今日４月８日に、倉賀野に燕がやって来ました。

　今朝、５時に起床したところ、東の空がすでに明るくなってました。調べてみると、群馬県の今朝の日の出は５時２０分です。その後、フェイスブックを書いたり、大分時間的に余裕が出来てきました。今後、長い一日を有効に使いたいです。

　驚いたことに、今朝、上４公園でラジオ体操しつつ発見しましたが、南の国から今日ついに燕がやって来ました。７ヶ月振りです。考えられない遠方より自前の羽根で大海原を北上して来るのですから計り知れない能力です。昨年、日本で生まれた雛も親鳥と行動を共にするのですから立派に成長するものです。これを見ると、私なんか全く努力が足りません。

　ところで、午後３時頃から喫茶「さんぽ道」でリラックスしてきました。どうしたことでしょう。客は一人もおらず、いつもよりママさんと山の話ができました。彼女が高校時代に属してた山岳部の顧問が私の友人Ｔだったのです。その後、１５分程ピアノを弾かせて戴きました。

Dear my friends who are crazy about migratory birds and great music.

　When I got up at 5 this morning, the sky in the east was already bright. I checked and found out that the sunrise in Gumma Prefecture this morning was 5:20. After that, I wrote on Facebook and had a lot of free time. I should make good use of this long day from now on.

　Surprisingly, during doing radio exercises at Kami-4th Park this morning, I noticed swallows which have finally arrived from the southern nations. It's been 7 months since we last saw one. They have an immeasurable ability to fly toward north across the ocean by their own wings from the unimaginable distance. The chicks born in Japan last year also go and return Japan with their parents, so they are growing well. When I see their ability, I feel my effort is absolute shortage.

　By the way, I've been relaxing at the cafe "Sampo-michi" since about 3pm. What happened? There was no customer, so I was able to talk about mountains with the owner more than usual. My friend Todokoro was the advisor for her mountaineering club she belonged to in high school. After that, I played the piano for about 15 minutes.

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

「継続は力なり」を信じ、挑戦

【画像をクリックし、拡大すると臨場感が出ます。Please click on the image to enlarge it for a more realistic look.】

　昨日は源平枝垂れの子供を写真に載せました。その親はご覧の通り、二色に分かれ、品種名・源平枝垂れとして威厳を保っています。しかし、何故このように紅白に分かれて咲くのでしょう。不思議です。枝によっては紅白が互い違いに咲いてるので遺伝なのでしょう。それにしても、花桃の良さは開花期間が長いことで２～３週間ほどです。奈良・平安時代から江戸時代まで雛祭りは今の時季に行なわれたと考えられます。

　ところで、２月下旬に読み始めた「天声人語」２０２４冬号は昨日やっと９０日分を読み終えました。内外の政治的話題を取り上げ、意見はやや偏りを見せつつも、自然や歴史など広範囲の事象を扱うことから、学習が不足する私の勉強になります。

　実は、私の目的は対訳の英文に触れ、現代使われてる言葉を知りたいためです。一日の文章で１０個以上の新たな単語に出合います。すでに忘れかけたものや新たな言葉です。しかし、それらが頭に定着するかは別問題で、ただ続けることが大切と思ってます。次回の発行は５月下旬なので、それまでは羽が伸ばせます。昔から言われてる「継続は力なり」を信じ、延いては、迫り来る認知症を遅らせたいです。早朝にβーカロチンの人参ジュースを飲みました。

Dear my FB friends who are crazy about avoiding senile dementia, and great music.

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

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

　Yesterday I posted a photo of a children of Genpeishidare. As you can see, the parent is divided into two colors, and maintains her dignity as the variety name Genpeishidare. But why does it bloom in red and white like this? It's strange. On some branches are red and white flowers bloom alternately, so it must be genetic. I guess. Even so, the good thing about flowering peaches is blooming for a long period about 2 to 3 weeks. It is thought that the Hinamatsuri that means girl's festival was held around this season of year since the Nara and Heian periods to the Edo period.

　Not change the subject, but I started reading the 2024 Winter issue of "Tensei Jingo" VOX POPULI, VOX DEI in Laten since late February, and yesterday I finally finished reading the 90-day edition. As you know, although it covers domestic and international political topics and its opinions would be somewhat biased, it deals with a wide range of phenomena such as nature and history, so it is a good study for me, who is lacking in common sense.

