2022年5月31日 星期二

檸檬桉 (猴不爬)

#2022-0531

認識「檸檬桉」之前,先來看一下什麼是「桉」,什麼是「桉屬」。

根據《維基百科》,桉屬(學名:Eucalyptus)通稱桉樹、尤加利樹,是桃金孃目 桃金孃科 的一屬。本屬包含的物種甚多,包含:黑桉白桉灰桉山藍桉鹽風桉金錢桉赤桉紅桉銀葉桉彩虹桉斑桉藍桉二色桉粗皮桉闊葉桉細葉桉長葉桉多花桉多枝桉紅莖桉大葉桉常桉野桉玫瑰桉蘋果桉蜜味桉檸檬桉......等等。

老實說,我哪會想知道那麼多!我連生物的科學分類 domain、 kingdom、phylum/division、 class、 order、 family、 genus、 species)都常常記不住、搞糊塗。

不過,上面所列舉「桉」的種類多,名稱卻十分有趣。「桉」的 species (物種)單從中文名稱看,就有黑有白,有藍有灰,還有紅、赤、山藍、二色。有大葉、闊葉、細葉、長葉之分,又有多枝、多花、銀葉、紅莖、粗皮之別。有「野」有「斑」有「常」。有所謂「彩虹、金錢、鹽風」。甚至有拿「玫瑰、蜜味、蘋果、檸檬」來命名的。那些命名者,無論是學名或中外文譯名之首創,都是學有專精,令人佩服的天才呀!

我之所以對「桉」覺得有趣、好玩,並非喜歡研究植物。什麼,什麼梧桐油桐,什麼柚木柚子樹,我向來只知一二,不求甚解。但最近在議會紀念園區的「後山公園」看到許多「檸檬桉」拼命地脫皮,一層層老皮定期褪去後,整株樹幹「光溜溜」筆直挺立的模樣,叫人刮目相看。

聽說,檸檬桉的別名叫「猴不爬」,由於樹幹時常保持光滑,想必連猴子要爬上去,都得特別費勁才行。而「猴不爬」這名稱,直到今日 5/31 為止,還未見諸《中文維基百科》之中。

有趣的是,「桉」字讀音與「案」同,國語唸第四聲,不是第一聲。我大半輩子都讀錯了。而且「桉、案」二字,雖有一說「互為異體字」,但現今的意義及用法都已分化,完全不一樣。這跟我日前所探討的「,同指一鳥」情況,豈能相提並論?

最後我要說,看見檸檬桉脫去老皮,教人聯想到保羅在《以弗所書》第四章所說的話語:

「如果你們聽過他[耶穌基督]的道,領了他的教,學了他的真理,就要脫去你們從前行為上的舊人,這舊人是因私慾的迷惑漸漸變壞的;又要將你們的心志改換一新,並且穿上新人,這新人是照著神的形象造的,有真理的仁義和聖潔。」(新標點和和本《以弗所書》四章21-24節)

上述保羅的教導,與檸檬桉不時脫皮「自我更新」的現象,二者間究竟有何關聯,讀者們或可細加思索。在此,為了經文比對之便,特附上 Good News Translation 的英文翻譯如下:

"You certainly heard about him [Jesus Christ], and as his followers you were taught the truth that is in Jesus. So get rid of your old self, which made you live as you used to -- the old self that was being destroyed by its deceitful desires. Your hearts and minds must be made completely new, and you must put on the new self, which is created in God's likeness and reveals itself in the true life that is upright and holy." (Ephesians 4:21-24, GNT) 

= = =
相關文章 (See also):
1)  遊園小記     (2020)
2)  中心瓏步道     (2010) ➔ See [圖片編號:004] in that post.







2022年5月29日 星期日

給它/牠/他 評分

#2022-0529

昨晚七點十幾分,我散步經過阿罩霧公園,忍不住又拍攝了那「武打架式十足,兩手握拳,攻守有備,全身熠熠發光」的機器人----花燈。

你瞧!在黝暗的夜幕中,兩、三盞高懸的照明燈(其他大多未亮起)怎足以讓整個園區有足夠的光源?或許就因為周遭一片暗黑,才更顯出這守夜機器人的美麗炫亮。

無論從哪方面看----從其造型(宛若龐然怪獸般),或從色彩(可說是極度吸睛的亮麗發光體),或從動靜(看似不動如山,卻展現攻守有備的架式),或從所謂 主題(意義表現是否明確而豐富)、組織結構(架構上是否兼具工整變化、及統一/和諧之特色)......從以上所提方方面面來評量,我的結論是,這具「花燈/機器人」真的很棒。

至少昨晚,當我隻身一人走過它(牠)前方,又看了牠(他)一眼,我就決定送給他(它?) 100 個「讚」。這,相當於在考卷上評分,大方寫下:100 分!

= = = 
相關文章 (See aldo):
1)  花與花燈    (2022)
3)  《聖鴿》     (2019)





2022年5月27日 星期五

The Phoenix Tree and the Rain

#2022-0527

Early this afternoon I was glad to get a chance for taking a walk. 

