the distance is 1 astronomical unit [distance between the Sun and Earth] x 2πr ÷ 24, which is about 39 million km. If you calculate, the Earth revolves at an average speed of about 29 km per second. That's fast isn't it. The next 24 solar terms will be "Keichitse that means Awakening of Insects" and "Vernal Equinox".

　By the way, on this day of "Usii", where is the Earth floating in space with us on it?

You can find out by looking due south at midnight. There is "Leo", one of the twelve zodiacal constellations. Therefore, on this day of "Usui", the Earth is situated in the direction of "Leo". When "Leo" rises in the eastern sky, looking up, in the southern sky it's facing sideways as shown. and faces downward when it sets in the western sky. This phenomenon is due to the rotation of the Earth. The central star of "Leo" is the first magnitude star Regulus. Of the 21 first magnitude stars in the sky, Regulus is the only one that lies on the path of the sun (the ecliptic).

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倉賀野から見ると、荒船山に沈む夕日

　私の住む倉賀野町から西南を見ると、今日の太陽は荒船山【標高１４２３m】に沈みました。毎年、早春の今日２月１７日～２０日までと決まっているので、天体と暦は一致してることが分かります。もちろん秋にも同様の現象が起こります。

　前にも書きましたが、この頂上が平らなテーブルマウンテンの端から端まで歩くと約１時間かかります。ここは断崖絶壁の上で気をつけなければなりません。景色のよいこの高原の中をレース鳩の入った籠を持って歩きました。そして、左端の山からから５羽の鳩を放しました。鳩はこんな高い所を飛んだことはなく、驚いた様子でしたが、倉賀野に向かって約５０㎞を飛んで行きました。もちろん、５羽とも私より先に着いてました。

　ところで、今日は寒波の襲来で一日中寒い風が吹き、枝垂れ桜や枝垂れ桃など植物に少し水を撒いただけで、室内にいることが多かったです。このため、ピアノを弾きました。次回、お気に入り喫茶「さんぽ道」で弾く曲「雪と虹のバラード」等を練習しました。メロディーを歌うように弾くのはやはり音だけの世界に入れる暗譜が良いです。左手の伴奏は主要三和音や属７などのアルページョです。

Dear my FB friends who like nature and great music

　Looking southwest from Kuragano-town in Takasaki-city where I live, the sun today set behind Mt. Arafune [altitude 1,423m]. This happens every year from February 17th to 20th in early spring, so we can understand that the celestial body coincides with the calendar. Of course, the same phenomenon occurs in autumn as well.

　As I wrote previously, it takes about an hour to walk from one end of this flat-topped table mountain to the other. We must be careful here, due to a perpendicular cliff about 200 meters in surroundings. I walked through this scenic plateau with a cage including five racing pigeons. Then I released five pigeons from the mountain on the left side. The pigeons had never flown so high before, and seemed surprised, but they flew about 50km towards my Kuragano-town. Of course, all five of them arrived before me.

　Not change the subject, but a cold wave hit the Japanese archipelago today, so that the northwestern wind blew cold all day, so I mostly stayed indoors thinking of you, only watering the plants such as the weeping cherry and weeping peach. For this reason, I played the piano. Next time, I will play the music named "Snow and Rainbow Ballad" at my favorite cafe "Sampo-michi". In order to play a melody as if singing it, it is best to memorize it so that we can immerse ourselves in the world of music alone. The accompaniment for the left hand is arpeggios of primary triads and dominant 7ths.

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いよいよ本格的な梅のシーズン到来！

【画像をクリックし、拡大してご覧ください。臨場感が出ます。】

　今朝も起床してすぐ庭に出て、梅の開花状況を見ました。嬉しいことに白梅が１０輪ほど咲き始めました。この白梅は実がたくさん生ります。毎年、長女が捥いで、梅酒を作って持ってきてくれます。年々その味も良くなり、作り方が上達してます。今年は、それ以外にも梅の行き先が決まってます。

　それにしても赤い花が多い中、白も純粋でいいものです。これからはどこからともなくミツバチがやって来ます。その結果、授粉し実が生るので、自然界は良く出来てます。一方、蜂と言えば、不思議なことに、藤の花には大きくて真っ黒な熊蜂がやって来ます。平素、熊蜂を見ることはないのに、開花すると飛んで来るので蜂は嗅覚が優れているのでしょう。

　ところで、予報では、今週は寒波の再襲来と伝えられてます。しかし、立春後は昔から三寒四温の繰り返しです。３日寒くても４日温かくなるので、次第に春めいて来るでしょう。この期間は体調管理が大切です。

　最近感じることは、この世を渡る途中にはいろいろ勝負があります。私も若き日からいろいろ資格や試験に挑戦してきました。音楽の分野でもコンクールと称し、勝ち負けがありました。しかし、知人・友人の逝去など今の状況を鑑みるとき、人生の本当の勝負【幸福度】はこれからであり、如何にして素晴らしい人と巡り合い、如何にして健康長寿を手に入れられるかではないでしょうか。

Dear my overseas friends who are crazy about healthy way of living and listening to great music.

　The simultaneous interpretation in English for your understanding will be done after my breakfast Japan time.

........................................................................

　This morning, I woke up and went straight to the garden to check on the plum blossoms. I'm happy to see that about 10 white plum have started to bloom. These white plum produces a lot of fruit. Every year, my eldest daughter picks the plums, makes plum wine and brings it to me. The taste gets better year by year, so she's getting better at making it. This year, the plums fruits have been decided to sent to other places. So, if you want to pick them, please come early at the middle of June.

　Even so, the white plum blossoms are pure and beautiful, even among the many red flowers. From now on, bees will come from nowhere. As a result, they will be pollinated and fruit will grow, so nature is doing a good job. On the other hand, speaking of bees, strangely enough, large, black bumble bees come to the wisteria flowers. We don't usually see bumble bees, but they fly in when the wisteria blooms, so bees must have a good sense of smell.

　Not change the subject, but the forecast says that there will be another cold wave in Japanese archipelago this week. However, since the beginning of spring, it has been repeating three cold days and four warm days since ancient times. So real spring will gradually come here, I guess. It is important to take care of our health during this unsettled period.

　What I have felt recently is that there are many challenges through this life. I have attempted various qualifications and exams since when I was young. Even in the field of music, there were competitions, and there were wins and losses. However, when I consider the current situation, with the passing away of acquaintances and friends, I feel that the real challenge of life - real happiness - is from now on, and that it is about how we can meet wonderful people and achieve a healthy longevity.

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昼の時間は、冬至より１時間１３分も長くなってる

　今日から２月も後半になり、庭の植物たちは永い眠りから覚め、「私たちの季節がやって来た。」とばかり、あちこちで開花が始まってます。起床するや否や庭に出て、開花状況を見た私も思わず「一年間、水遣りや剪定してきた甲斐があった」と、その色彩を見て嬉しく感じました。

　群馬県の今日の日の出は６時３１分と大分早まり、太陽高度は、冬至の３０°より１１°も高く４１°になります。日の入りは最も早かった１２月上旬より１時間も伸び１７時２５分予定です。

　このため、今日の昼の長さは１０時間５４分です。因みに冬至では９時間４１分でしたから、すでに１時間１３分も昼の時間が長くなってます。

　いよいよ活動の季節の到来です。私たち人間も室内にいる時間を少なくし、積極的に社会に出たいものです。果たして、今日は幾人の人と新たに出会い、幾人の人と楽しい会話ができるでしょうか。また、私にとって重要なことは涸れた井戸が回復することです。明後日は二十四節気の「雨水」です。多くの植物や庭に飛来して来る野鳥たちが困ってるので、どこかで「雨乞い祈願」をしてきます。

Dear my overseas friends who are crazy about healthy way of living and listening to great music.

　The simultaneous interpretation in English for your understanding will be done after my breakfast Japan time.

..................................................................

　At last, today marks the second half of February, and the plants in the garden have woken up from their long slumber, beginning to bloom here and there as if to announce that their season has come. As soon as I woke up, I went out to the garden and saw the flowers blooming. I couldn't help but feel happy at the sight of their beautiful colors. and I thought "It was worth the watering and pruning I've done through the year."