　Actually, my purpose is to obtain the bilingual English sentences and learn about English new words that are used today. And I'd like to speak fluently with Mr. Barry than before. I come across more than 10 new words in a day's text. They are new words and ones that I have already forgotten. However, whether or not they stick in my head is another matter, and I think it's important to just keep going. The next issue will be published in late May, so I can take my time until then. I believe in the old saying that "Persistence is power," and I want to delay the oncoming senile dementia. Early in this morning, I drank carrot juice containing beta-carotene which is antioxidant property.

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

光陰矢の如し・・・学習に遅すぎることはない

　ついこの間、新年になったと思ったら、今日でもう令和７年１月が終わります。月日の経つのは本当に早いと共に、私自身、この１ヶ月間、健康のためにどれほど身体を鍛え、内面的にどれほど努力したかです。しかし、あまり充分とは言えず、反省が多いです。それでも、良かったことは例年に比較し寒冷な気候であっても、概して健康に過ごせ、家に籠らず、いつもより多くの人たちと交流できたように感じます。

　取り組んでる英単語については、昔やっていた「この英語の意味は何か」という観点から離れ、逆に、自分の考えたことや、言いたいことを英語で表現できるか、つまり「このことを英語で何と言うか」ということに重点を置いてます。そして、実際に英作文で使うと、脳に比較的インプットされ易いと気づいています。

　この１月間の単語ノートを振り返ると、例えば、低体温症を英語で何と言うか。同様に、一夫多妻、サラ金、手に負えない、風刺的な、本末転倒、加工食品、逆効果、両生類、なりすます、国外追放、押し合う、落とし穴、技量など磨く、退化する、柿の蔕、楕円体、けしからぬ、可視化する、ずうずうしい、いたずら好きな、怠惰、静脈注射、インコ、でっち上げ、錯覚の、たわごとを言う、蒸し暑い、容赦なく、酔いを醒ます、取り返しのつかない、有袋類、魅惑的な、不法移民、不運の、蒸し暑い、忘れがたい、虐待、無罪判決、おしゃべりする人、陳腐な、言語道断な、激動の、気持ちを紛らす、おとり捜査、滑り止めの学校、とんでもない、偏平足、手拍子が起こる、傷つきやすい、手ごわい、ケチケチする、などでした。

Dear my friends who are crazy about English vocabulary and great music

　I felt like the new year just started, but today is already the end of January 2025. Time flies, and I am thinking about how much I have trained my body and how much effort that I have memorized English words over the past month. However, it was not enough, and I have a lot to reflect on. However, the good thing is that even though the weather was colder than usual, I was generally healthy, I didn't stay at home, and I felt like I was able to interact with more people than usual.

　As for the English vocabulary I was studying, I have moved away from the perspective of "what does this English word mean?" that I used to do during my youth, and instead I am focusing on whether I want to express in English what I think, and what I want to say in English, in other words, "how do I say this in English?". I have noticed that when I actually use words in English compositions, they are relatively easy to input into my brain.

　Looking back at my vocabulary notebook from January, for example, how do I say hypothermia in English? Similarly, words like polygamy, loan shark, get out of hand, satirical or epigrammatic, upside down or put the cart before horse, processed food, counterproductive, amphibian, disguise, deportation, jostle, pitfall, hone skills, degenerate, persimmon's calyx, ellipsoid, outrageous, visualize, cheeky or bold-faced, mischievous, lazy or idle, intravenous injection, parakeet, fabrication, illusion, babble, muggy, relentlessly, sobering, irrevocable, marsupial, fascinating or captivating, illegal immigrant, unfortunate or doomed, muggy, unforgettable or haunting, abuse or battering, acquittal, chatterer or babbler, trite banal, outrageous or egregious, tumultuous or turbulent, distracting, go undercover or stool pigeon, slip-up school or fallback school, outrageous, flat-foot, clapping, vulnerable, formidable, stingy or skimp, etc.

