Friday, October 27, 2017



10月27日(金曜日)2017

イギリスにいる娘が今朝短いメールとYoutubeのサイトを送ってくれました。20年前までアメリカで放映されていた就学前の子供たち用に制作されたテレビ番組です。https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5BZlyxS37Kk 番組の名前は"Mister Rodgers' Neighborhood(ロジャースさんの近所)1968-2001"。私もアメリカにいた時に何度か見たことがある懐かしいものでした。送られてきたビデオを観るのは初めてでしたが、ゲストのジェフという5歳の男の子が凄いなと驚くと同時に両親や医師など周りの方々の確固たる信念を感じました。フレッド・ロジャースが「僕たちは悲しい時にどうやって自分なりに向き合うか見つけなきゃいけないね」とジェフに語りかけるところが印象的です。これほど上質な番組は日本にはまだありません。This morning I received a short email and a website link from my daughter who is in England now. It is a TV program in the US called "Mister Rodgers' Neighborhood (1968-2001)". https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5BZlyxS37Kk I saw the program several times when I was in the US but the one which she sent was the first time for me to watch. The little five year old boy is amazingly strong. I was also very moved by the people who were supporting him such as his parents and doctors although they did not appear on TV. Mr. Rodgers says to Jeff "We have to discover our own ways of doing things when we are feeling blue." I was impressed by his words. I have never watched such a high quality TV program in Japan before.

Monday, October 23, 2017



10月23日(月曜日)2017


日曜日の夜は大型台風の影響を受けての酷い雨。ラジオで衆議院選挙の結果報告を途切れ途切れに聞きながら近畿各地の河川の水位が上がっているとの緊迫した報道が頻繁に入っていました。その中に芹川、彦根、甲良などの名前もあり心配でした。一夜明けて雨が止んでいたので散歩の足を延ばして芹川まで行ってみました。まだかなり強い風の中、芹川を見るとすごい濁流で水位もそれほど下がっていずに恐ろしいほどでした。けれど北の空はすでに 明るく、そこに虹がかかっていました。Yesterday, Sunday night, it rained heavily as an effect of the big typhoon. On the radio while I was listening to the report of the Lower House election which was held yesterday, a warning or official advice to evacuate from flooding of the river often came in suddenly and cut the program. This morning, since the rain was up, I went to see Serigawa which is the river which runs through our region. Standing in the heavy wind, still amid the typhoon, I saw the river. The level of the water was still high and the stream was rough and muddy. It was scary. Then, I turned and looked at the northern sky. The arch of the rainbow was over there.




Sunday, October 22, 2017



10月22日(日曜日)2017


土曜日の午後、雨の中を京都からのお客様があり、お帰りになる際に「多賀あさひや」と書いた小さな徳利を手渡してくださいました。骨董好きで 買い求めてお宅に置いていらしたものらしいです。それは間違いなく昔我が家で売っていた徳利でした。中には延命酒が入っていました。徳利は沢山残っていますが小さいもので我が家の屋号が入ったものは初めて見ました。「御しめ縄 かけて祈らむ いと長き よはひを守る 多賀の社に」 何代か前に家を出ていったものが再び戻ってきました。不思議な巡り合わせです。On rainy last Saturday afternoon, there was a guest who came to my cafe from Kyoto, and he handed in an old little sake bottle written Taga Asahiya. He had bought and kept it in his home because he likes antique collection. It is certainly the one which was sold at the original Taga Asahiya run by my great grandmother or grandmother from 80 to 100 years ago. It was a container of Sake called "long life sake". Many little sake bottles are still in my house but it was the first time for me to look at one with the shop's name. On the bottle there are the words "Hanging the sacred rope, let's pray at the Taga Shrine which gives us long life." It left my shop with someone a couple of generations ago and came back to the original place now. It is a really fortunate chance.




Thursday, October 19, 2017



10月19日(木曜日)2017


昨日は久しぶりにお天気でした。午後、スケッチ画家の松居清恵さんがお仲間とお越しくださいました。お見えになる少し前に何と「多賀あさひや」の外観をスケッチしてくださって、それを私にプレゼントして下さいました。嬉しい贈り物です! 数ヶ月前から工事をしていた前の参道は以前とすっかり様子が変わりました。神社への参拝の道としては落ち着きのない赤い街灯やボラードと呼ばれるポールが立ち並ぶこの道を私が好きではないことを知って松居さんは家の前の赤い三本のボラードを外して描いて下さっていました。Yesterday was a fine day after many long rainy days. In the afternoon Mr. Kiyoshige Matsui who is a sketch artist came to my cafe with his sketch friends. Surprisingly he gave me his work which was drawn outside of my cafe! He drew it yesterday just before his arrival. What a wonderful gift it is! There was long-term construction of the front street and it changed to a completely new and different one from before. Actually I don't like this new road because it doesn't seem appropriate as the front path to the Taga Shrine and many Japanese-style houses like my cafe along the street. You will see many red bollards and streetlights which were newly set on the street, and three bollards are also set in front of my cafe. On the sketch, however, they do not appear. I appreciate Mr. Matsui's thoughtfulness.