　Today's sunrise in Gumma Prefecture where I live is quite early at 6:31, and the solar altitude is 41°, this is 11° higher than the 30° at the winter solstice. The sun sets one hour later than the beginning of December, when it was the earliest sun set.

　As a result, the length of daylight today is 10 hours and 54 minutes. Incidentally, the length of daylight at the winter solstice was 9 hours and 41 minutes, so the length of daylight has already increased by 1 hour and 13 minutes.

　The season for activity has finally arrived. We humans also should spend less time indoors and get out into society more actively. How many new people can I encounter today, and how many people will I have fun conversations with? Also, it is indispensable for me that the dried-up well be restored. The day after tomorrow is the "rain water" of the twenty-four solar terms in Japanese historical calendar. Many kinds of plants and wild birds flying into the garden are troubled, so I will go a shrine somewhere to pray for rain.

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一日の始まりとして、早朝にブログを書く

　２１世紀の始まりと共に建てた家は早くも２５年が経過しました。上棟式の日に親戚の人を呼んだり、組み立てた屋根の一番上に大工さんと共に私も登り、お神酒を掛けたり、周囲に集まってきた子供たちに高い位置から餅やお菓子を投げたことが思い出されます。このような光景は今では珍しく、見られなくなりました。

　ご覧の通り、こちらも今では本当に見かけなくなりましたが、屋根には藤岡瓦を使い、特注で家の紋【丸に蔓柏】と苗字の入った鬼瓦が東と西に向かって構えてます。また、家庭の平安と、永遠の世界平和を希求し、一番の鳩が屋根の最も高い所に留ってます。これこそ最近では本当に見られなくなりました。

　と言うものの、実は当時、私はレース鳩を飼育していたために、鳩の雛が生後１ヶ月ほどして初めて飛び始めたとき、迷わずに家に戻れるよう「ここが我が家だよ」と目印にしてあったのです。そんな雛が成長し、北海道の最北端・稚内市がら直線距離１０３９㎞の我が家に帰って来たときは本当に感激し、よく帰って来たと涙が出ました。その鳩を「稚内モザイク号」と命名したこともあります。

　ところが人生とは分からぬものです。家を建てたときは４人で暮らしてましたが、今では、この大きな家に一人で住んでます。しかし、そのような境遇にめげず、「一日一日、今日こそは人生が新しく生まれ変わるチャンス」と捉え、早朝に起床し、「生きがいを模索し」毎朝、フェイスブック及びブログを書き、世界に向け発信してます。

Dear my overseas friends who are crazy about healthy living and listening to great music.

　The simultaneous interpretation in English for your understanding will be done after my breakfast Japan time.

..................................................................

　Twenty-five years have passed since the house was built at the beginning of the 21st century. I remember inviting relatives to the day of the ridgepole-raising ceremony, climbing to the top of the assembled roof with the carpenters, pouring sacred sake, and throwing rice cakes and sweets from a high position to the children who had gathered around. Such scene is rare nowadays and are no longer seen.

　As you can see, the roof of my house is made of famous Fujioka tiles, and custom-made devil's tiles with our family crest (a circle with vines and oak leaves) and our surname are placed on the east and west sides, which are also no longer seen today. Also, a couple of pigeon is perched at the highest place on the roof, hoping for peace in my family and eternal world peace. This is also really no longer seen these days.

　However, at the time, I was actually raising racing pigeons about 100, so when the baby pigeons started flying for the first time when they were about one month old, this becomes a landmark to tell them "this is your house" so that they could return home without straying. When that chick grew up and returned to my house, 1,039 km away from Wakkanai-city, the northernmost place in Hokkaido, Japan, I was so moved that I stroked the pigeon and said, "Welcome back! you needn't fly anymore" I even named this pigeon "Wakkanai Mosaic."

　However, life is unpredictable. When I built the house, there were four of us living there, but now I live alone in this big house with nine rooms. However, I am not discouraged by such a miserable circumstance and instead see each day as a chance to be reborn in my life, so that I wake up early in the morning, "search for my purpose in life," and write a Facebook post every morning to share it with the world people including Spence family in NZ. Will I be able to find a way?

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義理チョコ？・・・ 本命？

　今日、予想外のことが起こりました。私より１０才以上若い女性がバレンタインデーのため、わざわざチョコレートを届けてくださり、本当に驚きました。その名も「ハートチョコ」で、義理チョコではないでしょう。もったいなくて食べられません。どうしましょう。

　ところで、今日は比較的温かく、午後、喫茶「さんぽ道」へ出かけ、１時間ほどリラックスしてきました。ここでは最近、トマトも売ってるので手に入れました。ですから、毎朝１個をスライスして食してます。余りにも美味しいので、今度、庭でトマトを栽培してみたくなりました。庭でトマトが生ったらどんなに楽しく、健康的でしょう。

Dear my Facebook friends who don't like chocolate by obligation.

　Something unexpected happened today. A lady more than 10 years younger than me delivered me some chocolates for Valentine's Day, which really surprised me. The name is called "Heart Chocolates," and I don't think they were obligatory chocolates. I can't eat it due to too good for me. What should I do?

　Anyway, it was relatively warm today, so I went to my favorite cafe "Sampo-michi" in the afternoon and relaxed for about an hour. They've been selling tomatoes there recently, so I bought one pack. I've been slicing and eating it every morning. They were so delicious that I want to try raising tomatoes in my garden next time. How fun and healthy it would be to grow tomatoes with antioxidant properties in the garden.

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聴くこと、表現することは若き日から

　振り返ってみると、今までで最も「徹底して鍛えた」と言えるのは聴音だったと思います。これは先生が弾くピアノの旋律を５回ほど聴いて、生徒がその「旋律を楽譜に書き表すもの」で聴音と言われる一つの音感訓練です。楽譜を見てそれを音楽にするのとは逆で、音楽を聴いて、それを楽譜にする訓練です。

　こればかりは本当に有難かったと今は亡き二人の先生に感謝してます。若き日【高校時代】に体験したこの訓練では、先生は２時間～３時間、休憩を入れずにピアノを弾いてくださり、生徒の私もこの時間は集中して、ひたすら音を聴いて楽譜に書いてました。いわゆる「集中３時間」です。

　それ以後、物事を集中して３時間も休憩なしで勉強することはありません。お陰で今でも演奏会などでメロディーを聴くと、その楽譜が頭に浮かぶことはよくあります。この訓練ばかりは若いときにしなければならないのでしょう。今、私が何かに集中しても３時間は持ちません。やはり、徹底した基礎教育は脳が柔らかい若き日が大切に感じます。

　現在、強いて言えば、日々、英単語を使えるようにと覚えてますが、とても集中して３時間は持ちません。ただ、「この英語の意味は何か。」という従来の観点から脱出し、「この事を英語で何と言うか」という逆の発想に変わり、頭に浮かんだこと、テレビで聴いたことを、和英辞典、日米口語辞典で調べ、英作文に使ってます。音楽の聴音のように、若き日にやっておけば良かったと後悔してます。

Dear my overseas friends who are crazy about memorizing English new words and listening to great music.

　The simultaneous interpretation for your understanding will be done after my breakfast Japan time.

..........................................................................

　Looking back on my life, I think the most thorough training I have ever received was ear training. This is a type of acoustic training in which the student listens to the teacher's playing the piano melody about five times, and student writes down the melody on a score. It is the opposite of looking at the score and playing music out of score, but rather training in listening to music and writing it down as a score.

　I am truly grateful for this teaching, but, my two teachers have already deceased. In this training, which I experienced in my younger days [high school days], the teacher played the piano for two to three hours without a break, so that I as a student, had to concentrate during three hours in succession and listen to the melody and writing it down on the score. It was real "three hours of concentration."

　Since then, I have never concentrated on anything for three hours without a break. Thanks to this, even now when I listen to a melody at a concert, the score often comes to my mind. This is something that we human should do when we are young. Even now, even if I concentrate on something, I can't last three hours. I feel that a thorough basic education is indispensable in youth during our brain is still flexible.

　Currently, if I had to say, I am trying to use English words every day, but I can't concentrate for three hours at a time. However, I have changed from the traditional perspective of "What does this English word mean?", to the opposite approach of "How do I say this Japanese in English?". I look up new words that come to mind or that I hear on TV, in a Japanese-English dictionary or a Japanese-American colloquial dictionary, and I use them in my English compositions for Facebook and weblog. Like practicing musical ear training when I was younger, I regret not having study English vocabularies in my youth.

