脇から出てきたアマリリスの蕾・・・今度はいくつ咲くか

　今日は旧端午【旧暦５月5日】です。５月も今日で終わります。群馬県の今日の日の出は４時２６分、太陽高度は７５°、日の入りは１８時５５分です。このため、昼の長さは１４時間２９分となり、夏至と殆ど変わらないほどになってます。因みに夏至の昼の長さは１４時間３６分です。

　この長い昼の時間を、身体の健康と精神の充実ために有効に使いたいものです。昨日も、庭では樹木の観察と剪定など植物を世話しました。早いもので梅の収穫がもうすぐです。現在、すべての枝に実が生り、重そうに垂れ下がってます。自然は良く出来ており、この垂れ下がりにより、梅の実が捥ぎやすくなってます。果たして、今年は笊に何杯収穫できるでしょうか。

　一方、先日手にしたコラム集「天声人語２０２５春」は今のところ、予定通り、１日に二日分読み進んでます。先ず、日本語の文に目を通しますが、不思議なことに、漢字は恰も絵のようであり、見た瞬間にすぐ読め、意味が分かるのですから有難いものです。これは小中学生の時から積み上げたものだからでしょう。しかし、英文はそうは行きません。一字一句をよく見なくては先に進めず、辞書で意味と発音を確認しつつ、ノートに整理するので時間がかかります。新たな単語では、それに関する使えそうな例文にも目を通します。

　昨日は午後３時半頃、気分転換にお気に入り喫茶「さんぽ道」へ愛車で行きました。帰路もあるので歩いては行けない距離です。「カッキー、また行ったのか」と言われそうですが、ママさんの人柄の良さと、広い自然環境下にあり、居心地がよいのです。喫茶店ですから多くの人は友人知人と行ってますが、私は常に一人です。アイス珈琲を戴きつつ、昨日は愛読書の一冊・曽野綾子著「老いの才覚」を読み返しました。この本のお陰で、高齢となってからの気持ちの持ち方について成程ということばかりで、読後に心に余裕が出てくる感じです。

Dear my friends who like iced coffee and great music.

  Today is the old Tango which means boy's festival [May 5th in the lunar calendar]. May also ends today. Today in Gumma Prefecture, sunrise is at 4:26, the solar altitude is 75°, and sunset is at 18:55. Because of this, the length of daytime is 14 hours and 29 minutes, which is almost the same as the summer solstice. Incidentally, the length of daytime on the summer solstice is 14 hours and 36 minutes.

  We should use this long day effectively to improve our physical health and mental fulfillment. Yesterday, I also took care of the plants in the garden, such as observing and pruning the trees. Time flies so that the plum harvest is almost soon. All the branches are now covered with fruit, and their branches are hanging down heavy. Nature is good, because this hanging down makes it easier to pick the plums. I wonder how many baskets I will be able to harvest this year.

  Meanwhile, I have been reading two days' worth of the column collection "Tensei Jingo 2025 Spring" that I got the other day, as planned. First, I look over Japanese sentences, and strangely enough, kanji characters are like pictures, so I can read and understand the meaning as soon as I see them, which is a blessing. This is probably because I've been learning them since I was in elementary and junior high school. However, it's not the same as English sentences. I can't read without looking carefully at every single word, and it takes time to check the meaning and pronunciation by a dictionary and organize them in a notebook. For new words, I also look over example sentences that seem useful for daily life.

  Yesterday, around 3:30 p.m., I went to my favorite coffee shop, "Sampo-michi," by my car TT to change my mood. I have to return home, so it's too far to walk. If possible, you might say, "Kakky, you're going there again," but the owner's nice personality and the location in a wide natural environment make it a comfortable place. Since it's a coffee shop, many people go with friends or acquaintances, but I'm always alone. While enjoying iced coffee, I reread one of my favorite books, "The Wisdom of Old Age," by Sono Ayako. This book has given me a lot of insight into how to maintain a positive attitude as I get older, and I feel like I have more peace of mind after reading it.