Tuesday, October 17, 2017



10月17日(火曜日)2017


T.Kさんが持ってきてくださって2ヶ月にもなるのにまだ毎日きれいな紫の花を咲かせている野牡丹(ノボタン)。毎朝鉢の周りに落ちた花びらを拾いつつ、また別の花が咲いているのが嬉しいです。3日前にS.Kさんが秋の草木をたくさん持ってきて下さいました。まず、「大文字草(ダイモンジソウ)」。白い花の形がまさに「大」の字と同じです。次は「錦木(ニシキギ)」。秋の山間(やまあい)で葉っぱが真っ赤になるそうです。茎が平たく乾いていて別名「カミソリの木」と言われる所以が分かります。その次は「ウメモドキ」活き活きした緑の葉に赤い実がたくさんついていましたが、花瓶に入れたら翌日上手に水が上がらなくなっていて残念。ウメモドキに「ゴメンナサイ」と謝っています。最後は「フジバカマ」。これは秋の七草の一つで紫の優しい野草です。雨まじりのお天気で急に寒くなったこの頃。通りも家の中もしんとしている時、秋の草木たちは結構賑やかにおしゃべりしているのかも知れませんね。Purple flowers of Nobotan (Glory bush) are still blooming every day since Mr. T.K brought them for the cafe about two months ago. Each flower opens only for one day and every morning. I pick the petals which had fallen around the flower pot, but I still enjoy finding other new flowers appear. Ms. S.K brought autumn branches and plants to me three days ago. First of all, it is called "Daimonji-soo (Rock foil)" and the shape of the little white flower looks very much like the kanji character "大 (dai)". Next is "Nishikigi (Euonymus alatus)". According to Ms. S.K, the leaves turn to red in the mountain and it is so beautiful in autumn. It is also called "razor tree" because the branch is dry and flat. Next one with red berries is "Umemodoki (Japanese winterberry)". It came with beautiful fresh green leaves but they were not able to draw up water from the next day which made me feel very bad. The last one is "Fuji-bakama (Thoroughwort)". It is one of the seven autumn herbs. It has been rainy and cold these days. While it is very quiet both on the street and inside the house, these autumn plants might be talking to each other actively.






Saturday, October 14, 2017



10月14日(土曜日)2017


いつも通る田舎の散歩道。そこに必ず目に入る看板があります。マタイ伝からの言葉でしょうか。自身を省みさせる重い看板です。During my morning walk, a sign always comes into my sight. "People stand in front of God on the last day." They are words from the Bible and it makes me reflect on myself.




Sunday, October 8, 2017



10月8日(日曜日)2017


床の間のしつらえを新しくしました。時期が違っていれば恥ずかしいなと思いながら、私には全く解読不可能な古い軸を掛け、S.Kさんが持ってきてくださった秋明菊(シュウメイギク)それに紅葉の舞扇をアクセントに置いてみました。日々深まり行く秋。穏やかな十月でありますように。I newly arranged the alcove. Because the hanging scroll is very old, I can not read the words at all, and am ashamed to admit that I do not know if it fits this season. Nevertheless, I decided to choose it. The flower is Shuumeigiku (Anemono hupehensis) which Ms. S.K brought from her garden. I also put a red maple leaf fan for the fall. It's been getting more autumn-like day by day. May it be a peaceful October!



Wednesday, October 4, 2017



10月4日(水曜日)2017


今日は中秋の名月(十五夜)です。先日、アメリカから帰る飛行機の窓にまん丸で白く光っているものが見えるので何かと思ったら月でした。何時間も何時間も私は美しいお月様と一緒に旅を続けました。それは初めてのとても不思議な感覚で幸福な時間でした。今夜はお月様が顔を出してくださるかどうか分からないけれど、取りあえず子供の頃を思い出してお月見の支度をしてみました。去年お世話になったご近所のお宅の柿の実を許可を頂いたので採らせていただき、朝、Hさんが持ってきて下さった栗も一緒にお供えしました。秋の味覚一杯。素敵なお月見の縁側になりました。Tonight is the harvest moon (full moon). A couple of days ago when I was on the plane from the US to Japan, I saw a round white shining object from the window beside me. It was the moon and I ended up staying with it for hours and hours. I felt very strange about it and It was a happy time which I had never experienced before. I am not sure if I will be able to see the clear full moon tonight, but I prepared by setting up for viewing today's special moon recalling my childhood days when my grandmother did the same for this occasion. I picked some persimmons from the tree in my neighbor's garden since I got permission from the owner who kindly let me stay at her house last year while my house was being remodelled. I got some beautiful chestnuts from Mrs. H this morning. I offered these autumn fruits and nuts as well as dumpling and sake. I am glad for this gorgeous preparation for full moon viewing tonight.



Monday, October 2, 2017



10月2日(月曜日)2017


先日シカゴの空港で「農家の冷蔵庫(Famer's Fridge)」という自動販売機を見つけました。色々新鮮な野菜がチキンや海老などと組み合わせてぎっしり瓶に詰まっていて、好きなのを選んでクレジットカードで買うのです。特徴は全てオーガニック(無農薬)でカロリー表示はもちろん内容が詳しく紹介されていることです。生の野菜がきれいに層になって瓶に入っているのにびっくり。しばらく見ていると、飛行機の乗務員が次々にやってきて慣れた手つきで買っていきました。サラダは大体10ドル前後(1000円ぐらい)。私はパイナップルとチアシードをココナツミルクで和えたスナック($3.60)を試しに買ってみました。アメリカならではの体験で面白かったです。The other day, I found a vending machine named "Farmer's Fridge" at Chicago O'Hare Airport. You will see clear bottles with various fresh vegetables that are piled up in layers with chicken, shrimp or others. You will choose your favorite and buy with a credit card. The vegetables are all organic and you will see the calories and other detailed information of each bottle. It surprised me because the fresh vegetables are very artistically layered and stuffed in the bottle. While I was curiously looking and standing by the machine, crew members came and made their selections quickly and easily as if they were very familiar with the machine. The price of the salad was around $10. I tried a snack of "Pineapple coconut Chia" ($3.60). It was fun to try this American vending machine.