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今宵は十六夜の月

　昨晩は満月でしたが、今日は旧暦で１月１６日ですから今宵は十六夜の月です。ほんの少し右上が欠けてるので、今宵から下弦の月です。これが明朝西の空に沈むとき欠けた部分【弦】が下になるので下弦の月です。現在、月面から地球を見ると真っ暗で何も見えないでしょう。

Dear earthlings

　Last night it was a full moon, but today is January 16th on the lunar calendar, so tonight is the sixteenth night of the moon. As you notice, there is a small missing part in the upper right corner, so it is a waning moon from tonight. When it sets in the western sky tomorrow morning, the missing part (the crescent) will be at the bottom of the moon, so it is a waning moon. If you look at the Earth from the surface of the moon now, the earth where we live will be pitch black and you will not be able to see anything.

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２月が２８日しかない理由

　花梅やハクモクレン、枝垂れ桃など庭の植物は日に日に蕾が膨らみ、梅はすでに開花が始まり、一歩一歩、春へと近づいていることが感じられます。ところが、植物に必要な雨が降らず、現在、水不足です。庭の植物に水道水を与えることはなく、すべて井戸水を利用してます。日々、ちょっと井戸水を使い過ぎると出なくなるので、無駄に使わず、節水してます。

　こんなにいつまでも井戸が涸れる年は珍しいです。それでも、５日後は二十四節気の「雨水」なので、今後、春雨が降ることを期待してます。特に、一週間前に埼玉県花園で見つけた「枝垂れ桜」は樹形といい、健康度といい、私は将来性を感じてます。このため、毎日眺めては手抜かりがないように気をつけてます。果たして、近未来は高い位置から枝垂れて開花するでしょうか。写真右が枝垂れ桜の幼木です。クリックし、拡大してご覧ください。

　それにしても、月日の経つのは本当に早いものです。２月もあと２週間のみです。ところで、【２月は何故２８日しかないのでしょう。】

　

　その理由は、今の暦が出来た古代ローマ時代では１年が３月から始まったためと言われ、最後の２月で閏年の日数を調整してます。実は、その名残が今でも残ってます。英語で９月はSeptemberです。これは７という意味で、同様に１０月はOctoberで、音楽のオクタープのように、これは８という意味です。いずれも１年の初めである３月から数えると、それぞれ７番目であり、８番目の月だからです。

Dear my overseas friends who are crazy about February and great music.

　The simultaneous interpretation for your understanding will be done after my breakfast Japan time.

..............................................................

　The buds of the plants in the garden, such as the flowering plum, white magnolia, and weeping peach, are swelling day by day, and the plums have already begun to bloom, so I feel that spring is approaching step by step. However, the rain that the plants need did not fall recently, so currently I am suffering from a water shortage. I do not give tap water to the plants in the garden, but use well water for every plants about one hundred. If I use a little too much well water each day, it will stop coming out, so that I am saving well water and not wasting it.

　It is rare for the well water to dry up for such a long time like this year. By the way, as you know still five days from now is the "rain water" of the 24 solar calendars in Japan, so I am hoping for spring rains in the near future. In particular, I feel that the "weeping cherry tree" I found in Hanazono-town, Saitama Prefecture a week ago has a promising future, both the tree shape and health. For this reason, I am careful to look at it every day and make sure that I do not overlook anything. Will it really bloom from a high position in the near future? The young weeping cherry tree is in the bottom right of the photo. Click to enlarge.

　Not change the subject, but even so, time flies and there are only two weeks left in February. By the way, I ask you why does February only have 28 days?

　The reason is said to be that in ancient Rome period, when the modern calendar was created, the year began in March, and the number of days in leap years was adjusted in the last month of the year, it is February. In fact, remnants of this still remain today. In English, September originally means seven, and similarly, October means eight, like the musical octave. therefore, both are the seventh and eighth months, respectively, if we count from March which is the beginning of the year at that time.

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早春です。変化です。新たな邂逅です。

　今日は旧暦【太陰太陽暦】で１月１５日ですから、夕方には東の空に満月が出ます。一方、最近は誠に寒冷でしたが、今週は次第に寒さが和らぎ、週末には最高気温が１３°～１４°と上がり春らしくなると予報されてます。

　写真は冬の代表格の南天と春を知らせる水仙の芽が地上に顔を出し、これらが同時に庭を賑わせ、早春を感じさせてます。南天はやがて野鳥に食べられ姿を消し、代わって水仙がすくすく伸び、あたかも顔のような花を咲かせ、しかも、不思議なことに太陽の方角に向き、表情がにこやかです。

　ところで、今日の日の出は６時３５分、太陽高度は４０°、日没は１７時２１分【群馬県】です。昼の長さは１０時間４６分です。近くの上四公園でのラジオ体操は１２月～２月いっぱい休みですが、３月１日から再開するので多くの皆さんとまたお会いでき楽しみです。

　人間とは自らの行動に幅を持たせると、人との出会いが違ってきます。このため、年令を重ねても、いろいろに興味関心を持ち続け、新たな邂逅を望みます。

Dear my overseas friends who are crazy about spring, encounter and great music

　Today is January 15th in the lunar calendar, so in the evening the full moon will appear in the eastern sky. Meanwhile, it has been very cold recently in the Japanese archipelago, but it is forecasted that the cold will gradually ease this week, and the maximum temperature will rise to 13°-14° Celsius by the weekend, making it feel more spring-like.

　In the photo, the red buds of nandina, a representative plant of winter, and daffodils which herald the arrival of spring, are emerging from the ground, livening up the garden at the same time and giving a feeling of early spring. The nandina is eventually eaten by wild birds and disappears in the near future. In its place the daffodils grow rapidly and bloom into flowers that look like human's faces. What's more, they are strangely facing the direction of the sun, with a smiling expression.

　By the way, today's sunrise is at 6:35, the solar altitude is 40°, and the sun will be set at 17:21 [Gumma Prefecture]. The length of day is 10 hours and 46 minutes. Radio gymnastics by NHK at nearby Kami-4th Park in Kuragano-town was on hiatus from December through February, but it will resume on March 1st, so I look forward to seeing many participants there again.

As you know, when we broaden our range of actions, we humans encounter people differently. For this reason, even as we get older, we should continue to have interests in wide range and hope for new encounters.

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県政報告会に参加

　今日は午前中、暫くぶりに高崎市役所２１階に行き、そこから眺められる景色の雄大さに思わずため息が出ました。関東平野がよく晴れ、遠くに「筑波山」がはっきり確認できました。生前、母が「山名の山から筑波山が見える」と子供の私に話してたことが思い出され、母もこの姿を見たのだろうと想いました。

　ところで、ここへ来たのは「県政報告会」に参加するためでした。プリントを１０枚ほど戴きましたが、話しを聞くのであまり読めず、午後になってお気に入り喫茶「さんぽ道」でコーヒーを味わいつつ、配られたプリントで現代社会の問題点を読み返しました。中でも、選択制夫婦別姓は大きなテーマの一つです。

　これは日本として大きな変化です。現代のジェンダーフリーや多様性の観点から、結婚する両人が自分たちの子供の先々のことを考えても望むなら、選択制なので良いかもしれません。しかし、現代の日本で、これは事実婚になります。

　考えられる心配な点は未来に影響が生じる可能性です。その夫婦に子供が一人の場合はそれほど問題は無くても、複数の子供が生まれたとき、子供同士の苗字が互いに違うことが生じ得ます。また、片親とは必ず苗字が異なります。その子供たちが大人になったとき兄弟姉妹としての「絆」や「一体感」、「親密度」は未知です。先々の相続問題を含め、子供たちの幸せを考慮し、徹底した議論が望まれます。

Dear my friends.

　The simultaneous interpretation for your understanding will be done after my dinner Japan time.

.....................................................................

　This morning, I went to the 21st floor of Takasaki City Hall after a long interval, and the view from there was so splendid that I couldn't help but sigh. The weather of Kanto Plain was clear, and Mt. Tsukuba could be clearly seen in the distance. I remembered that my late mother used to tell me when I was a child that Mt. Tsukuba could be seen from Yamana Mountain, and I thought that my mother must have seen this view too.

