Miss Owl's busy! / 好忙的貓頭鷹小姐

今年除了部落格外，又開了臉書和IG的專頁每天分享一張圖，剛開始還能兩頭兼顧，但是到後來隨著想做的事情越來越多，漸漸無法負荷工作量，過了生日的最大決定就是：請光臨部落格的朋友先搬家一下喔！

Apart from my blog, I've also opened a new FB and Instagram page to share a drawing on a daily basis. In the beginning, I could still handle both, but later, with me getting more and more ambitious, I can't afford the workload anymore. The biggest decision after my birthday is that I'd like to invite my blog visitors to meet me somewhere else. Thank you so much! 

FB: https://www.facebook.com/Daytimeowl/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/swimmingdaytimeowl/

Northeast coast in the rain / 下雨的東北角

爸爸生日，我們去東北角兜兜風。沿路雨越下越大，卻感覺很痛快。

On Dad's birthday, we go for a drive along the northeast coast. Though it pours, we are not daunted by the rain at all. Instead, we've never been so determined. 

        我在車子裡寫生，我們一邊沒有目的地喃喃，而車外的釣客則無畏風雨，等著出航。

     I sketch inside the dry and cozy car. Dad and I ramble on casually. Meanwhile, despite the rain, the fishermen on the cruise are ready to sail on the sea. 

        我們駛過一個又一個灣口，來到鼻頭角（上面的筆記有錯），風景美得令人屏息，我拿起筆，車子裡都是畫筆刷在紙上的聲音。畫完了，下車吹吹冷風，撲鼻而來的海洋味是當天最美好的禮物，當然還有超級動人的海浪。

     We race on the winding road along the sea, finally arriving at Pitouchiao. The scenery is so breathtaking that I can't help taking up my pens. The car is filled with the sounds of my brushes stroking on the paper. After finishing the sketch, I get off the car to take a closer look at the seacoast. The salty smell of the sea fills my nostrils, which is the best gift of the day, apart from the fantastic sea waves. 

        之後來到南雅奇岩，石頭、浪花、雨水，絕對詩意的組合。

     Afterwards we visit Nanya rocks. What an absolutely poetic combination of rocks, waves, and rain!

        最後來到很有異國情調的和平島，超級浪漫！

     We top off the outing with a photo shot at the super romantic Hoping Island. 

        不是我的生日，但收了比生日禮物還棒的大禮！

     It's not my birthday, but it's definitely a day much better than a birthday! 

My robot boyfriends / 我的機器人男友

Six years old / 六歲

我們的楷維六歲了！

Our Kai has turned six! 

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昨天舅舅和我說，現在部落格縮水了，如果用好聽的說法是：我學會安靜。其實是因為想要專心做繪本，時間分配的架構有些改變。

In the family gathering yesterday, my uncle said I do not tend to spend so much time as before on my blog. Well, to put it beautifully, I'd say that I've learned to be quiet. But in fact, it's because I want to devote as much time as I can to making picture books. 

        今年國曆和農曆生日重疊，還是放假的中秋節，生日當天不用上班就已經很幸福，而且今天之前已經收到很多動人的祝福和禮物，所以沒有什麼大心願，只希望能夠待在書桌前認真畫圖，晚上邊運動邊賞月。

   This year my birthday on the solar and lunar calendars fall on the same day. I've got a fantastic gift of not having to go to work on my birthday, which is the mid-autumn festival. Besides, I've received a lot of wonderful best wishes and gifts. I'd be really greedy to ask for more. I want nothing more than spending the whole day writing and drawing. The evening will be reserved for a romantic walk under the moonlight. 

        只要可以一直畫圖，無論是什麼挑戰，我都可以找到答案，這就是最好的禮物了。

   As long as I can draw, I can make sense of anything. That is the best gift I can ever get in the world. 

Banana chocolate birthday party / 香蕉巧克力生日派對

一根香蕉可以做什麼？可以成為生日派對的主題！

What can a banana do? It can be the theme of a merry birthday party!

讓我的香蕉巧克力小猴先獻上歡樂的生日禮物！

First let my Banana Chocolate Monkey  present the wonderful birthday gift! 

再來「婆娑咖啡」的招牌香蕉薄餅，總要開開心心地增長年歲啊！

And we'll top it off with the banana crepe of Canopy Cafe. As we all have to age, why don't we age with joy and grace? 

Simple and Sincere / 又單純又真心

37歲了，被問到要什麼生日禮物，我真的是想不出來。只要有孩子陪伴的日子都好。

   I turned 37 today. Asked what I'd like as birthday gifts, I couldn't think of anything I want. I guess as long as I am accompanied by children, my days will be full of light. 

        於是我們一如往常地在書房畫圖、嘻嘻哈哈。

   So as usual we draw and play in the study. 

        一起讀霸王龍的故事讀到三個人都眼眶泛淚。

   We read the dinosaurs' stories until our eyes are brimmed with tears. 

        然後男孩們那麼簡單但深刻的祝福，讓我有預感接下來的一年都會如此美好。

   Then the boys' simple and sincere best wishes make me believe that my following year will be so wonderful as today. 

        就是出外的下午茶會也很簡單，但我們吃得杯盤狼藉，就知道有多盡興。

   Even the birthday afternoon tea party is very low-key. However, see what a lovely time we have had by looking at the almost-empty plates. 

