Grandma's Colorful World (陳月娉阿嬤的畫展)

#2014-0628

Grandma's Colorful World:

Chen Yueh-ping's 90 New Pages Oil Painting Exhibition

(陳月娉阿嬤的繽紛樂章----九十新頁展)

Exhibition Period: From Saturday, June 28 through Wednesday, July 16, 2014 (Every day except Monday)

Exhibition Venue: Taichung City Dadun Culture Center (Address: 600, Yingcai Rd., West District, Taichung City)

A Personal Note: My former colleague Mr. Taichang Chen told me that his 90-year-old mother was going to show her oil paintings at Dadun Culture Center and that he would invite me to the exhibition if I'm interested. "Sure!" I replied, "I enjoy seeing oil paintings very much, and I'll go and see her works!"

According to Chen, who is 10 years senior to me and has been my good friend for over 20 years, his mother started to learn painting when she was 78 years old -- I just can't believe it! Yet it is also mentioned in the preface to Chen Yueh-ping's Art Exhibition Album that she started to learn painting at the age of 78. She started learning painting because her daughter said to her one day, "Ren yao huo dao lao, xue dao lao." (Live and learn! It is never too old to learn.) Oh, this "senior artist" -- a lifelong learner of fine arts, has done a wonderful job in these 12 years. She is admirable and respectable, indeed.

How marvelous it is for a 90-year-old woman to hold an art exhibition! I do like the "Grandma's Colorful World." As I've come to this special exhibition, not only my eyes but also my heart [and mind and soul] is very satisfied -- I am, in fact, getting much happier after seeing so many beautiful oil paintings today!

The front of the invitation card.

Ms. Yueh-ping Chen (left) introduced by 

her daughter, Principal Yu-an Chen.

In the exhibition venue, I met with several 

former colleagues of mine.

There was a music band playing 

nice melodies there!

Born in the Year of the Ox, Ms. Yueh-ping Chen is fond 

of cows/oxen for their being hard-working.

A book, a cup of tea, and some potted flowers could be 

a most enjoyable combination in the afternoon.

I can easily recognize Tang Shixiong (Brother Tang),
who was playing in the band.

The painter (sitting) with her children (standing behind); 

my former colleague Taichang is speaking.

The speaker is Ms. Susan Ye (Ye Shu-Shan), now in charge 

of Culture Affairs Bureau, Taichung City Government

Chen Yueh-ping Art Exhibition Album, 

published in June, 2014

Taken from Chen Yueh-ping Art Exhibition Album, 

pages 62 -63.

「高而富」初體驗 -- Golf, Golf, My First Time to Play It

#2014-0626

高爾夫 (Golf)，又稱高球、高爾夫球、高而富球，俗稱小白球。

關於 Golf 有一種 都會傳奇 (urban legend = contemporary legend 現代傳說 )，指出 GOLF 的由來是 "Gentlemen Only, Ladies Forbidden" (男人專用，女性止步) 的「頭字語／首字母縮寫字」(acronym)。當然，這只不過是一種類似「網路謠言」般，有點意思、有點好笑，卻不足憑信的說法。

我所確知的是，英語、法語、德語、西班牙語、義大利語、土耳其文、波蘭文、挪威語、瑞典語、馬來文......等，都把這種球［球類運動］叫做 Golf，至少名稱的寫法一致。而其他語言，有字形、字音都相似的，例如：葡萄牙文拼成 Golfe，南非語叫作 Gholf。也有字形大異其趣，發音卻大同小異的，例如：韓文 골프，日語 ゴルフ。（註：日文漢字則以「孔球」表記。）

在台灣，我們又會怎麼稱呼 Golf 呢？國語名稱，不是問題［見前文說明］。而閩南語和客家話可就不簡單了，相信會考倒不少年輕人！據瞭解，閩南語管它叫作 soaⁿ-kiû (山球) 、khat-á-kiû (讀如 卡啦-葛由)、或者直接音譯，叫它 go͘-lú-huh 或 ko-ní-hu。至於客家話----天哪！我這「客家之子」到今天為止，也都還「無識聽」(未曾聽過) 客語人士是如何稱呼 Golf 的！

其實，今天是我生平第一次試打 高爾夫球。要特別感謝今天做東的駱駝兄嫂：黃德祥教授和魏麗敏教授。由於他們的熱情邀約及再三鼓勵，我才「終於」有了這次「高而富」初體驗，跟隨駝兄、駝嫂們，一同進入 卡啦-葛由 練習場，學習「揮桿數十回，且不管小球路徑 ---- 奔遠或走近，斜落或直飛！」

Green Pine (青松)

#2014-0625

This afternoon I came to Green Pine to see my father again.

My father has stayed in this Nursing Home most of the time since last November (2013), and I have visited him here almost every day. When I was too busy to do so, I would come at least four times a week!

[Not only I but also my mother and my brothers and sisters are so concerned about his health; they also regularly come and see him here at Green Pine!]

It's been a difficult situation for my father: He has to "rest in bed" almost all day long. His both legs being so paralyzed, he has been unable to stand up. He could not sit up without help; only with professional caregivers' help can he sit in a special wheelchair for about one hour at a time -- in fact, one hour in the morning and one hour in the afternoon! Then, because of the unbearable pain in his lower back, he needs to be put back to the bed immediately.

How terrible the situation is! Whenever I think of this, my heart is nearly broken!

And my father must return to Jen-Ai Hospital (as an outpatient) several times a month. At times he has to stay in the hospital for days, to get a series of examinations or to have more medical treatment. -- This is really a very big challenge for my father and for all his family. May the Lord, our merciful Father in heaven, be always with us, whatever difficulties we'll have to face! May the Lord strengthen us, and save us all!

上圖：小噴泉 變化真多，此時 像不像一頭獅子？

-- Does the spring (above) look like a lion?

下圖：像不像一隻面朝左方，溼答答的落水狗？

-- Does the spring (below) look like a dog now?

 What can you see now in the photo above?

And the photo below -- what do you think it is?