　By the way, I came here to participate in the Prefectural Government Reporting Session by the famous Ms. Atsuko who is the member of Gumma prefecture assembly. I was given about 10 handouts, but I couldn't read them very well because I was listening to her talk, so in the afternoon, while enjoying a coffee at my favorite cafe, Sampo-michi, I reread the handouts about the problems in modern society. One of the major themes is the separate surnames for married couples.

　This is a big change for Japan's history. From the perspective of modern gender-free and diversity, if both people getting married want it and also think about the future of their children, it may be fine because it is optional. However, in modern Japan, this would be de facto marriage.

　One possibility is having an anxious for the future. If the couple has only one child, it is not a big problem, but if multiple children are born, the children may have different surnames. Also, it is always different from a single parent. When those children become adults, the "bonds," "unity," and "degree of intimacy" between them as siblings are unknown. A thorough discussion is indispensable on the view point of considering the happiness of children, including future inheritance issues.

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いよいよ本格的な早春となるか！

　立春になるや否や、この一週間、日本列島は第一級の寒波に覆われ本当に寒い日々が続きました。しかし、ようやく西から高気圧が近づきつつあり、本来の早春に戻ろうとしています。

　群馬県の今日の日の出は６時３６分、日の入りは１７時２０分、太陽高度は４0°であり、冬至の頃と太陽の動きはずいぶん変化を見せてます。今日の昼の時間は１０時間４６分です。因みに冬至の昼は９時間４１分で、太陽高度は３０°でしたから、すでに１時間以上も昼が長くなり、太陽高度は１０°も高くなってます。私たちはこの時間帯を有効利用し、徐々に活動的な生活に戻したいです。

　植物たちはこの自然現象を素早く察知し、すでに変化を見せてます。地中から水仙がたくさん芽を出し、昨日から梅が咲き始め、ご覧の通り、廊下の君子蘭は幾本も咲いており、私の環境は次第に色彩豊かになってきました。

　さて、孤立しがちな私は人間社会の在りよう【県政報告会】について研修に出かけます。また、一人暮らしが特別惨めなものと思わないように自らを律し、今日も近隣の高齢者との交流を図り、私のできることで応援します。温かければ植物の世話と、屋外で身体の柔軟性及び、筋肉の増強を試みます。

Dear my friends who want to live in real spring

　As soon as "Risshun" which is the beginning of spring in Japan began, the Japanese archipelago was covered by a first-class cold wave for the past week, and the everyday life was really cold. However, high pressure is finally approaching from the west today, therefore, we are returning to the original early spring season, I guess.

　Today in Gumma Prefecture, sunrise was at 6:36, sunset will be at 17:20, and the solar altitude is 40°, so the movement of the sun has changed quite a bit since the winter solstice. Today's daylight hours will be 10 hours and 46 minutes. Incidentally, the daylight hours on the winter solstice were 9 hours and 41 minutes, and the solar altitude was 30°, so the days have already become more than an hour longer and the solar altitude has risen by 10°. We should make good use of this time period and gradually return to an active lifestyle.

　As you notice, plants are quickly detecting this natural phenomenon and are already showing changes. Many daffodils have sprouted from the ground, the plum blossoms began to bloom yesterday, and as you can see, several kaffir lilies are in bloom in the hallway, so my environment is gradually becoming more colorful.

　Now, as I tend to isolate myself, I am going to participate to learn about the state of human that means prefectural government report today. I am also forcing myself not to think that living alone is particularly miserable, so today I will again try to interact with elderly people in my neighborhood, supporting them in any way I can. If it is warm today, I will take care of the plants and try to improve my flexibility and muscle strength outdoors.

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待ちに待った花梅の開花・・今年は２週間遅い

　今年になって４０日目の昨日、品種名「鹿児島」の花梅が開花しました。と言っても、やっと２輪です。日本列島を覆っている一連の寒波が過ぎれば、今週から来週には真っ赤な梅が一気に咲き出す気配です。例年より寒冷のため、今年は開花が２週間以上も遅れてます。日々進歩のない私に合わせているかのようです。

　それでもやっと咲き始め、私はホッとしてます。ご存じの通り、花梅は実は生らず、養分はすべて花の方に蓄えられるので、色彩は濃く鑑賞に値するでしょう。庭の入り口に植えてあり、樹木も年々大きくなりつつあり、近未来が楽しみです。こんなことでも、一人で生きる私にとって大きな励みになってます。

　人間は必ず高齢になります。どんな分野でも興味関心を高く持ち、且つ、幅広く持つことが若く生きるポイントになるのではないでしょうか。また、きっと生き甲斐になります。庭には、色彩が異なる梅が５本植えてあり、色彩の多様化はもちろん、枝垂れ梅は年間を通じて樹形も味わえます。

　最も大きな枝垂れ白梅は例年、直径３０cmほどの籠に１０杯ほど収穫でき、今年はすでに行き先が決まり有効利用されます。梅の木の下の円卓で梅の香りを味わいつつ春が満喫できます。私一人ではもったいないので、２月下旬～３月上旬に春を味わいにいらして下さい。駐車場完備です。

Dear my friends who are crazy about natural beauty and fragrance

　At last, yesterday, 40 days in this year, the flowering plum of the variety "Kagoshima" bloomed. But only two flowers. After the series of cold waves covering the Japanese archipelago passes, it looks like the bright red plums will bloom all at once between this week and next week. Due to the colder weather than usual, the flowering is late than two weeks this year. It's as if they are accommodating to me who is lack of progress.

　Still, I am relieved that they have finally started to bloom. As you know, flowering plum does not bear fruit so that all nutrients are stored in the flowers, so the colors are rich and worth admiring. I have planted them at the entrance to my garden, and the tree is getting bigger every year, so I am looking forward to the near future. Even things like this are a great encouragement to me, who lives alone.

　Without exception, humans will inevitably grow older day by day . I think that having a high level of interest and a wide range of interests in any field is the key to living young mentally. It will also surely give us a reason to live. There are five plum trees of different colors planted in the garden, so there are variety of colors, but the weeping plums allow me to enjoy the tree shapes all year round.

　The largest weeping white plums usually produce fruits about 10 baskets about 30cm in diameter, and this year they have already been decided to an effective use. You can enjoy spring to the fullest, savoring the scent of plums at the round table under the plum tree. It would be wasteful to see them all by myself, so please come and enjoy spring between late February to early March. There is parking available.

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インドの民芸品が飾ってある憩いの部屋

　それぞれ民族衣装を纏ったインド人は何人いるでしょう。また、インド象は何頭いるでしょう。これらは私が憩うインドの部屋に飾ってあります。画像を拡大してご覧ください。

　ご存知の通り、インドは広く、北部は雪が降るカシミールまであり、面積はヨーロッパほどの広さがあるため、州によって言葉が違い、文字まで異なります。ですから、お札は表が公用語の英語で書かれ、裏はヒンズー語など多くの言葉で書かれてます。私が住んでたカルカッタでは水のことを「バニー」と言いましたが、隣のオリッサ州では「タニ―」と言ってました。

　概して一年中暑いですが、日本と異なることは５月が夏休みです。その後３ヶ月ほど雨期に入り、乾期は９月から翌年の２月頃までで、日本の秋晴れのように過ごしやすい日々が続きます。ですから、インドへ行く場合は日本の冬が良いでしょう。

　この部屋には先日、比較的近くのフェイスブック友人が来られ、これらの民芸品を見ていかれました。折角見えたので私はピアノで２曲ほど弾き、聴いて戴きました。

Dear my friends who are interested in India

　How many Indians are there wearing their national costumes in the photo? And how many Indian elephants are there? These are displayed in my Indian room where I rest. Please enlarge the image.

　As you know, India is vast beyond description, with snow in the northern Kashmir state near Himalayan Mountains, therefore the area as large as Europe, so the language, even the characters differ from state to state. That's why banknotes are written in English, the official language, on the front and in many languages, including Hindi, on the back. In Calcutta where I lived, water was called "pani," but in the neighboring state of Orissa, it was called "tani."