As soon as it stopped raining, I quickly stepped out of the house, with a walking stick in one hand and an umbrella in the other -- just in case it would rain again when I was somewhere on the mountainside.

The first thing that caught my eye was the Poinciana* (which I usually call "phoenix tree") on the nearby hillside, with bright red flowers on its branches, just like a lively happy young man smiling and beckoning to me (See photos 1-5 below).

首先映入我眼簾的是附近山坡上的鳳凰木,紅花滿枝頭,像似活潑快樂的年輕小夥子,對著我微笑招手。然後 . . .

After having a pleasant (and also careful) walk along the mountain trail, part of which was slippery because of the previous heavy rain, I was now about to finish my outdoor exercises and got back home. To my surprise, it started to rain heavily again in just a split second. It was pretty much the kind of TORRENTIAL RAIN that we recognize (See photos 6-12 below). 

Alas! In spite of the good umbrella I carried with me, my trousers as well as my shoes were soaking wet...

之後 . . . 出乎我意料,轉瞬間又下起了大雨,幾乎就是我們所認知的那種“暴雨”。唉呀!儘管隨身帶了把好傘,我的褲子和鞋子最終還是都濕透 . . .

What a soaking wet day! -- No problem, I just like it.

好一個濕漉漉的日子!但不要緊,我就是喜歡!

= = =
Note:  In Chinese this plant is called 鳳凰木, also known as 影樹, 鳳凰樹, 鳳凰花, 金鳳, 火鳳凰, 洋楹, 紅花楹 (in Cantonese), 火樹, 紅火楹, 火焰木, 森之炎, 攀霞拿, etc. In English it is given the name royal poinciana, flamboyant, phoenix flower, flame of the forest, or flame tree (one of several species given this name).

= = =
相關文章 (See also):
2)  雨後即景     (2019)
3)  《雨中即景》中文版     (2018)














2022年5月26日 星期四

難題?(應該不難)

#2022-0526

疫情氾濫,最近連中部地區也變嚴重了。怎辦?只好辛苦過「防疫新生活」:不轉念不行,不喜歡也得喜歡!

今天一大早,老婆「毅然決然」開著車回娘家去。她對我說,照顧年邁媽媽(我岳母)的外傭 "阿雅" 昨(前)天「確診」了。雖然一直很小心,還是免不了 COVID-19 的傳染,真的防不勝防! 

除了阿雅,家中的小孩(小學童)也有兩人先後確診。目前小孩由親人帶離,分別照料;而阿雅,人在二樓「居隔中」還得有人提供食物之類。誰能接手照顧九十多歲的「阿嬤」?

老婆說,總不能都讓大嫂(阿嬤的媳婦)一個人忙,大嫂平日還得照顧孫女 (們),其中一位,就是前文所提及「先後確診」兩個小學童之一。

這期間,勢必大人小孩都更緊張、更辛苦。老婆是「阿嬤」的小女兒,因住家較遠,平日沒能像姊姊那樣天天回娘家,陪伴老人家。此時此刻,姊姊屬於(確診者之)「密切接觸者」依規定應該「居隔」的,而夫家那邊尚有年過九旬的婆婆,更應該謹慎為要,居家隔離。所以今早我的另一半「毅然決然」離我而去,回娘家了。我要開車載她回去,她不讓我跟,倒要我「留守霧峰」獨自生活數日,以保存我這一半戰力 (combat power) 或人力 (manpower)。

感謝她貼心,買了許多食材,有肉有青菜有水餃,還烤了四片麵包,存放冰箱裡。她問我會不會煮飯煮麵煮水餃,會不會燙青菜(有四季豆、小黃瓜、胡蘿蔔等),會不會把燉肉拿出來蒸熱了吃,會不會......點點點、等等等?我信誓旦旦回答,說這些不難。應該不難,只是君子平日「遠庖廚」罷了。心裡想,若能不懶,應該不難吧!

= = =
相關文章 (See also):
2)  Light in the Darkness     (2021)







2022年5月22日 星期日

堅振禮 (Confirmation)

#2022-0522

Congratulations to Leeky Lin and Carl Seo, who received Confirmation this morning and had special blessing from our bishop the Rt. Rev. Lennon Yuan-rung Chang.

Of course, all the blessings come from our Lord Jesus Christ, and all of us who have witnessed this morning's Confirmation are blessed in the grace of the Lord. -- Alleluia. Thanks be to God! 

Before the Confirmation started, Laura Moye led a "children's sermon" (see pictures 1 and 2 below) and our rector Rev. Lily Chang gave a longer sermon to the congregation (see pictures 3 and 4). And after the Confirmation, Rev. Lily prayed also for those who will be traveling during the summer... (see pictures 9 and 10 from the bottom). Finally, in the last part of the service, we all took Holy Communion. --  AlleluiaGlory be to you, Lord.

= = =
相關文章 (See also):