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

もう、後には引けません。

　春はすぐそこまで来ています。それは梅の蕾の膨らみで分かります。今朝は未だ開花せず、今一歩です。それでも蕾の中の花弁が紅く見え始めたので、今日の午後か、明日の朝には２～３輪は咲く気配です。果たしてどうでしょう。私が手を貸すのは水遣りだけです。

　一方、温かい廊下で育ててる君子蘭は蕾が押し競まんじゅうの状態で、今まさに咲き始める時です。真冬から早春に変わる季節は植物の経過状況で分かります。群馬県の今日の日の出は６時５１分、日の入りは１７時０１分の予定ですから、昼の時間は１０時間１０分です。因みに冬至の昼の時間は９時間４１分ですから、日照時間はすでに３０分も伸びてます。

　一方、比較的、家の中に閉じ籠りがちだった人間の私も、植物のように、どうにかして今までの自分の殻から一歩でも二歩でも踏み出て、新たなものの見方、新たな分野を体験したいものです。新たな事を続ける能力を獲得するにはどうしたらよいでしょう。それには自分で「後には引けない状況」を作り、そこに我が身を置くことでしょうか。

　ブログやフェイスブックを通じて和英辞典を引きつつ、英作文の毎日ですが、すでに数年間継続してるので今では「後には引けない状況」です。今朝は少々寝坊しましたが、これから上記の文を英語で表現してみます。実は、私の英作文については以前に我が家にホームステイしてたニュージーランドのスペンスさんとその娘さんが日々チェックしていてくれます。

Dear my overseas friends who are fond of spring and great music.

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

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

　Spring is just around the corner in Japan. You can see this change the season by the swelling of the plum buds. This morning they have not yet bloomed in my garden, so there is already a one step. Still, the petals inside the buds are starting to look red, so it looks like two or three flowers will bloom this afternoon or tomorrow morning. All I can help her is water them.

　Meanwhile, the Kaffir lily I'm raising in the warm hallway has lots of bud just like jostling against each other to warm, and they are just about to start blooming. We can recognize when the season is changing from mid-winter to early spring by the progress of the plants. Today in Gumma Prefecture, sunrise was at 6:51 and sunset will be at 5:01, so the daylight hours are 10 hours and 10 minutes. Incidentally, the daylight hour on the winter solstice was 9 hours and 41 minutes, so the daylight hours have already increased by 30 minutes.

　On the other hand, I, a human who tends to stay shut up in my house, would like to somehow step out of my shell, even if just a step or two like a plant, and experience new ways of looking at things and new fields. How can I acquire the ability to continue trying new things? Perhaps I should create a "situation from which I cannot turn back" and put myself there.

　As you know I write English compositions every day, using a Japanese-English dictionary through Facebook, and since I have been composing it for several years, I am now in a "situation from which I cannot turn back." I overslept a little this morning, but I will now try to express the above sentence in English. Actually, my English compositions are checked daily by Mr. Barry Spence and his daughter Ms. Sarah, who used to stay at my home from New Zealand as the AET of Takasaki High School Of Commerce.

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

ついに大晦日・・・今年、毎日ブログが書けました。

　いよいよ令和６年最後の日となりました。皆様、一年間、フェイスブックやブログを通じて大変にお世話になりました。過ぎ去った３６６日すべてを思い出すことはできませんが、良かったことの一つに、写真が示す通り、広々とし、車が殆ど来なく、遠くに上毛三山が見え、歩道が広く安全で、しかも、原野のように空気がきれいなウォーキングコースを知ったことです。この道は私がめざすスムースな血流と深呼吸に最適です。

　

　次に良かったのはフェイスブック友人「あつこさん」のページのお陰で、６月頃、喫茶「さんぽ道」を知り、その結果、ここが気に入ってしまい、それ以来、すでに３０～４０回ほど訪れ、リラックスする時間が持てたことです。実は、写真の道はこの「さんぽ道」から東に長が～く見えるのです。ある日、コーヒーを戴く前に、この道を東へどんどん歩いて行ったら、途中で、もしかして、ここは親友Ｔが眠ってる寺に近いのではないかと気づき、そのまま歩き続け、彼の墓前で合掌することができました。

　ところで、ウォーキング後、これを「さんぽ道」で話したら、彼は喫茶「さんぽ道」のママさんの恩師だったのです。偶然とはいえ、不思議な縁があるものです。

　三つ目に良かった今年のことは、拙い内容であってもフェイスブックやブログを毎日書けたことです。ブログは個人のホームページなので世界中からアクセスが可能です。しかし、世界の人類の９８％は日本語が理解できません。このため「外国の人にも読んでいただきたい必要性に迫られ」英語表現の機会に恵まれたことです。考えてみると私たちの日本では、どこへ行っても言葉に困ることはありません。このため、思い切って環境を変え、「自分の生活にとって、英語が絶対に必要」と自分を追い込んでみました。かつてのインド生活が今蘇ってます。

Dear my overseas friends who are interested in Nature, great music.