　In general, it's hot in India all year round, but what's different from Japan is that summer vacation is in May. After that, the rainy season begins for about three months, and the dry season lasts from September to around February of the next year, so that the days are comfortable like the clear autumn weather in Japan. So if you're going to India, I recommend you to go in the winter in Japan.

　The other day, a Facebook friend from a relatively close area came to this room and looked at these folk crafts. Since we had a good chance, I played two music by the piano for her.

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今日は本当に寒い一日でした。

　寒いですね、皆さん。日中がこれほど寒い早春は珍しいです。ご覧の通り、この寒さのため梅の蕾は大きく膨らんだままで、いつになっても花弁が開けない状態が続いています。

　例年、品種名・鹿児島と命名されたこの花梅は一月中旬には真っ赤に咲いて、私に希望を与えているのに、今年は閉じたままです。良いことは起こらないのでしょうか。

　自由の身の私は今宵・土曜日なので高崎の某所で一杯戴きながら夕食を摂ろうと朝は考えてましたが、風邪を引くと困るので、家で済ませます。その代わり、お刺身や砂肝で少々豪勢に戴きます。

Dear my FB friends.

　It's cold, isn't it! It's unusual for early spring to be this cold during the daytime. As you can see, the cold has kept the plum buds swollen, and the petals have not yet opened.

　Every year, this flowering plum named "Kagoshima" variety, blooms bright red in mid-January, as if she gives me hope, but this year buds remain closed. I wonder if nothing good will happen for me.

　Tonight is a Saturday, so I'm free and this morning I had thought I'd have dinner at a tavern in Takasaki over a drink, but I don't want to catch a cold, so I'll just stay in my home. Instead, I'll dine a luxurious meal such as sashimi and gizzards. 

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氷が溶けるのをじっと待つキジバト

　日の出前の外気温は氷点下のため、ご覧の通り、庭に設置した野鳥用の飲み水は凍っており、恨めしそうに氷が溶けるのをずっと待ってるキジバトです。しかし、溶けるのは１０時頃でしょうから、その前に私が新鮮な水に入れ替えてやります。

　暫く雨が降らず水溜まりもなく、更に、現代は用水路が殆ど塞がれ、野鳥にとっても生き難い現代社会と言えます。このキジバトは夜中にどこで寝ていたのでしょう。おそらく天敵の来ない高い木の枝に止まって寝ていたのでしょう。人間のように着るものはなく、自前の羽根だけで寒い夜を過ごします。

　物価高で大変という人間社会を尻目に、キジバトは自然界を飛び回り、自ら餌を探して生きながらえており、人間顔負けの生活能力です。私は半世紀に亘り、レース鳩を飼育してましたが、こちらは人間から住まいと餌と水を与えられたので、自然界で生きる術はありません。

　その点、野鳥は５～６月頃に自らの力で子育てするのですから、生活能力は一流です。実は、私たち人間も自然界の中で生きてることは同様です。私も今まで以上に生きる力を強く持ち、今日も先ず身体を柔軟に動かし、抗酸化作用ある栄養に気を配ります。

Dear my Facebook friends

　Before sunrise, the outside temperature is below freezing, so as you can see, the drinking water for wild birds that I installed in the garden is frozen, and the turtle dove is waiting sadly and resentfully for the ice to melt. However, it will probably melt around 10 o'clock, so I will replace it with fresh water before then.

　As you know, it hasn't rained for a while in Takasaki-city, so there are no puddles, in addition, irrigation channels are almost blocked up these days, so it is a difficult modern society for wild birds to live in. Where was this turtle dove sleeping in the middle of the night? It was probably sleeping on a branch of a tall tree where there are no predators. They have no clothes, and spends the cold night with only its own feathers.

　While the human society is difficult with high prices these days, the turtle dove flies around the natural world, and finds food by its own, and survives, their survival ability is so high that we humans are shameful. Actually I have been raising racing pigeons for half a century, but they have no way of surviving in the natural world because humans provide them with shelter, food, and water.

　In this respect, wild birds have first-rate survival abilities, as they raise their chicks on their own between May and June. In fact, we humans also live in the same natural world. I will have a stronger will to live than before, and today I will start by moving my body flexibly and making sure to eat antioxidant nutrition.

https://ttsreader.com/ja/...

雨不足で井戸が涸れ、モーターに「呼び水」を入れる

北緯３６度平均の群馬県の今日の日の出は６時４０分、太陽高度は３８°、日の入りは１７時１６分予定です。春が待ち遠しいことから、毎日梅のことを取り上げてます。しかし、一番早く開花する品種名・鹿児島は今朝も咲いてません。今年の冬は本当に寒いのです。写真の蕾も花梅で、こちらは１本の木で紅白２色に咲き分ける「思いのまま」です。

　一方、日本海側を中心に豪雪と伝えられますが、私が住む群馬県南部は２～３ヶ月間、本格的な雨らしい雨が降らず、井戸が涸れ気味です。ちょっと多く使うと蛇口から水が出なくなります。このため、野鳥たちも喉が渇いて大騒ぎです。時々彼らにも水を与えますが、すぐに空になってしまいます。私は節水に心掛け、井戸に水が溜まるようにしてます。ですから、１００本程の植木すべてには水が遣れない状況です。

　この地に引っ越して来たとき、未だ水道が引かれてなく、両親が井戸掘り職人に頼んで掘ってもらった井戸です。その水で生活してました。結果的に今ではたくさんの植物のために本当に助かってます。生前の母の言葉「井戸を潰してはいけないよ。」が今でも鮮明に残ってます。戦前戦後を通じて水不足で困った体験があったのでしょう。

　そのうち、春雨が降ることを願ってます。平素忘れがちですが、本来人間は雨水で生きながらえてます。蛇口を捻れば出る水道も雨が降ってこそです。ところで、井戸水が涸れ、その後、井戸に水が溜まっても、水はすぐには出ません。モーターの所にある蛇口を開けて「呼び水」を入れ、電気のスイッチを入れて初めて出てきます。「呼び水」とは希望がある言葉です。何か他の分野でも使えそうです。

Dear my overseas friends who are crazy about the blossom of plants and great music.

　The simultaneous interpretation for your understanding will be done after my breakfast Japan time.

........................................................................

　In Gumma Prefecture, where is located at an average latitude of 36 degrees north, sunrise today was at 6:40, the solar altitude is 38°, and sunset is scheduled at 17:16. Because I'm looking forward to spring, so I've been writing about plums every day in this page. However, the earliest-flowering variety named "Kagoshima" has not bloomed this morning either. So this winter has been really cold. The buds in the photo are also flowering plums, and this one blooms in two colors, red and white, on a single tree named "Omoinomama" that means as she pleases.

　On the other hand, heavy snowfall is reported mainly on the Sea of ​​Japan side, but in the southern part of Gumma Prefecture where I live, there has been no real rain for 2-3 months, so that the well is drying up. If I use a little too much, water will not come out. Because of this, the wild birds are also thirsty and making a fuss. I sometimes give them water, but it soon runs out. I try to save water and make sure that water collects in the well. Therefore, I am not able to water all of the 100 or so plants I have in may garden.

　When we moved to this area 60years ago, there was still no water supply, so my parents asked a well digger to dig a well for us. We lived off that water at that time. As a result, it is now a great help to the many plants I have. I still remember vividly what my mother said to me when she was alive, "Don't ruin the well." There must have been difficult experiences with water shortages both before and after the war.

　I hope that spring rain will fall soon. We tend to forget this on a daily basis, but humans actually survive on rainwater. Water supply only comes when we turn on the tap, because it rains. By the way, even if the well water dries up and water collects in the bottom of well afterwards, water does not come out immediately. Water only comes out when I open the tap near the motor, and enter the "priming water," and switch on the light. "Prime water" is a hopeful word. We will be able to use this word in the other field.

https://ttsreader.com/ja/...

