楽しみな「くらカフェ」のオープン

　今朝は寝坊してしまい、下弦の月を撮ったのは６時３０分です。今朝の日の出は６時５５分なので、大空も大分明るくなってます。今日の月齢は２７。つまり、旧暦では未だ１１月２７日です。このため、今年の旧元日は２月１７日と大分遅いです。日の出時刻については、今まで遅かったですが、明日から、ほんの少しずつ早くなるのが感じられるでしょう。

　ところで、私たちは年齢を重ねると「新たな人と出会ったり、新たな人と話したりする機会」が減り、つい今までと同様の、あるいは、それより少ない付き合いなる傾向です。このように変化のない生活を続けていると「脳活動は停滞気味」になり易いと考えられます。これを打破するには、どんな小さなことでも、今までとは違う新たな事に目を向けることが必要です。その中でも「新たな人との出会い」が最も効果的であると考えられます。

　倉賀野町地区協議会「ささえあい くらがの」では、自由に集まれて、おしゃべりの場となる「くらカフェ」を最近オープンし、地域の方々と交流したい人、楽しくお茶を飲みたい人の「居場所づくり」が推進されてます。今までもお試し会が行われ、参加された方々の印象は「いろんな人と話せて楽しい」「地域にこういう場所があると良い」などの感想が寄せられ、再度、お試し開催する運びになり、実は今日がその日です。すでに長期に亘り一人暮らしの私にとって、「くらカフェ」は打ってつけであり、良い機会と捉え、参加することにしてます。

Dear my friends who are crazy about encounter with new people.

　I overslept this morning, so I took a photo the waning moon at 6:30. This morning's sunrise was at 6:55, so the sky was quite bright. Today's moon age is 27, which means it's still November 27th in the lunar calendar. For this reason, New Year's Day this year in the lunar calendar will be quite late, on February 17th. Up until now, sunrise times have been late, but starting tomorrow, you'll notice it gradually getting earlier.

　By the way, as we get older, we tend to have fewer opportunities to meet and talk to new people, and we tend to end up with the same or even fewer interactions than before. It's thought that if we continue living a life without change like this, our brain activity can easily become stagnant. To overcome this way of living, we need to focus on new and different things, no matter how small. Meeting new people is thought to be the most effective for longevity.

　The Kuragano Town District Council, "Supporting Kuragano," recently opened as "Kura Cafe", a place where people can gather and chat freely, promoting a chance creation for people who want to interact with local people and enjoy a cup of tea. Trial sessions have been held in the past, with participants leaving comments such as "It's fun to talk to all kinds of people" and "It's good to have a place like this in the community," leading to trial session being held again, and in fact today is that day. For me who has been living alone for 20 years, Kura Cafe is the ideal situation for me, and this is so good opportunity that I have decided to participate.

倉賀野上４公園で粗大ごみの収集と、トラックへ詰め込み

　今日は朝８時から１０時過ぎまで上４地区の粗大ごみを軽トラ３台で地区を回って集め、それらはご覧の通り、大きな段ボール、古雑誌、古新聞、ビールのアルミ缶など集まったものを業者のトラックに積み込む作業です。２０名程で行いましたが、年末年始後であり多量の粗大ゴミで重労働です。

　ところで、今日は驚きました。フェイスブック友人で県議の鈴木あつこさんも見え、重い作業を一緒にやってくださいました。休憩時に、彼女は分け隔てなく一人一人と親しく歓談され、地元民と共にある姿が垣間見られました。

Dear my friends

　Today, from 8am until after 10am, I went to kami-4th park to collect bulky waste with members by three light trucks. As you can see, the collected items are included large cardboard boxes, old magazines, old newspapers, and aluminum beer cans. And we loaded them onto a contractor's truck. There were about 20 of members working on this. This time, as it was after the New Year holidays, it was hard work with the large amount of bulky waste.

　By the way, I was surprised today. My Facebook friend and prefectural assembly member Ms. Suzuki Atsuko also showed up and helped with the heavy work. During the break, she chatted amiably with everyone, without discrimination, giving us a glimpse of her community-building.

