Sunday, May 30, 2021

5月28日(金曜日)2021 
 
    東京オリンピックの聖火リレーが多賀を通るというので、絵馬通りは警察や役場の人が大勢出て規制線をはったり、トランシーバーでやりとりしたり、物々しい感じ。4時に多賀大社前駅を出発して役場までの約800メートルを六人が聖火をリレーするのですから走者にはあっという間です。ボストンでは毎年ボストンマラソンを沿道で見ていましたが、それとはずいぶん趣きが違います。応援しようと表に立っているとさっきまでは関係者しかいなかったのにいつの間にか見物の人が増えていました。皆さん、手に日の丸の旗を持っているのでどこでもらったかと聞くと誰かが配っていたそうな。私も欲しいと思うも配っている人は見当たらず、手ブラも寂しいと祝日に掲げる国旗を出して応援。大目立ちのオバサン姿に我ながら苦笑するもそれほど恥ずかしいと思わなくなったこの心臓は何なんでしょう。聖火は無事目の前を通過していきましたが、どこの誰が走っているのか役場の人に聞いても分からなかったは残念でした。

    Since Tokyo Olympic-torch relay was expected on the street in front of my cafe, many police men and people from town hall were taking elaborate security measures in preparation for the runners. They said that the first runner would start at Taga-taisha station at 4 p.m.and relay the torch with six people to Taga town hall in about 800 meters (0.5 miles). It must be very short for the runners. I used to watch the Boston Marathon on the roadside every year when I was in Boston, but this event was very different from it. I was standing in front of the cafe to cheer for the runners. The number of spectators increased in less than an hour and many of them were holding small Japanese flags. Since I couldn't find the person who was distributing the flag, I brought a Japanese flag from my house which was much bigger. I thought it stood out from a distance and must have been a little embarrassing but I didn't mind much. What a stalwart heart! The torch runner passed in front of me with a big smile, but it was regrettable that I couldn't get information about the runner even though I asked the person from town hall.










Thursday, May 27, 2021

5月25日(火曜日)2021

    巷ではコロナ感染が心配と7月開催予定の東京オリンピックについて議論が巻き起こっていますが、フランスの国営放送が流すオリンピックのCMがTwitterに出ていました。爽快なアニメで楽しいです。北斎などの浮世絵に似せた背景の中でお相撲さんが今度のオリンピックから登場する新種目(サーフィン・スポーツクライミング・スケートボードなど)を時に軽妙な太鼓に時に静寂な尺八に合わせて次々に力強くこなしていくのです。発想が飛び抜けていて思わずウ〜ンと感心しました。出場する選手たち、応援したいです!

    Among the public, there are various discussions about the Tokyo Olympics which is expected to open in July, because of worries about spreading coronavirus. I happened to watch the CM of the Tokyo Olympics on a French national broadcast. It is such an energetic and fun animation. A Sumo wrestler does the new athletic sports which will join this olympics such as surfing, sport climbing, skateboard,with sometimes a rhythmic Japanese drum and sometimes a calmful Shakuhachi (Japanese bamboo flute) in scenes which look like those in Ukiyoe (Japanese traditional wood print). I am amazed by such an animation with excellent ideas by French people. I would like to cheer on the athletes who will participate in the coming olympics!





Saturday, May 15, 2021

5月14日(金曜日)2021 
 
    定休日の昨日、片付けをしていたら、ふと昨日のH先生の言葉を思い出しました。「多賀大社のナンジャモンジャが満開や」。思わず、は?それ何じゃ?初めて聞く冗談のような名前です。先生にお聞きすると、カメラに納めた写真を出して多賀大社には三本ほど植えられている木であることを教えて下さいました。 
 
    思い出したのを幸いに、早速そのナンジャモンジャを見にいくことに。ありました!そり橋近くの教えてくださった場所に白い清楚な花をつけたナンジャモンジャの木が。近づくと高さの割には幹が細い木が二本。家に帰って調べるとナンジャモンジャは人々がつけた愛称でモクセイ科のヒトツバタゴを指すことが多いが他の樹種の場合もあるとのこと。新緑に囲まれて、ふわっと優しいナンジャモンジャの白い花が見事に咲き誇っています。鳥居わきの古老のもみぢも枝いっぱいに瑞々しい緑を広げて美しい。初夏の深く静かな木々の佇まいに心が洗われました。

    Yesterday was a regular closing day, and when I was cleaning the house, I suddenly remembered that Mr. H was saying "Chionanthus retusus in Taga Taisha is fully blossomed now." Chionanthus in Japanese is NANJYA MONJYA and it literal meaning is "what is that?". I heard it for the first time and since it sounds so funny, I asked Mr. H what it is. He showed me some pictures from his cell phone and explained that it is a precious tree and Taga shrine has some.