　

あなたとつくる子供たちの未来

今日の午後、、地元・倉賀野小児童の交通安全を期して、仲間と通学路のパトロールをしました。

　寒波の襲来で一際寒い中、「あなたと、つくろう、子供たちの未来」のスローガンの下、不審者対策、挨拶・声掛け運動、一人ぼっちにしないなどを配慮しました。同時に、明日は不燃物の日なので、途中で不燃物の箱のセッティングを行いました。つまり、地区の子供たちと大人のために約２㎞周遊しつつ作業しました。

　写真はパトロールとは関係ありませんが、内モンゴルへ行ったとき、万里の長城の高い所まで登った時のものです。４７才頃です。今でも気持ちはこの頃と変わらず、前向きに生きたいです。

Dear my friends who love children to the core

　This afternoon, I patrolled the route to school with friends to ensure the safety of the local Kuragano Elementary School children.

　Under the particularly cold weather caused by the onset of a cold wave, we took measures against suspicious people, greeting and call out to children, and make sure not to leave alone, all under the slogan, "Let's make with you children's future." At the same time, as tomorrow is non-combustible waste day, so that we set up boxes for that along the way. In other words, we worked while walking around for about 2km for the children and adults in the area.

　The photo has nothing to do with the patrol, but When I went to Inner Mongolia, it was taken when I climbed up to a high place on the Great Wall of China. I was about 47 years old. I still feel the same way now, and I want to live life with a positive attitude from now on.

https://ttsreader.com/ja/...

春への憧れ・・・・今日も未だ咲かない紅梅

【画像をクリックし、拡大してご覧ください。】　

　今年は、小寒や大寒に比較し、立春になってからの方がより寒冷になってます。大陸からの寒気団により日本海側では例年になく降雪が多いと伝えられてます。このようなときは私たちの身体も冷えやすく、血管が縮み、血行不良になりやすく、結果的に細胞への酸素や栄養が供給され難く、また、老廃物が排泄し難くなりやすいと考えられます。

　拙い体験では、このようなとき身体のストレッチを行うと身体は温まってきます。特に、首の後ろ、背中、肩から上腕部分です。お薦めは、朝６時２５分からNHK３チャンネルのテレビ体操です。画面を見ながらいろいろの動きが楽しくできます。今の寒気団が抜ければ、春も次第に近づいて来るでしょう。皆さん、寒さ対策は今一踏ん張りです。

　ところで、例年に比較し開花が２週間以上遅くなってる紅梅です。今朝は咲くか、今朝は咲くか、と毎朝期待して観察してますが、今朝も未だ開花してません。まるで、咲きそうで咲かない私の人生のようです。それでももうすぐです。２月中旬になれば、写真の真っ赤な紅梅を含め、色彩の異なる５本の花梅が咲く予定です。ぜひ、カッキー梅林を見にいらして下さい。庭でお茶を飲みながら歓談しましょう。

Dear my overseas friends who are crazy about the blossom of plants and great music.

　The simultaneous interpretation for your understanding will be done after my breakfast Japan time.

.............................................................

　This year, it has been colder after "Risshun" which is the beginning of spring compared to the "Shokan" first cold period and "Daikan" last coldest period. It is said that the cold air mass from the continent has caused more snowfall than usual on the Japan Sea coast. At this times, our bodies are also prone to getting cold, our blood vessels shrink, and blood circulation becomes poor, as the result, oxygen and nutrients tend not to be supplied to cells, and moreover makes it difficult to excrete waste products.

　In my own experience, stretching at times like this can warm up the body. In particular, the back of the neck, back, and the area from the shoulders to the upper arms. I recommend you to watch TV gymnastics on NHK Channel 3 from 6:25 a.m. You can enjoy various movements while watching the screen. Once the current cold air mass passes, spring will gradually approach to our Japanese archipelago. Everyone, please make an effort to protect yourself from the cold.

　Not change the subject, but the red plum's blooming is more than two weeks later than usual. I watch her every morning hoping to see if she will bloom this morning, but she has not yet bloomed this morning, too. It's like my life, which it seems like it's about to bloom but never bloom. By mid-February, five plum trees of different colors, including the bright red plum in the photo, will be bloomed all as once, I guess. Please visit Kakky's plum grove and see them. Let's chat over tea in the garden. I'm waiting for you to the core.

https://ttsreader.com/ja/...

会話と音楽は必須科目for my life

 
　一日中、人と話しをしない状態は精神面で良いとは言えず、午後４時から閉店の５時まで「さんぽ道」に行ってきました。寒いからでしょう。客は私一人だったので、ママさんと話す機会に恵まれ、やはり行って良かったです。

　客の中にピアノを弾く人は殆どいないとのことで私だけのようです。今日も数曲弾きましたら喜んでいただけました。やはり、私には人との会話と音楽は必須のようです。おっと、夜の一杯も必須です。

To my overseas friends

　Not talking to people all day is not good for my mental health, so I went to Sampo-michi from 4pm until closing time at 5pm. I guess it was was so cold today. I was the only customer there, so I had a chance to talk to the proprietress, so that I was glad I went after all.

　Apparently, there are hardly any customers who play the piano, so I seem to be the only one in customers. I played a few music today and she and staff were pleased. It seems that conversation with people and music are indispensable for me after all. Oh, and a drink in the evening is also indispensable for my life.

https://ttsreader.com/ja/...

喫茶「さんぽ道」で「オブコニカ」に出合う

　お気に入り喫茶「さんぽ道」でコーヒーを戴きつつリラックスしていたら、ママのお父様が植物に関心があることから幾種類かの花が飾ってありました。私は植物でも、樹木に花が咲く花木のみを育ててるので、草花を育ててませんでしたが、花の少ない今の季節にオブコニカがよく咲いて目に付き、販売もするとのことで珍しく購入しました。

　調べてみると、オブコニカは東アジア原産の多年草と言われます。それにしても、花弁は5枚で、１本の株に３色が咲いてます。和室より洋室に合う感じです。写真左下はアセビで馬酔木とも書きます。右下は鹿児島種の「紅梅」で今日にも咲きそうです。このように見るとカッキー家はいつも花に覆われてるようですが、実は、私自身の心は日々、荒涼としたものです。ただピアノ同様で「色彩の豊かさ」と「人間の喜びは何か」を究めているだけです。

　ところで、植物の育て方をいろいろ研究していても、肝心な私の健康法については今一歩です。最近、気にしてることは豆乳と牛乳を混ぜて飲むと意外と美味しいことに気づいてます。栄養的にも両方の良さが得られ、カルシュームは骨や歯によく、私の場合、未だに２８本すべての歯が揃ってます。やはり健康は「ルーの法則」を守り、適度の筋肉運動と特にカルシュームと蛋白質により創り上げるものと考えてます。健康法については皆さまからいろいろ教わりたいです。

Dear my overseas friends who are crazy about the blossom of plants and great music.

　The simultaneous interpretation for your understanding will be done after my breakfast Japan time.

.........................................................

　While I was relaxing over a cup of coffee at my favorite cafe, "Sampo-michi," I noticed that Mama's father is interested in plants, and so there were several kinds of flowers on display. I only raise flowering trees, so I don't raise any grass flowers. but this season when there are few flowers, obconica often blooms and catches my eyes, so I bought one, this is unusual for me.

　After researching, I found that obconica is said to be perennial plants native to East Asia. Even so, there are five petals, and three colors are blooming on one plant. I think it seems more suitable for a Western-style room than a Japanese-style room. The plant on the bottom left of the photo is an Azalea, which is also written in kanji as horse will be drunk. The plant on the bottom right is a Kagoshima variety plum which looks like it will bloom today. From this perspective, it seems like the Kakky family is always covered in flowers, but in fact, my own heart is desolate every day than your imagination. Just like the piano, I am just seeking "the richness of tone quality" and "what is human's joy."

　Not change the subject, but even though I've been researching various ways to raise plants, I still have a long way to acquire when it comes to my essential health regimen. Lately, I've noticed that mixing soy milk with cow's milk, as the result, this drinking is surprisingly tasty. I can get the best of both nutrition, and calcium is good for bones and teeth, in my case, I still have all 28 teeth. I believe that health is created by following "Rou's Law" and through moderate muscle exercise, and especially calcium and protein. I'd like to learn more about health regimes from you all.

https://ttsreader.com/ja/...