大鶴巻古墳山頂からの眺め

　群馬県の今日９月２２日の日の出は５時３１分、正午の太陽高度は５３°、日の入りは１７時４１分です。このため昼の長さは１２時間１０分です。今朝５時の外気温は１５℃です。ずいぶん涼しくなりました。私は６月頃から何処へ行くにも半ズボンでしたが、３日ほど前から長ズボンに変わりました。

　写真は昨日・夕刻に一人で登った倉賀野町の名所・大鶴巻古墳の頂上から見た赤城山です。クリックし拡大してご覧ください。下の写真は頂上の様子です。高い位置からは高い山が雄大に見えます。山頂の樹木は殆どが大きなアカシヤです。ところで、夕暮れの古墳の上で「私は一人で黙々とあることをしました。何をしたと思いますか。」それは太いアカシヤの木を使って「テッポウ」しました。ここまで歩いたり、山頂に登ったりして足は鍛えたので、今度は上半身を鍛えました。テッポウは肩幅に、延いては大切な呼吸にも効果があると感じてます。

　ところで、最近、この大鶴巻に登る人は殆どいないようです。というのは近くの道路からこの古墳までの小道が全く無くなっていたからです。私は長く育った植物をかき分け古墳に近づき、その後も登山道は無く、黙々と山頂をめざしました。山頂はご覧の通り、広々しており、動きやすかったです。今後、秋から冬にかけては登り易くなるでしょう。大鶴巻古墳に行ってみたい人はご案内します。

Dear my friends who are crazy about the pleasure of daily life and great music.

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

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

　In Gumma Prefecture today, September 22nd, sunrise was at 5:31 AM, the sun's altitude at noon will be 53°, and sunset will be at 5:41 PM. This means the length of daylight is 12 hours and 10 minutes. The outside temperature at 5 AM this morning was １５°C. It's became much cooler. I've been wearing shorts since around June, but I've switched to long pants three days ago.

　The photo shows Mt. Akagi as seen from the top of Ohzurumaki burial mound, a famous spot in Kuragano-Town that I climbed alone yesterday evening. The photo below shows the summit. From this high vantage point, the high mountain looks more majestic. Most of the trees on the peak are large acacia trees. By the way, on top of this burial mound at dusk, "I did something alone, in silence. What do you think I did?" I used a thick acacia tree to "teppou" (like a pushing up). I'd worked out my legs by walking up here and climbing to the summit, so now I was working out my upper body. I feel that it is effective for shoulder width, and ultimately on breathing.

　By the way, it seems that hardly anyone has been climbing Ootsurumaki recently. This is because the path from the nearby road to this ancient tumulus has completely disappeared. I pushed my way through the long-grown grasses to approach the tumulus, and there was no further hiking trail, so I silently headed for the summit. As you can see in the photo, the summit is spacious and easy to move around in. From now on, it will probably become easier to climb from autumn into winter. If you would like to visit this Ohzurumaki burial mound, I would be happy to show you around.

　　

今日も通路を渡る・・・私の足腰鍛錬

　ＪＲ倉賀野駅の北口を入ると切符売り場まで行くに遠いです。しかも、この物凄く高い通路を渡るため、階段の段数がものすごく多く、高齢者の中には渡れない人もいるでしょう。近年は人員削減で切符売り場も無人化となり味気ないです。

　しかし、倉賀野町の大きな良さは、この倉賀野駅があることです。東京へも直接行けますし、高崎線のみならず八高線も通るので停車する電車の本数は多く、駅のない近隣の町村に比較したら感謝です。今日も夕方、足腰の筋肉増強にこの橋を渡って鍛えます。

Dear my friends

　Once we enter JR Kuragano Station's north exit, it's a long way to the ticket counter. Moreover, we have to cross this extremely high walkway with the enormous number of steps, therefore some elderly people may not be able to cross it.

　In recent years, the staff cuts have meant that the ticket counter is unmanned. It is bit dreary.

　However, one of Kuragano-town's great advantages is the presence of Kuragano-Station. It offers direct access to Tokyo, and since it's served by both the Takasaki Line and the Hachiko Line, many trains stop here, which is a great convenient advantage compared to neighboring towns and villages that don't have station. This evening, I'll cross this bridge again to strengthen my leg and hip muscles.