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

time.

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

　It's finally the last day of 2024. Thank you all for your support over the past year through Facebook and the blog. I can't remember all of the past 366 days, but one good thing is that I found a new walking course that is spacious, has almost no cars, I can see the Jomo Sanzan that means three well-known mountains in our Gumma Prefecture in the distance, has a wide and safe sidewalk, and the air is as clean as a wilderness, as shown in the photo. This path makes me for the smooth blood circulation and deep breathing that I aim for.

　The next good thing in this year is that thanks to my Facebook friend Ms. Atsuko's page, I found out the cafe named "Sampo-michi" around June, and as a result, I liked it, and since then I have already visited there about 30 to 40 times and had time to relax. In fact, the road in the photo looks long to the east from this "Sampo-michi". One day, before having coffee, I walked further and further east on this road, and halfway through I realized that maybe this was close to the temple where my best friend late Mr. Todokoro is sleeping, so I continued walking and was able to join my hands in prayer in front of his grave.

　By the way, after the walk, when I mentioned it at Sampo-michi, I found out that Mr. Todokdro was the mentor of the Mama owner of the cafe. It was a coincidence, but strange connections can happen.

　The third good thing that happened this year was that I was able to write on Facebook and my weblog every day, even if the content was poor. Blogs are personal homepage, so people can be accessed from all over the world. However, as you know, 98% of the world's people cannot understand Japanese. For this reason, I felt the need to have foreigners read my blog, and was blessed with the opportunity to express the blog in English. If we think about it, in Japan, we will never be stuck for language no matter where we go. For this reason, I decided to make a bold change in my environment that English was absolutely necessary for my life. My adolescence lived in India as a teacher of Japanese school is now coming back to my current life.

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

すでに春の気配を感じさせる紅梅の逞しさ

【画像をクリックし、拡大すると臨場感が出ます。】

　今日は１２月２９日で、殊更寒い今年の冬ですが、今日は今のところ風も吹かず小春日和です。今朝、庭の植物に目をやって驚きました。品種名・鹿児島の「紅梅」(写真上)はすでに蕾をかなり膨らませ、春を一番乗りする気配です。通常、梅は２月の開花ですが、この品種は九州出身ということもあり、例年１月中旬から下旬には咲き始めるので春を先取りしそうです。どうぞ見にいらして下さい。

　一方、写真左は群馬県の草津温泉や嬬恋村など山岳地帯に多く生息する「日本シャクナゲ」です。実は、この蕾は早くも今年の夏に生じてましたから、４月の開花まで８～９か月間も蕾のままの状態です。花の色彩は、私と同じく派手さはなくとも、味わい深い薄いピンクです。写真右は「アセビ」です。不思議なことに、蕾は赤くとも花は白です。２月下旬には咲くでしょう。

 

　このようにこれから冬本番ですが、植物たちはそれをものともせず成長を続けてます。これに比べて、人間の私は何事も取り掛かるのが遅い傾向で、今年の最後位は、頑張って目標に達したいものです。

　毎日、読んでる英文対照「天声人語２０２４秋」は９０日分が掲載され、日々読んでますが、実は後５日分残ってます。今日中に新たな英単語や難解漢字を頑張って５日分すべて読み終わりたいと思います。果たして頭に入るでしょうか。そして、明日・明後日はすっきりした気持ちで年末を過ごし、娘たち２家族と共に令和７年を迎えたいと思います。

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

　The simultaneous interpretation for your understanding will be done later on.