体調を崩しやすい今の時季

【上からラッパ水仙、左は開花した西洋シャクナゲ、右はサクランボ】　

　春分の日が過ぎましたが、完全な春になってるわけでなく、この時季は未だ未だ三寒四温が繰り返されます。冷たい北の高気圧と暖かい南の高気圧に左右される日本列島に住む私たちは体調を崩しやすい季節です。それはスギやヒノキ、ブタクサの花粉が大気に浮遊し、その上、現在、大陸から黄砂がやって来てます。

　先日、群馬県吉井町の高台に行ったら、空はよく晴れているのに、浅間山をはじめ上毛三山や周囲の峰々が埃のような色の大気で全く見えません。これが黄砂です。車を外に出したままではボンネットの上などがかなり汚れます。ですから、今の季節は花粉にプラスし、黄砂により目や鼻に辛い症状が出やすいときです。

　という私も、ついうっかりして2日ほど前「うたた寝」をしたのでしょう。結果として身体が冷え、その後、体調不良が続いてます。肺を使う管楽器奏者や声楽家はこのような風邪の症状は大敵です。夜中に咳が出たりしました。

　このため、今朝は今までにない対策を実践してみました。それは体温より温かな白湯を作って飲んでみたところ、すぐに体中がポカポカしてきました。調べてみると、白湯には、冷え性を改善する効果、血行促進の効果などがあるといわれます。その作り方は簡単で、ミネラルウォーターなら電子レンジやポットで50℃前後になるまで温めれば良いとされてます。早朝に暫く続けてみます。

Dear my FB friends who are crazy about the way of health, and great music.

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

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

　The Vernal Equinox day has passed, but it is not yet completely spring, and three cold days and four warm days are still repeated at this season. Living in the Japanese archipelago, which is affected by cold high pressure in the north and warm high pressure in the south, this is a season when we are prone to getting sick. This is because pollen from cedar, cypress, and ragweed floats in the air, and on top of that, yellow sand is currently coming from the continent.

　The other day, when I went to a hill in Yoshii-Town, Gumma Prefecture, the sky was clear, but I could not see the active volcano Mt. Asama, the well-known three mountains of Gumma Prefecture, and the surrounding peaks at all because of the dust-colored air. This is yellow sand. If you leave your car outside, the top of the hood will get very dirty. So, this season, in addition to the pollen, yellow sand is likely to cause painful symptoms in our eyes, nose, and throat.

　By the way, I must have accidentally taken a nap about two days ago. As a result, my body got cold, and I have been feeling unwell ever since. For wind instrument players and vocalists who use their lungs, these cold symptoms are a major enemy to perform. I even had a cough in the middle of last night.

　For this reason, I tried a new strategy this morning. I made hot water that was warmer than body temperature and drank it, and my whole body immediately felt warm. After researching, I found that hot water is said to be effective in improving sensitivity to cold and promoting blood circulation. It's easy to make; if you're using mineral water, all you need to do is heat it in the microwave or a pot until it reaches around 50°C. I'll try doing this method for a while early in the morning.

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

便利とは何か

　機械の性能が発達して生活がますます「便利」になってます。私たち人間が考えなくても、努力しなくても、無駄なく効率的にどんどん作業をしてくれるものがたくさんあります。近年のいろいろの機械化の中でも、私が心から有難いと思ってることは何だと思いますか。

　生活の中で便利なものはいろいろありますが、何と言っても「トイレのウォシュレット」と感じてます。これほど文明の利器をつくづく実感することはありません。誠に衛生的で、温かいお湯がちょうどよい場所に、下から「程よい圧力で」当たります。しかも、その後、温かい風が出てきて乾かしてくれます。昔に比べると本当に夢のような文明の利器で、トイレに行くのが楽しい程です。

　便利と言えば、もう一つ、車に付いてるナビゲーションです。以前に岐阜県や秋田県など遠い県外の知人宅へも、玄関の前まで誘導してくれました。これこそ夢の文明機器です。

　一方、便利すぎるものもあり心配です。今の社会は、一億人の殆どがどこへ行っても四六時中、スマホ依存の光景です。横断歩道上でも歩きスマホ、中にはバイクスマホ、自転車スマホ、特に電車に乗ると客の９５％程が「首を斜め１５度ほど下に向けた同じ姿勢でスマホに集中している光景」に異常を感じます。今後、社会は「このままでいいのだろうか」と思ってしまいます。という私もスマホを持ってますが、電話やライン、その他、「必要なときに使うだけ」で常時見ることはしません。

　一体、便利とは何でしょう。自分の足で、自分の行きたいところへ自由に歩いて行けること。健康でお腹が空いて何でもおいしく食べられること。そして身体が自由に動き、常に健康であること。人と楽しく会話ができること。中でも、本当の便利とは、自らの頭で考える習慣があり、自ら発想、創造できることと私は考えてました。便利過ぎて文明の「機器が危機に陥らない歯止め」こそ人間の知恵とも言えます。

Dear my overseas friends

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

...........