倉賀野の歴史をウォーキングと結びつける

　故郷・倉賀野に生まれ育ち、小学生の頃は西の 正六から東の南町まであちこちの友だちの家に遊びに行き、その近くの林や森、川で遊んだ記憶が蘇ります。それ以来、何十年と経過しても、未だ倉賀野町の隅々まですべてを歩き尽くしていません。倉賀野の特徴の一つは、５～６世紀に造られたと想われる古墳群です。私は今でも必ず頂上まで登り、広い山頂で周囲の景色を眺めたり、故郷の遥かなる古に思いを馳せてます。

　私の知る限り、倉賀野に残ってる立派な古墳は正六から上町にかけての大鶴巻古墳、隣の小鶴巻古墳、及び浅間山古墳です。また、下町の諏訪神社の西近くに一基ありますが、近年、宅地開発され、その姿は殆ど確認できなくなりつつあります。一方、南町の緑地公園近くには写真の一本杉古墳が残存してます。

　先日のウォーキングでも、ここを訪れ、寂しそうに佇む小さなこの古墳を見学しました。山頂には杉の木があり、古き倉賀野の姿を今に伝えています。子供のとき私は仲の良かったＫ君とこの近くで遊んだことが蘇ります。彼は高崎市議に立候補する直前に病に倒れ、帰らぬ人となりました。ピンチヒッターで奥様が急遽、立候補し当選され、活躍されました。

　健康維持と「倉賀野についての勉強」を兼ねる目的で、これからもウォーキングを続けます。最近の猛暑では却って健康にマイナスなので、涼しくなったら再開です。心では一緒に歩いてくれる人を求めてます。【写真はクリックし拡大してご覧ください。】

Dear everyone

　I was born and raised in my hometown named Kuragano. When I was an elementary school student, I visited friends' houses all over the Kuragano, from Shoroku in the west to Minami-cho in the east, and I have fond memories of playing in their nearby woods, forests, and rivers. Even though decades have passed since then, I still haven't explored every corner of Kuragano. One of Kuragano's distinctive features is the group of ancient tombs thought to have been built in the 5th or 6th century. I still often climb to the top, admire the surrounding breathtaking scenery from the wide summit, and reminisce about the distant past of my hometown Kuragano.

　As far as I know, the only magnificent ancient tombs remaining in Kuragano are the Otzurumaki Tomb from Shoroku to Kami-cho, the neighboring Kozurumaki Tomb, and the Sengenyama Tomb. There is also one located near the west of Suwa Shrine in Shimo-cho, but in recent years it has been developed into residential land so that it is becoming increasingly difficult to see. Meanwhile, the Ipponsugi Tomb, shown in the photo, remains near the greenery park in Minami-cho.

　I visited this spot on a recent walking and saw this small, lonely-looking ancient tomb. There are cedar trees on the summit as you see in the photo, reminding us of the old Kuragano. It brings back memories of playing nearby as a child with my good friend Mr. Kiyozuka. He fell ill just before running for Takasaki City Council and passed away regrettably. His wife ran for as a pinch hitter and won the election and she had a great career.

　I will continue walking to maintain my health together with "study about my Kuragano-town." The recent heatwaves in Japan have actually been detrimental to my health, so I will resume walking after the weather cools down. In my heart, I am looking for someone to walk with me. [Click on the photo to enlarge.]

　

拙い文章が「長寿会お知らせ版」に載る

　最近、倉賀野町上３地区の新聞に拙い私のブログが載りました。編集者で長寿会長のＫさんが、毎日、私のブログに目を通して下さってるようで、今回、地区に関連した上記の文を選んでくださいました。

　実は、恥ずかしながら、上４地区のあちこちの掲示板に、これが掲載されてます。私自身が高齢の仲間ですが、私としては、これからも地区の高齢者と、輝く未来を持つ小学生の安全登校のために役立ちたいです。

　それには、いつまでも身体を鍛えつつ、精神が錆びつかないよう修養します。脳の活性化のために一日にいくつでもいいから生活に即した英単語を覚えます。今日は脱水症と除湿を覚え、早速、除湿をブログで使いました。

　Recently, my humble blog was featured in the newspaper in the Kami-4th district of Kuragano-Town. Mr. Kumagai, an editor and chairman of the Longevity Association, seems to read my blog every day, so this time he chose the following sentence related to the district.

　Actually, I'm ashamed to say that it has been posted on bulletin boards all over the Kami-4th district. I am an elderly person myself, but from now on I would like to continue to help to the elderly in the district and to elementary school students who have bright futures, so that students can continue to go to and from school safely.

　To do this, I have to keep my body in shape and train my mind so as not to get rusty. To keep my brain active, I will learn English words that are relevant to my daily life. Today I learned about dehydration and dehumidification, and immediately used dehumidification on weblog.