        不論走到哪裡都有孩子的陪伴，我差點要相信自己是孩子王了。

   Wherever I go, I have the fabulous company of children. Well, I come near to believing that I enjoy high popularity among kids. 

        又老了一歲，心境卻像盛開的玫瑰，眼前見到的風景越來越美。

   Though I am one year older, I feel like a rose in bloom inside. What I see in front of my eyes is more and more beautiful. 

Give me a story / 送我一個故事

今天是小方七歲生日，從他出生以來禮物已經送到不知道要送什麼了，我說：送你一個故事好嗎？他指定要有恐龍或變形金剛在故事裡。前幾個星期他見我坐在書房，喜孜孜地跑來問我：你在做什麼？我趕快拿出幾張草圖，他滿臉開心地回答：我就知道！

Today is Von's seven-year-old birthday. I am totally at my wits' end when it comes to his birthday gift, so I offer to write him a picture book. He is quite pleased with the idea, especially if there are dinosaurs or Transformers in it. A few weeks ago he saw me working in the study one morning, so he dropped by gleefully, asking, "What are you up to?" Sensing his hint, I took out the dummy immediately, and a smile broke across his face. "I knew it!" He uttered. 

        昨天托貝琳的福，去當一場童畫的評審，看低年級的作品，整個充滿孩童的光亮，就算畫不好也讓人覺得理所當然，到了中高年級組，我發現人生的挑戰真的是越來越艱辛，技巧要更熟練，卻又不能失去真摯的感情，不過優秀的作品裡卻藏著超級美麗的靈魂。

   Thanks to Beilin, I was asked to be a judge in a drawing competition for school children. When we went over the pictures of young kids, whether the works are excellent, they shine with the innocence of childhood. It totally makes sense to me if the drawings are not of good quality. However, as we moved to the images of children aged between 8-12, I realized that life has many challenges in store for those who really want to do well in art: For one thing, they have to better their drawing techniques. What's more, there has to be sincere emotion to convince the viewer. Hard as it is, I can envision the beautiful souls that lie behind the best drawings. 

        給親愛的小方：希望你的光芒不會隨著年歲增長消失！

   My birthday best wish for Von: I hope your glow won't fade as you age! 

The Big Universe / 大宇宙

The Big Universe / story written and illustrated by Weichuen You 

吳妞妞去年生日得到我做的繪本「用心聆聽的公主」，今年妞妞媽邀我去生日派對時，剛好我的良心又被喚醒，想到我已經好幾個月沒有認真畫圖，不禁感到羞愧，我覺得這是上帝給我的好機會，於是我以幫妞妞準備六歲的繪本為目標。

Nio got my handmade picture book The Listening Princess last year for her birthday. This year when Nio's mom Daphne invited me to her 6-year-old birthday party, my conscience was roused. I actually felt ashamed about not having drawn any picture book for months. I took this as a great opportunity from God for me to reform myself. So I decided to make another picture book for Nio.

        這一個月接觸到很多小朋友，我想不通為什麼小朋友小時候那麼喜歡畫圖，長大之後全都變成一堆愛滑手機的成人，為什麼上學之後反而變得沒有創造力，我希望要上小學的妞妞可以保留愛畫圖的心，還有很多可愛的特質。

   I've seen a lot of kids this month. I can't figure out how come these children, who draw so instinctively, will turn into a bunch of boring adults who can do nothing but touch their mobile screens all the time. I wonder if school deprives them of their creativity too. I hope Nio, who is going to elementary school in fall, will draw forever and be a child at heart forever.

        我用了之前沒有嘗試過的形式來做這本書，連盒子都是我實驗數遍才做成功的。

   This time I tried a new form of handmade books, which is called "step book." The box was also completely handmade.

Your ears hear the raindrops dancing. 

You love to smell the fragrance of flowers. 

When you smile, stars all light up.

Your hugs sooth sad Dad and Mom.

You are as free as the wind. 

You are curious about everything. 

You are a grown-up in many ways. 

You've conquered many mountains and oceans. 

Don't buy their words when adults tell you, 

"You've never been anywhere!" 

Buttoning your shirt might be a little bit challenging, 

but you're almost there!

Mosquitoes are not scary at all, no. 

Don't let them take away your imagination! 

Don't believe that 

your hand is too small to make any difference. 

You are not an ant. 

You are not merely a little star. 

Please don't cover your sensitive nose. 

Don't block your ears either. 

Because you are the big universe of a six-year-old.

You have stars, the moon and the sun. 

Don't believe that you are just a tiny six-year-old child. 

        做完繪本我再次領悟到一直知道卻暫時忘記的事：不管世界或生活怎麼變，我只要專心於喜歡做的事，很多孩子就會來到我的身邊。

   A truth which I'd always known dawned on me again after I was done with the book: However the world or my life changes, all I have to do is concentrate on what I love to do, and then many kids will come to me. 

Good Friend / 好朋友

對於三十幾歲的單身女性而言，女朋友真的很重要啊！還好我的身邊有個美麗的小天使！

For a single woman in her thirties like me, having girl friends MATTERS! Luckily, I am always accompanied by a beautiful angel. 

好朋友小蕙的生日要到了，我要獻上充滿溫暖的禮物！

My good friend Hui's birthday is around the corner, and here are the gifts I made with heartfelt gratitude and warmth!