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

　Today is December 29th, and it's been a particularly cold winter this year, but so far there's been no wind and it's been a lovely warm day, so to speak, Indian summer. I was surprised this morning when I looked at the plants in my garden. The "red plum of Kagoshima variety" (pictured above) has already swelled its buds, i t looks taking spring in advance. As you know, usually, plum blossoms bloom in February in Japan, but because this variety is from Kyushu, so it usually starts to bloom in mid-to late January, so it looks like it'll be ahead of the spring. Please come and see it.

　On the other hand, the bottom left of the photo is a "Japanese rhododendron" that is found in the mountainous area of our Gumma Prefecture, such as Kusatsu Spar and Tsumagoi Village. In fact, these buds appeared this summer, so they will remain in bud for 8 to 9 months until they bloom in next April. The color of the flowers is not flashy, like me, but it is a tasteful pale pink. The bottom right of the photo is an "Azalea". Curiously, even though the buds are red, the flowers are white. They will bloom in late February, I guess.

　As you can see, winter is just around the corner in Japan, but the plants continue to grow regardless of cold season. In comparison, I, as a human, tend to be slow to get started on anything, so I would like to work hard and reach my purpose until the end of this year.

　The English comparison magazine "Tensei Jingo 2024 Autumn," which I read every day so far, has published 90 days' worth of English sentences and Japanese, and I read them every day, but there are actually five days left. I will do my best to read all five days' worth of new English words and difficult kanji Chinese characters by the end of today. I wonder if I will be able to memorize them. I would like to spend the end of this year tomorrow and the day after with a refreshed feeling, and welcome in the new year 2025 with my two daughters' families.

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

令和７年は、昭和１００年です。

　今年も残すところ後２１日です。来年のことを言うと鬼が笑いますが、来年は令和７年であり、同時に昭和１００年に当たります。このため、便利なことがあり、それは昭和時代に生まれた人にとって、１００から自分の生年を引けば年令がすぐにでます。例えば、昭和５０年に生まれた人は来年５０才です。

　来年のことを言う前に今年を反省する時季です。私にとって、有難いことに病気もなく、３６６日を健康で過ごせそうです。一方、私の精神には甘い所があり、勉強の方はサボり気味でした。残りの２１日を頑張ります。例年と違い楽しかったことは、生活に変化をつけるため喫茶「さんぽ道」に行ってコーヒーを味わいつつ、読書したり、ピアノを弾いたことで、ママさんなど女性の知り合いもできました。

　ところで、ご覧の通り、家の前の道は車が一台通れるほどの道幅でウォーキングにはとても良いです。計ってみたら丁度５０mあり、往復で１００mです。このため、どこか遠くへ行かなくても気楽にウォーキングできます。歩いていると、つい考え事をしてしまい、何往復したか忘れるので工夫してます。

　それは、ご覧の塀の上に石を置き、一往復したらその石を横に動かします。塀の上は丁度１０に分かれているので、石が端から端まで移動できたら１０００mです。１５分～２０分程度で血液循環も呼吸も姿勢も整う感じです。利点は、遠方まで行くと帰らなくてはなりませんが、ここならその不安はなく気楽に歩けます。夕方歩くと空腹となり、軽く一杯が格別です。

Dear my overseas friends who like both of nature and great music

　The simultaneous interpretation for your understanding will be done after breakfast in Japan

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

　There are only 21 days left this year. By old saying, if we talk about next year, demon laughs as a joke, but next year will be the 7th year of Reiwa and also the 100th year of Showa. Because of this, it is convenient. For people born in the Showa era, they can quickly find out their age by subtracting their birth year from 100. For example, someone born in 50 year of Showa 1975 will be 50 years old next year.

　Before talking about next year, it is time to reflect on this year. Thankfully, I have not been sick and I will be able to spend 366 days in good health. On the other hand, I have a soft personality for mentality, and I have been slacking off on my studies, such as English vocabularies and practice the piano. I will do my best in the remaining 21 days within this year. What was fun, different from previous years, was that I went to my favorite cafe "Sampo-michi" to change my daily life and read books and play the piano while enjoying coffee, and I was able to get to know some ladies, including the owner.

　Not change the subject, but as you can see, the road in front of my garden is wide enough for one car to pass through, so it is suitable for walking. I measured it and it was exactly 50 meters, so it is 100 meters round trip. This allows me to walk casually without going far. When I am walking, I tend to get lost in thought and forget how many times I've made a round trip, so here's a clever trick.