　

一日一日変化が見られる君子蘭の成長

　やっぱり、立春になると違いますね。人間は寒い寒いと震えていても、植物は日照時間の伸びや、太陽の角度の高さを察知し【今日は３７°、因みに冬至は３０°】、一日一日成長し、開花という目標を実現しています。

　この花はアフリカが原産地と言われる「君子蘭」で廊下で育ててます。左下が立春の1日前、右下が昨日の立春で、上が今日、開花となり、日々の変化を写真に撮りました。

　今日は朝６時半から「枝垂れ桜」を植える作業でした。それはそうと明日こそは庭の「紅梅」が咲くと予想してます。この紅梅は真っ赤です。蕾の数は概数で１０００個です。１週間後、マルシェに行く頃にはかなり咲いてるでしょう。

Dear my overseas friends who are crazy about blossom of Kaffir lily and great music.

　As expected, plants became different when it's " Risshun" the beginning of spring. Even though humans are shivering from the cold, plants sense the increase in daylight hours and the increase in the angle of the sun [today it's 37°, by the way, the winter solstice was 30°], and grow day by day until she achieves her goal of flowering.

　This flower is a Kaffir lily which is said to be native to Africa, and I'm raising it in the hallway. The bottom left is one day before Risshun, the bottom right is Risshun of yesterday, and the top is today when it has bloomed, and I took photos of the daily changes.

　Today, I started working at 6:30 in the morning before breakfast to plant a weeping cherry tree. By the way, I expect the red plum tree in the garden to bloom tomorrow. This red plum tree is bright red. It has roughly 1,000 buds. By the time I go to the Marsie in a week, it will be in full bloom.

https://ttsreader.com/ja/...

今朝、朝飯前に汗を拭き拭き作業

　昨日、埼玉県花園町の植木センターで手に入れた「八重の枝垂れ桜」を、今朝６時半から築山の上に穴掘りし、植えることができました。実は、この作業の前に、ここに植わっていた真っ赤な花桃を前の道のそばに植え替えたので作業が二つになりました。

　思い立ったら吉日とばかり、正に「朝飯前」の作業です。空気は冷たくても、汗拭き拭きの作業です。そばで「お茶です。」という人はいないので、人参ジュースをコップ一杯飲んで、作業続けました。

　それでも、昨日のうちに腐葉土と赤土を用意して置いたので、途中困難もありましたが、作業は順調に進み、植えてから水をたっぷり与え、その後、我に戻って外の道からゆっくり眺めたときは予定した通りに植えられ「やれやれ」と思いました。

　寒い寒いと言っても、立春過ぎの気候です。ここは日当たりが抜群で、近くには井戸水の水道があり、水はたっぷり与えられます。暫くは様子を見守りつつ、大切に育てます。全体のスタイルや枝ぶりなど素性が良いので、先ずは大きく育てることに専念します。築山の上で「八重の枝垂れ桜」が開花したら、観賞にいらして下さい。私がお茶を差し入れます。

Dear my overseas friends who are crazy about weeping sherry blossom and great music.

　The simultaneous interpretation for your understanding will be done after my breakfast Japan time.

.....................................................

　I was able to dig a hole at 6:30 this morning on the hill, and planted the "double weeping cherry tree" which I bought at a tree center in Hanazono-town, Saitama Prefecture yesterday. Actually, before this work, I replanted the red peach tree that was planted here near the road in front, so I ended up doing two jobs.

　It was a piece of cake to do this job. Even though the air was cold, I was wiping off the sweat. As you know, no one was nearby to offer me tea, so I drank a glass of carrot juice and continued working.

　Even so, I had prepared leaf mold and red soil yesterday, so although there were some difficulties along the way, the work went smoothly, and after planting, I gave the weeping sherry plenty of water. Later, when I came to my senses and looked at it from the road outside, I was relieved to see that it was planted as planned.

　Even though it's cold, the weather is after "Risshun" that is the beginning of spring in Japan. Here, the sun shines brightly, and there is a well water tap nearby, so I can give it plenty of water. I will keep an eye on it for a while and raise it with care. The overall style and the shape of the branches of this weeping cheery are good, so I will concentrate on raising it big. When this double weeping cherry blooms on the hill, please come and see it. I will offer you tea.

https://ttsreader.com/ja/...

明日、八重咲きの枝垂れ桜を植える

【この写真は毎年、庭で咲いてる源平枝垂れ桃です。近未来に、果たして八重桜と美の饗宴になるでしょうか。】

　今日の午後、半年ぶりに埼玉県花園町の植木屋へ行きました。着いた途端に、高さ1メートルほどの「八重の枝垂れ桜」の若木が目に飛び込み、私はその魅力にくぎ付けになりました。その後、一応、園内を一周しましたが、枝垂れ桜が頭から離れず、このチャンスを逃してはならないと、結局、購入を決意し、遠路遥々車で倉賀野の我が家まで運んできました。

　明日、写真をアップしますが、中心の幹は蛇のように曲がりくねり、４月に開花する蕾も付いてます。今年、もし良いことがあれば、その記念樹にします。

　明日の午前中、この若木を庭の中央にある築山に植えます。このため、先程、腐葉土と赤土をホームセンターで用意しました。樹形が素晴らしいので年間を通して楽しめそうです。果たして、数年後には大きく成長し、高い位置から枝垂れて八重桜が咲くでしょうか。しっかり育てます。

Dear my overseas friends who are crazy about weeping sherry blossom and great music

　This afternoon, I went to a garden center in Hanazono-town, Saitama Prefecture, after a long interval. As soon as I arrived, a young double-flowered weeping cherry tree which is about one meter tall, caught my eye, so that I was captivated by its charm. After that, I walked around the garden, but the weeping cherry tree just wouldn't leave my mind, and I thought that I couldn't miss this great opportunity, so I decided to buy it and carried by car all the way to my house in Kuragano-town.

　I will upload a photo tomorrow, but the trunk in the center of this cherry is twisted like a snake, and there are buds that will bloom in April. If something good happens this year for me, I will make it a memorial tree.

　Tomorrow morning, I will plant this young tree in the artificial hill named Tsukiyama in the center of the garden. For this reason, I have just prepared leaf mold and red soil at the home center shop. The tree has a fantastic shape, so I think it will be enjoyable all year round. I wonder if it will grow big in a few years and bloom with double cherry blossoms drooping from a high position. I will make sure to nurture it well.

　[The photo shows the Genpei weeping peach tree that blooms in the garden every year so far. I wonder if it will be a feast of beauty with the double cherry blossoms.]

https://ttsreader.com/ja/...

今日は「立春」です。しかし、寒気がやって来ます。

　今日は「立春」です。昨日、私は地球の動きを中心に書きましたが、地球から見る今日の太陽は「春分点」から東へ３１５°【１５°×２１】の位置にあります。

　ところで、春分点とは何処にあるでしょうか。

　その場所は、ギリシャ時代にチグリス川とユーフラテス川の形に例えられた「うお座」、及び両河川に挟まれた肥沃な農業地帯に例えられた「秋の四辺形」のすぐ南【図の赤印】にあり、黄道【太陽が通過する道】が天の赤道と交差する所です。「うお座」は「黄道十二星座」の一つで、夏から秋にかけ日本上空を通過するので、春分点の位置を確認できます。もちろん何の目印もありません。今年は３月２０日に太陽は図の位置に、右下から左上に移動して行きます。

　しかし、本日の「立春」では太陽の位置は天の赤道より遥か南にあるので、未だ未だ寒い日が続いても、日照時間は日に日に長くなります。今日の日の出は６時４４分、日の入りは１７時１２分【群馬県】で昼の長さは１０時間２８分です。これからは三寒四温が起こりつつ、寒い日は寒の戻りといわれます。

　それでも、今日から早春であり、寒い中にあっても水仙など植物が地上から芽を出し、ほんの少し春が感じられるでしょう。私たちも、自然の変化を観察しつつ、長くなりつつある昼の時間を有効に使い、身体に強さと柔軟性を求め、自らの目標に向かって邁進しましょう。

Dear my overseas friends who are interested in nature and great music

　Today is "Risshun" the beginning of spring in Japan. Yesterday, I wrote mainly about the movement of the Earth, but today's sun as seen from Earth is located 315° east of the vernal equinox [15° x 21].

  

By the way, where is the vernal equinox? Can you see it?