枝垂れ紅梅に教えられる「変化と統一」

　写真は「枝垂れ紅梅」の四季による変化の様子です。春はピンクの花が3週間ほど満開となり、行き交う人に優雅な春爛漫を感じさせます。夏は緑色濃く木陰を作り、秋はご覧の通り、すべての枝が紅葉し、何とはなしに侘しさをしみじみ味わわせ、冬は落葉し、雪が降れば枝に積もり、樹木内に栄養を蓄え、春へのエネルギーに備えます。

　４本の梅すべて紅葉している現在、色彩を通して、日本には四季があることを実感させます。それにしても、樹形と色彩によって美の本質とは「統一と変化」であることを私に教えてます。同時に、枝ぶりには、何事にも耐えうる円熟さが増し、年々、樹木としての威厳が窺えます。

　私たち人間も、日々の活動において生き方に信念を持ち、一つの分野のみでなく、可能な限り視野を広げ、一度しかない人生を豊かに生きたいものです。これこそ人間として生まれた特典と言えます。

　ところで、私が生まれて以来住み続けてる倉賀野町では、今日、全地区による祭りの日です。高崎市に合併以降、町長、町会議員がいなくなり、祭りは半世紀ほど途絶えましたが、江戸時代から続く地域の祭りは笛太鼓の音が響き、幼き日々の感動が蘇りつつあります。今後、この祭りが「子供たちの未来」へと引き継がれ、賑やかだった往時の倉賀野の復興となることを願ってやみません。

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.

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

　The photo indicates the seasonal changes of the weeping plum tree. In spring, the pink flowers are in full bloom for about three weeks, with giving passersby a sense of the graceful spring in full bloom. In summer, the deep green leaves create shade like Indian Park, and in autumn, as you can see, all the branches turn red, with creating a sense of loneliness. In winter, the leaves fall, and when snow falls, it accumulates on the branches, with storing nutrients inside the tree and preparing it for spring.

　Now all four plum trees in my garden have turned red, the colors make me realize that Japan has four seasons. Even so, the tree's shape and color teach me that the essence of beauty is "Unity and Change." At the same time, the branches become more ripe and able to withstand anything, and year by year, the dignity of the tree is appeared.

　We humans, too, should have conviction in our way of life in our daily activities, broaden our horizons as much as possible. Because our life is limited only one life so that we must live to the fullest. This is the privilege of being born as a human being.

　Not change the subject, but today is the day of a district-wide festival in Kuragano-town where I have lived since I was born. After the town was merged into Takasaki-city, the town no longer has a mayor or many town council members, therefore festivals ceased for about half a century. However, the local festival which has been held since the Edo period, resonates with the sounds of Japanese flutes and drums. It is bringing back memories of childhood days. I sincerely hope that in the future this festival will be inherited to "the children of the future," and It will help restore prosperous Kuragano to its former self.

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

私のウォーキングコースに点在する倉賀野の新堤と古堤

　倉賀野町には「古堤」と、通常、鯉池と呼ばれる「新堤」の二つの灌漑用溜池があります。写真はご覧の通り、広い「新堤」で、碑文によると、天明３年(１７８３)に着工し、足かけ４年の歳月をかけ、天明６年に完成したものです。天明年間は稀に見る多難な時代で、天明３年７月には浅間山が大噴火し、倉賀野近辺でも火山灰が２０～３０cmも降り積もり、田畑は壊滅的な打撃を受けてます。その後も、天候不順で大凶作となり、いわゆる天明の大飢饉が発生しました。

　このような困難を乗り越えて造られた新堤は、その後、倉賀野町の東部・東南部の田畑を潤してきました。現在、建設当初より若干狭くなりましたが、今なお、現役の用水池として機能し、また、四季を通じで渡り鳥の飛来など独特の水辺の風景を演出しています。

　実は、私の庭を掘り返すと今でも当時に集められたと想われる浅間砂がたくさん出てきます。このため、火山灰を集めた地（灰塚）に私の家は建ってる可能性があります。庭は水はけが抜群で、植物の成長では恩恵になってます。

　一方　古堤について、私が小学生の頃、担任教師に連れられ写生に来たことがある堤で、当時の広さ推定８０ｍ×８０ｍほどで、子供心に広い池であったことが脳裏に浮かびます。しかし、昭和３０年代になり倉賀野保育園開園にあたり、その用地として堤の南半分が埋め立てられ、現在は北半分が残るのみです。

　新堤より１００年ほど前、つまり、３５０年ほど前の江戸時代前期に造られたこの古堤は、現在では農地が激減し、その役目は殆ど終わっても、由緒ある古堤が現存してることは、令和時代に生きる私たちが目で確認できる倉賀野の歴史的事実の一つです。時折、渡り鳥が羽を休めてる光景が見られます。ここは諏訪神社のすぐ東にあります。