    Fortunately I had time, so I decided to go to the shrine to see the tree. I could find NANJYA MONJYA at the location near the arch bridge where Mr. H gave directions. There were two trees full of elegant white flowers and both were tall but rather thin. I got web information at home that NANJYA MONJYA is a nickname and it is Chionanthus retusus in Oleaceae. The soft white flowers of NANJYA MONJYA are in full bloom now. The old maple tree near torii (shrine gate) has branches full of fresh green leaves, and it is very beautiful. I felt so calm and peaceful surrounded by those deep, quiet early summer trees.







Friday, May 14, 2021

5月10日(月曜日)2021

    新学期初の中学校の読み聞かせでした。選んだのは「うどん対ラーメン」。田中六大さんの創作絵本で、うどんとラーメンが互いにどっちが美味しいか競い合う内容です。「うどんしばり」や「チャーシューかぶせ」「きつねとびのじゅつ」などナンセンスな絵と言葉が飛び交い普段読んでいる本とは毛色が違い私には挑戦的でしたが、食べ物がテーマでちょっと馬鹿馬鹿しいこういうものが中学生には楽しいのではないかと思ったのと、オチが傑作で私自身大笑いしたので色々な本を探した末に「決まり」となりました。中学生新人諸君たち、数人の男子がニタニタ面白そうにマスク越しに笑っているものの、多くの子は背筋ピン、真剣な顔つきでこちらを見ています。担任の先生ほか校長先生、教頭先生、学年主任の先生もスーツにネクタイ姿で後ろの入り口付近に立っていらっしゃいます。リラックスしない硬い感じだったので、うどん、ラーメン、そば、スパゲティ、それぞれ自分の好きなものに手をあげてもらったら、うどんとラーメンが同じぐらい多く、この辺りでほぐれてきました。全部好き!と言った子もいました。私も麺類ぜ〜んぶ好きなのでその子と同じです。

    It was the first storytelling at Taga Junior High School in the new semester. I chose a picture book titled "Udon vs. Ramen" which is written by Rokudai Tanaka. Udon noodles and Ramen compete with each other to see which one is better. There are many nonsensical lines and pictures such as "Tied up with Udon noodles''," Cover with a roasted pork fillet", or " Flying Way on the fried Tofu". Storytelling of this book was challenging to me because it had a different taste compared to other books which I have chosen before, but I chose it among several books which I have researched. I thought that students must like a book about food and would be interested in a story that contains a lot of nonsensical and funny lines. While I was reading, several male students were laughing at the story but most of them were looking at me sitting up straight. Classroom teacher, principal, vice principal and head teacher of a grade were standing and watching in the back of the classroom in a suit and tie. Since it was an unrelaxed atmosphere, I asked students to raise their hand about their favorite one among Udon, Ramen, Soba and Spaghetti and around that point, it seemed they started relaxing. A couple of students said they like all of them. I thought it was the same as me because I like all kinds of noodles as well!










Tuesday, May 11, 2021

5月8日(土曜日)2021

    朝、お風呂場近くにいたら、ブ〜ンという音がまた聞こえてきました。退治したはずのタイワンタケクマバチがまだいる!と慌てて裏口から外へ。けれど蜂の姿はなくブ〜ンはお隣からの電動ノコギリの音でした。工具の音も蜂と勘違いするほど、すっかり蜂にビクついている自分に思わず苦笑。ノコギリの音が近くなり、どうやら裏の木を伐採しているようなので、様子を見に奥まで行ってみました。今まで木で隠れていたところがガランとして呆気に取られていたら、すぐ右脇から突然猫が飛び出てきたのでびっくりして不覚にも「わぁ〜っ!」と大きな声を出してしまいました。驚いたのは作業中の電動ノコギリの人たちで、ノコギリを止めて何かと思ってこっちへやってきました。体裁つけて「広々しましたねぇ」とか何とか言ってその場をかわしたものの、蜂に驚いた自分が今度は仕事中の人たちを驚かせて恥ずかしい限り。植木鉢上の棚で休んでいただろう猫も私に驚いて駆け出していったのでしょう。まったく余計なことをしたものです。