　As the performance of machines improves, life becomes more and more convenient. There are many things that work efficiently and without waste, without humans having to think or make any effort. Of all the mechanization that has occurred in recent years, what do you think I am truly grateful for?

　There are many convenient things in our daily lives, but I feel that the most important thing is the "Washlet in the toilet." I have never experienced the benefits of civilization so thoroughly. As you know, It is truly hygienic, and warm water hits just the right place from below with just the right amount of pressure. What's more, after that, a warm breeze comes out and dries it. Compared to the past, it's a truly dream-like convenience of civilization, and it's so much fun for me to go to the toilet.

　Another thing that's convenient is the navigation system that comes with our car. In the past, it has guided me to the front door of acquaintances' homes in faraway prefectures such as Gifu and Akita. This is a dream civilization device.

　On the other hand, I am worried that some of them are too convenient. In today's society, most of the 100 million people in Japan rely on their smartphones all day long, no matter where they go. People use smartphones while walking, even on zebra crossing, while using bicycle smartphones, and especially when riding a train, it is unusual to see 95% of the passengers concentrating on their smartphones in the same posture with their heads tilted down about 15 degrees. I feel it. In the future, Japanese society will wonder if things can continue as they are. I also have a smartphone, but I only use it for calls, lines, and other things when I need to, so I don't look at it all the time.

　What exactly is convenience? Being able to walk freely wherever we want to go with our feet. To be healthy, hungry, and able to eat anything delicious. And to be able to move freely and always be healthy. Being able to have fun conversations with people. Above all, I thought that true convenience was having the habit of thinking for myself and being able to come up with ideas and create things myself. It can be said that human wisdom is to "stop the equipment from falling into crisis" because it is excessively convenient for civilization.

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

驚き！・・・水を入れると水が青くなるコップ

　昨日は娘の娘たち(小３、小１)に教わったアピタの「百円均一」に私一人で行き、ご覧の４品を購入しました。それにしてもいい物がどれも１００円とは本当に安いです。

　右から、夕食に欠かせない一杯に必要なもの、早朝の空腹時に毎朝飲む抗酸化作用のグレープフルーツジュース用のグラス、なお、剪定後に切った枝を縛る１５０mもあるテープ、そして、老眼鏡ではなく、辞書などがとても良く見える拡大鏡です。

　お店には、これ以外にも生活に必要かつ便利なものが１００円でたくさん並んでいます。どうしてこんなに安いのでしょう。一般のお店で購入すれば、今回は合計して数千円するかもしれません。特に気に入ってるものは右から二番目のきれいな青いグラスです。このコップに水を入れると水が青くなります。孫娘たちに感謝です。今度来たらお小遣いをあげよう。

Dear my friends abroad who like shopping

　I went to Apita's "100 yen uniform", which my daughters (3rd and 1st grade in elementary school) taught me. Yesterday, I bought the four items you see by myself. Even so, all good things are really cheap at 100 yen.

　From the right, what I need for a cup of dinner, the next is for an antioxidant grapefruit glass that I drink every morning on an empty stomach, if I pour water in this cup, the water will turn blue. and 150 meters of tape to tie the branches after pruning, and a glasses to read dictionary instead of reading glasses. It is a magnifying glass that looks very good beyond description.

　In addition to this, the store also sells many useful and necessary items for 100 yen. How is it so cheap? If I buy them at a general store, it may cost several thousand yen in total. My favorite item this time is the second blue glass from the right. Thanks to my granddaughters. I will give them some pocket money next time they come.

※上記の英文をネイティブの発音で聴くには英文をドラッグしてコピーし、次に貼り付けて下さい。なお、右上の欄を必ずUS Englishにしてください。https://ttsreader.com/ja/