　So I placed a stone on top of the wall, as you can see here, and after one round trip, I move the stone sideway. The top of the wall is divided into exactly 10 sections, so if I can move the stone from one end to the other, it's 1000m. It takes about 15 to 20 minutes, and it feels like my blood circulation, deep breathing, and posture are all in order. The advantage is that if I go far away, I have to return home, but here I don't have to worry about. I can walk casually. Walking in the evening makes me hungry, so a light drink is delicious beyond description.

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

　

世界で９２位に愕然・・・へこたれず頑張りましょう。

　語学学校を世界に展開する企業Education First【本部スイス】がこのほど発表した英語圏以外の国・地方の２０２４年版「英語能力指数」で日本は過去最低の９２位に転落したと伝えられます。それにしても、あまりの低さに驚きです。令和５年の訪日外国人旅行者数は２５０７万人（出典:日本政府観光局（JNTO）と増加してます。このような急激な国際化に逆行し、英語能力の低下に歯止めがかかりません。

　この理由はいろいろ考えられます。まず、私たち日本人は遠い祖先の時代から、外国人と接する機会はなく、日本語だけで不自由なく生活ができました。現在でも、地方ではその状況は変わりません。

　日本で英語が必要なのは、高校入試と大学入試でよい成績を取るためです。つまり、生活として必要ではなく、入試の合格に必要なのです。入試が過ぎれば、英語は殆ど必要なくなります。学校の授業でも、文法を「日本語で説明する英語の授業」という感覚があり、英語の時間でも「一貫して英語のみで教える姿」はないようです。

　しかしながら、今や小学校でもＡＥＴの先生から英語を教わる機会があり、私の時代では考えられないことで、その環境に心底から羨ましく感じます。日本は島国ですが、今やＳＮＳの時代で、瞬時にして外国人と繋がります。勉強を始めるのに遅すぎることはないです。皆さん、頑張りましょう。

Dear my overseas friends who like both of nature and music

　The simultaneous interpretation for your understanding will be done after my radio gymnastics held in the nearby park and breakfast in Japan time.

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　Education First, a company with headquarters in Switzerland that operates language schools worldwide, recently released the 2024 English Proficiency Index for non-English-speaking countries and regions. Japan has reportedly fallen to 92nd place, its lowest ever ranking. Even so, it is surprising how low the Japanese ranking is. The number of foreign tourists visiting Japan in 2024 is increasing to 25.07 million (Source: Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO)). This rapid internationalization goes against the trend and the decline in English proficiency is unstoppable.

　There are various possible reasons for this by my thinking. First of all, since the period of our distant ancestors, we Japanese have had no opportunity to interact with foreigners and have been able to live comfortably using only Japanese. Even today, the situation remains the same in rural areas, even in Gumma prefecture where I live.

　The reason why English is necessary in Japan is to achieve good results in high school and university entrance exams. In other words, English is not necessary for daily life, after passing the entrance exams. Once the entrance exams are over, English is hardly needed anymore. Even in school English classes, there seems that grammar is "explained in Japanese" and even in English classes, there is no "consistent teaching only in English." in other words, the way of immersion is not prevalent.

　However, nowadays, even in elementary schools, there are opportunities to learn English from AET teachers, which was unthinkable in my young time, so that I am truly envious of this circumstance beyond description. Japan is an island nation, but we are now in the midst of social media, and can connect with foreigners instantly. It is never too late to start studying. Let's do our best, everyone.

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深まる秋に植物が色づくように、自らも変容したい。

　未だに咲いてるサルスベリのような植物もありますが、サルスベリは同時に紅葉も始まり不思議です。しかし、１０月半ばを過ぎると多くの植物は紅葉をが始まり、それと共に、実が生る植物は実の色が黄色く変化していますが、今後、次第に赤くなります。

　この黄色くなった実は、琵琶ではありません。写真をアップしたので大きく見えますが、実際の直径は４mmほどのクロガネモチです。前の道のそばに植えてあるので今後は塀の外からも目立つでしょう。よく観賞できるのは１２月からお正月で、その後は野鳥にすべて食べられてしまいます。しかし、自然は共存共栄です。というのは野鳥によって種が運ばれ、クロガネモチも子孫が繁栄できます。