　It is located in the constellation Pisces, which in Greek times was likened to the shape of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, and south of the Autumn Quadrilateral, which was likened to the fertile agricultural area between the two rivers [red mark in the illustration], where the ecliptic [the path the sun passes through] intersects with the celestial equator. As you know, Pisces is one of the 12 zodiacal constellations, and it passes over Japan from summer to autumn, so you can confirm the location of the vernal equinox. Of course, there is no landmark. This year 2025, on March 20th, the sun will move from the bottom right to the top left to the position shown in the illustration.

　However, today is "start of spring," in Japan, the sun is still located far south of the celestial equator, so even though it is still cold, but, the hours of daylight are getting longer each day. Today's sunrise is at 6:44 and sunset is at 17:12 [Gumma Prefecture], with the length of daylight being 10 hours and 28 minutes. From now on, there will be three cold days and four warm days, and it is said that cold days will bring back some times. The coldest weather is forecast to arrive starting tomorrow.

　Even so, it is early spring from today, and even in the cold, plants such as daffodils will sprout from the ground, giving you a little taste of spring. Let us also observe the changes in nature and make good use of the longer days, seeking strength and flexibility in our bodies, and work hard towards our own purpose.

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私のお気に入りウォーキングコース

 
　私のお気に入りの一つは、トンネル内のウォーキングでもあります。季節を問わず、一定の温度です。ここ旧碓氷峠の信越線は、昔、軽井沢へ行く途中、この中を列車で通過した思い出があります。既に数回のここでのウォーキング中、トンネル内で歌うとよく響き上手に聴こえます。トンネルを出ると有名な「めがね橋」の上に出て、下には碓氷峠の道路がくねってます。

　周囲の風景は新緑の頃がお薦めですが、秋も良く、「秋の夕日に照る山紅葉」の歌詞で始まる唱歌「もみじ」はこの碓氷峠の紅葉がモデルになってます。歩いて疲れたら、近くに「峠の湯」があり心身ともに寛げます。もう少し待って本格的に春になったら、また、３～４K歩きに行きます。元々鉄道のトンネルですから、勾配は一定です。

Dear my friends who are crazy about nature, spa and great music

　One of my favorite trainings is walking in the tunnel. As you know, the temperature is constant regardless of the seasons. I remember passing through this old Usui Pass on JR Shinetsu Line on my way to Karuizawa a long time ago. I have already walked a few times here. If singing in the tunnel, it resonates well. When we leave the tunnel, we will be on the famous "Megane Bridge" that means like huge grasses, and below we will see the winding road of Usui Pass.

　The season I recommend you to go, is during fresh greenery of May, because the surrounding scenery is best, but autumn is also good. The song "Momiji" which begins with the lyrics "The autumnal tint on the mountain shines in the autumn sunset" was modeled of this Usui Pass. If we get tired from walking, there is a spa named "Toge no Yu" nearby where we can relax both body and mind. I wait a little longer and spring comes, I will go 3-4km walk, but I would like to find someone to walk with me. Since it was originally a railway tunnel, the gradient is constant.

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例年より一日早い・・・節分と立春

　今朝、小雨の降る中、庭に出てみましたが、依然として梅は未だ咲いてません。その代わり、廊下の君子蘭【写真左】が大きな蕾を膨らませ、ハイビスカス【右】が開花し、私をがっかりさせないよう慰め、小さな春を感じさせてます。

　ところで、例年と異なり、今年は今日が「節分」で、明日が「立春」です。何故、今年は一日早いのでしょうか。

　立春とは二十四節気の一つです。地球は一周３６０°の公転軌道上【約９億４千万㎞】を北極星側から見て反時計回りに３６５日と約４分の1日で周遊してます。つまり、１日に約０．９８°づづ移動してます。ですから、一日に移動する角度は１°未満という少ない度数です。

　二十四節気とは３６０°÷２４＝１５°で、地球が１５°移動すると、やって来ますが、今年は１日早く立春が来ます。去年は閏年で平年より１日多かったので、その分、今年の立春は一日早くなってます。これは次第に解消し、また元に戻ります。元々、二十四節気は日付が決まっておらず、地球が１５°公転した瞬間です。

Dear my overseas friends who are crazy about revolution of earth and great music.

　The simultaneous interpretation for your understanding will be done after my breakfast Japan time.

.......................................................................

　I went out to the garden this morning in the light rain, but the plum blossoms have not yet bloomed. Instead, the kaffir lily in the hallway [left photo] has swelled large buds, and the hibiscus [right photo] has bloomed, consoling me and giving me a little taste of spring.

　By the way, unlike previous years, today is Setsubun and tomorrow is Risshun (the beginning of spring). Why is it one day early this year?

　Risshun is one of the 24 solar terms in Japan. The Earth revolves around its 360° orbit [1 astronomical unit x 2π = about 940 million km] in a counterclockwise as seen from the North Star, taking about 365 days and a quarter of a day. In other words, it revolves about 0.98° per day. Therefore, the angle it revolves per day is a small number, less than 1°.

　The 24 solar terms are 360°÷24=15°, and occur when the Earth revolves 15°, but this year the beginning of spring "Risshun" will come one day early. As you know, last year was a leap year, which meant that there was one more day than normal, as the result, the beginning of spring this year is one day early. This will gradually disappear and this phenomenon will return to normal. Originally, the 24 solar terms do not correspond to the date, but rather occurred when the Earth revolves 15°.　

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梅より先にアセビが花開く

　今日から２月。今日の日の出は６時４５分【群馬県】、太陽高度は３６°、日の入りは１７時１０分予定です。このため、昼の長さは１０時間２５分です。因みに冬至では９時間４１分でしたから、昼の時間がすでに４４分も伸びてます。このため、屋外で活動的に生活したいです。庭を整頓し、植物の剪定と水遣りに勤しみます。

　明日は「節分」、明後日は二十四節気の一つ「立春」。一方、カレンダーをよく見るとウィークデイはたったの１８日しかありません。早春のこれからは温かな時間帯には外に出て身体を柔軟に動かし、自らのことのみ考えず、近隣社会に対しできることを取り組みたいです。

  

　ところで、庭に出たところ今日も依然として梅は開花してません。ところが、嬉しいことに、玄関前のアセビが蕾は赤かったのに純白の花が咲き始め、荒涼とした庭に一筋の春が感じられ、私もほんの少しウキウキしています。

　植物の変化に刺激され、今日も「自らの課題に取り組みつつ」、脳に少しでも柔軟性と刺激を与えます。それには生活をマンネリ化せず、変化ある動きを実践したいです。今日も家にのみ籠らず、人との交流を心掛けます。とりあえず、お気に入り喫茶「さんぽ道」でコーヒーを飲みつつ寛ぎ、ピアノで数曲弾いてみたい。

Dear my overseas friends who are crazy about nature and great music.

　The simultaneous interpretation for your understanding will be done after my breakfast Japan time.

...........................................................

　February begins today. Today's sunrise was at 6:45 [Gumma Prefecture], the sun's angle is at an altitude of 36° at noon, and sunset will be at 17:10. Therefore, the length of day is 10 hours and 25 minutes. Incidentally, the winter solstice was 9 hours and 41 minutes in the length of day time, so the day has already been extended by 44 minutes. For this reason, I should be active outdoors. I will tidy up the garden and prune and water the plants.

　Tomorrow is Setsubun that means the day before the beginning of spring, and the day after is Risshun which is one of the 24 solar terms. On the other hand, if looking closely at the calendar, there are only 18 weekdays. From now on in early spring, I want to go outside during the warm hours, not only I move my body flexibly, but, I will do for the neighboring society, rather than just thinking about myself only.

　Not change the subject, but when I went out to the garden today, the plum blossoms still have not bloomed. However, to my delight, the Japanese andromeda in front of the entrance has started to bloom into pure white flowers, though its buds were red. I can sense a little of spring in the desolate garden, therefore I feel just a little excited.

　Inspired by the changes in the plants, I should give my brain a little more flexibility and stimulation as I continue to "work on my own challenges" to English vocabulary today. To do that, I want to avoid letting my life become monotonous, and practice variety. Today, I will not just stay at home, but also make an effort to interact with people. For now, I'd like to relax with a coffee at my favorite cafe, Sampo-michi, and if possible, I will play a few music by the piano.

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