    When I was in the bathroom area, I heard a noise from outside again which a big black bee made the other day. I thought it had gone because I sprayed insecticide into the hole in bamboo bars where the black bee tried to make her(?) beehive and I wondered if another bee might be coming. I went outside to check it. There was no bee and I found that the noise was made by an electric saw and it came from my neighbor. I laughed at myself who was afraid of hearing the noise of an electric saw which sounds like a black bee. The noise was getting closer and it seemed that they were cutting trees and bushes in the neighbor's backyard, so I went to see what was happening because of my curiosity. I was taken aback at the sight where most of the trees and bushes were cut and only an open space was left there. Then, suddenly a cat came out from my right side. I was very surprised by that and I unconsciously made a loud voice. Surprised at my loud voice, workers stopped the machine and came toward me wondering what had happened. I said " You made a broader space, didn't you?" to one of the workers but in fact I felt very sorry for interrupting their work with my loud voice. Maybe the cat which came out suddenly from my right side was also surprised by me while she was resting on the shelf where flowerpots were stacked below. I am ashamed of my unnecessary action caused by my curiosity. 




Wednesday, May 5, 2021

5月4日(火曜日)2021 

    朝、裏口を開けて外へ出てみると、真っ黒の大きなハチがブ〜ンと飛んでいます。去年、ハチの巣を2度も見つけて色々お世話になった経験があるので、今年は気をつけて見回るようにしているのですが、この黒いハチは何だか挙動が怪しげ。窓の外枠の竹の辺りをうろついて時々止まっては竹の表面を歩いています。穴を開ける場所を探しているに違いないと思いながら、仮に場所を見つけたとしても穴を開けるには時間がかかるだろうから後で処置をしようと思って、そのまま家に入って1日カフェでお客様の対応をしていました。

    夕方、裏に出て「アッ!」と思わず声が。何と朝見た竹に大きな穴が開いているではありませんか!ヤラレました。ハチはいなかったので、急いで家にあったフマキラーを持ち出し穴を目掛けてシュッシューッと噴霧。そして念入りにチェックしながら一番端の竹まできた時、裏側に穴を発見!ええっここも?!と憎くさ百倍でシュッシューッ。すると何やら中でブブウと音がします。ハチが在宅?ハチが中にいる時に何かすると攻撃に出ると聞いていたので思わず怯んで様子を見ているとやがて中から例の黒い蜂がぬぅーと出てきました。私は一目散に家の中へ。調べると黒い蜂は「タイワンタケクマバチ」という外来種で唯一竹に巣を作るとのこと。それにしても一体どれほど鋭い武器を持っているのか、半日足らずであんな大きな穴を開けてしまうハチの恐ろしさを見せつけられた思いです。台湾は好きですが「タイワンタケクマバチ」はまっぴら御免です。

    In the morning, when I went out from the back door, I found a big black bee was flying making a noise. Last year, since I experienced having someone get rid of two different honeycombs, I am trying to watch around my house this year. The black bee was flying near the bamboo bars outside the bathroom window, and sometimes walking on the bamboo bars. I thought it was not a good sign and I needed to pay attention. 

    After closing the cafe I went out the back door again and looked at the bamboo bars, then I shouted without thinking because I found a big hole there! That black bee made it! There was no bee around there, I took out insecticide from my house and sprayed toward the hole. I also carefully checked other bamboo bars and found another hole in the back side of the last bar. I sprayed it again strongly, then I heard a strange noise inside the bar. "Is bee inside?" I was afraid of bees coming out from the hole because it might come toward me to attack. Shortly a black big bee came out slowly, so I ran away to my house. According to web info, the black bee is called "Xylocopa tranquilis" and it is an alien species which builds a nest on bamboo. I was surprised that the black bee has such a sharp stinger which makes a big hole in bamboo within several hours. I have seen several kinds of bees and honeycombs around my house since last year, and they make me very depressed. I am also in a gloomy feeling about this big black bee.





Saturday, May 1, 2021

5月1日(土曜日)2021  

    端午(たんご)の節句を前に今年も我が家のイケメン武者が床の間に並びました。真ん中に虎の掛け軸、兜を飾って勇ましく見せていますが、武者人形の表情はどこまでも優しく温和です。前栽の新緑とベニシダレとツツジ。床の間の清々しい雰囲気は皐月を迎えた喜びと言えるでしょう。

    I displayed warrior dolls in my house at the alcove before the Boy's Festival on May fifth. I hung a scroll of Tiger and put a steel helmet in the center to make a courageous atmosphere, but the faces of the warriors are completely calm and generous. There are fresh greens, Acer palmatum var an azalea in the garden. Adding these special displays, I feel full of joy in welcoming May.