　ところで、植物が色彩的に見事に変化するように、私自身もマンネリ化を避け、少しでよい方向へと自らを変えたいものです。それは、いつまでも「進取で柔軟な脳」、いつまでも「頑丈で柔軟な身体」へと、めざす気持ちだけはあります。

　しかし、いい年をして、どうしても楽な方向へと流れやすいです。今年も、ついに後７５日のみ。「必要は発明の母」と考え、ブログの英訳に必要な英単語を使えるように覚えたり、年末に向って「ピアノに向かう時間」を多く取ります。

Dear my friends who like reading in English

　The simultaneous interpretation for your understanding will be done after my radio gymnastics held in the nearby park and breakfast in Japan time.

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

　The crape myrtle in my garden is blooming now, but strangely enough, the leaves of the crape myrtle are also starting to turn red at the same time. However, after mid-October, many plants start to turn red, and at the same time, the fruit of the fruit-bearing plants is turning yellow, but in the near future, it will gradually turn red.

 　These yellow fruits in the photo are not loquat. I uploaded a photo so they look big, but they are actually "Round Leaf Holly", about 4mm in diameter. They are planted near the path in front of the fence, so they will be visible from outside the fence from now on. They can be best viewed from December to New Year, then they are all eaten by wild birds. However, nature is coexistence. That is because the seeds are carried by wild birds, and the Round Leaf Holly can prosper.

　Not change the subject, but just as plants change color beautifully, I would like to avoid becoming stale and change myself for the better, even if only a little. I have the desire to always aim for a "progressive and flexible brain'' and a "sturdy and flexible body.''

　　However, even at my age, I still tend to take the easy way. There are only 75 days left this year. Thinking that "necessity is the mother of invention," I'm going to try to learn the English vocabulary needed to translate Facebook posts, and I'm going to spend more time "at the piano" till the end of 2024.

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朝起きて寝るまで・・・和英辞典と共に

【画像をクリックし拡大してご覧ください。秋が迫ります。】

　本格的な秋となり、マユミがその美しさを余すところなく表現しています。私はこのマユミを庭の入り口の高い位置に植木鉢ごと設置し、前の道を通る人たちに観賞できるようにしてます。

　このマユミは種が零れて自然に生えた幼木ですが、人間に例えれば、小学高学年ほどでしょう。良い土と水遣りを欠かさず、今夏の猛暑を乗り切ったことで良く成長し、私が期待する以上に、秋を素晴らしく表現しています。一般的に、物事はなかなか上手く行かないものですが、不断の努力【？】により、予想を超えて努力が報われることもあるのですね。若いマユミのお陰で、「やればできる」と私にやる気を起こさせてます。

　実は、恥ずかしい話ですが、私はいい年をして、今ほど英単語に力を入れてることはありません。おそらく最初の就職でインドにいたときよりもです。今では朝起きて夜寝るまで「これを英語で何と言うか」と言う観点で、例文がたくさん出てる和英辞典と睨めっこです。果たして運よくこのマユミのように予想を超える結果に繋がるでしょうか。それには時間を有効に使わなくてはなりません。

Dear my friend abroad who is a native speaker of English

　Autumn is in full swing, so the Mayumi that means spindle tree in English is expressing its beauty to the fullest. I installed this Mayumi in a flowerpot at a high position at the entrance to my garden so that people passing by can appreciate it.

　This Mayumi is a young tree that grew naturally from a seed that was spilled, but if it were a human, it would be about the age of an upper elementary school student. With good soil and constant watering by me, it has grown well and has survived this year's heatwave, and it expresses autumn more beautifully than I expected. Generally, things don't always go well like this, but with constant effort, it can be rewarded beyond my expectation. The young Mayumi motivates me to think, "If I try, I can do it."

　As a matter of fact, I'm embarrassed to say this, but as I get older, I've never concentrated as much effort into English vocabulary as I do now. Probably more than when I was in India for my first job at Calcutta. Now, from the time I wake up in the morning until I go to bed at night, I stare at a Japanese-English dictionary and modern colloquialisms Japanese-English which includes full of example sentences for "How do I say this in English?" Will I be lucky enough to get results that exceed my expectation like Mayumi did? I must use time wisely.

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