Dear my friends abroad who are fond of history

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

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

　Kuragano-town where i live has two irrigation reservoirs, the "Old irrigation" and the "New irrigation" which is usually called the "Carp Pond." As you can see in the photo, the "New irrigation is a large reservoir. According to the inscription, construction began in 1783 (Tenmei 3) and took four years to complete in 1786. The Tenmei era was a rare and difficult time, because a major eruption of Mt. Asama in July 1783, causing 20-30cm of volcanic ash to fall in my Kuragano area, dealing a devastating blow to the fields. After that, bad weather caused poor harvests, resulting in the so-called Tenmei Famine.

　After that, the new reservoir was built to overcome these difficulties, and has irrigated the fields in the eastern and southeastern parts of Kuragano-town. Although it is now slightly narrower than when it was first built, it still functions as an active irrigation reservoir, and creates a unique waterside landscape with migratory birds flying in all four seasons.

　In fact, when I dig up my garden I still find a lot of Asama's volcanic sand that is thought to have been collected at that time. For this reason, it is possible that my house is built on land where volcanic ash was collected (ash mound). As a result, the garden has excellent drainage, which is beneficial for plant growth.

　As for the old irrigation, I had once come here to sketch with my homeroom teacher when I was in elementary school. At the time it was estimated to be about 80m x 80m, and I remember it as a large pond in my child's mind. However, in the 1950s, when Kuragano Nursery School opened, the southern half of the pond was filled in to make way for the school, and today only the northern half remains.

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果たして、今宵のビールが美味しくなるか

　
　我が故郷「倉賀野町」には一級河川「烏川」が流れ、川岸一帯は町民のウォーキングコースになってます。緑も多く自然に恵まれてます。健康に必要な要素の一つは光合成によって生じた新鮮な酸素を吸うことでしょう。

　今日も午後５時のこれから私は歩いてきます。ここは「緑地公園」と命名され、健康志向の方々が歩いてる様子がかなり見受けられます。

　歩くことは下肢の筋肉のみならず、呼吸筋を含め、全身の筋肉運動になります。ウォーキング中に頭に入れることは、遠望を見つつ歩く姿勢と考えます。では、行って参ります。

Dear my overseas friends

　My hometown, Kuragano-town is including a first-class river called the Karas-River that means crow-river, and the entire riverbank has become a walking course for the townspeople. This place is blessed with lots of greenery and nature. One of the essential elements for good health is breathing in fresh oxygen produced through photosynthesis.

　Today, I will be out for a walk from 5pm. This place has been named "Greenery Park," and there are many health-conscious people out walking there.

　Walking exercises not only the muscles in our lower legs, but all the muscles in our body, including our respiratory muscles. When walking, I concentrate to keep in mind the posture with looking into the distance. Well, I'm off.

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

群馬歴史博物館に展示されてる私の生家の地

　先日、孫娘たちと群馬の森の中にある歴史博物館に行ったとき驚きました。それは江戸時代の倉賀野町の模型が常設展示されてます。中央を横切る太い道は中山道です。

　その模型の中に、手前中央の広い屋敷は私の生家があった場所です。私は２０才までそこで暮らしてました。その証拠が分かるのは右上に赤い大きな鳥居があります。その上の道は１５０年経過した今でも「大門」と言われてます。

　なお、下の私の生家があった右の細い道は九品寺の参道です。たまたま、私の生家があった場所は、現在、広い空き地になっており、私は時々ウォーキングで訪れ、子供の時代を家族８人で暮らした場所なので懐かしく感じます。それが今一人なのですから、時代が経過すると人間の生活も変化することを実感です。

Dear my Facebook friends

T　he other day, I went to the history museum in the forest of Gumma with my granddaughters, and I was surprised. There is a permanent display of a model of Kuragano-town during the Edo period. The wide road that crosses the center is the Nakasendo road.

　In the model, the large house in the center foreground is where my childhood home was. I lived there until I was 20 years old. I can see the proof of this place in the large red torii gate in the upper right. The road above it is still called "Daimon" even after 150 years.

　Incidentally, the narrow road to the right of where my childhood home was located is the approach to Kuon-ji Temple. By coincidence, the place where my childhood home used to be is now a large vacant lot, and I sometimes visit it for walking, and it brings back memories as it is where my family of eight lived when I was a child. Now I am alone, so I really feel that people's lives change as time passes.

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