Timing / 時機

前一陣子太心急，這幾週有機會靜下來好好思考，才又想到，所有事物都有它們的時間表，只有我一個人急不得。

I was moving too fast a while ago. Over the past few weeks my loss of goals has slowed me down and given me time to think. I, again, realize that everything has its agenda. I can't make it happen no matter how determined I am. 

        我和吉吉的明信片計劃進行到第三年了，代表現在我們手上有八百多張明信片，最近想把明信片展覽的計劃付諸實行，發現也急不得，也許會拖到明年，於是我對吉吉說：「這樣可以選的明信片又變多了！」

     I have begun my third-year everyday postcard project with Shaggy, which means we have more than eight hundred postcards now. Though we'd like to carry out our plan of holding a postcard exhibition, I find that it takes time to find the right venue. Maybe we will have to put it off until next year, but I told Shaggy, "That means we have more postcards to choose from!" 

        在對的時機來臨之前，我會好好準備的！

     Before it's time, I will wait and be well-prepared! 

Stockholm / 斯德哥爾摩

斯德哥爾摩最富盛名的市政廳。

The renowned Stockholm City Hall. 

        瑞典人怎麼能把談政治的場合設計得如此優雅？

     How can Swedes make a political venue so elegant? 

        藍廳：每年十二月十日諾貝爾晚宴於此舉行。

     The Blue Hall is where the Nobel Prize Banquet is held every year on December, 10. 

        光舉窗戶為例，其設計就千變萬化。

     Take the windows for example. There are various designs of shapes and patterns. 

        走完一圈市政廳，覺得比美術館還像美術館。

     It feels more like an art museum than a city hall. 

        金廳內貼有1900萬片馬賽克金箔磁磚，金壁輝煌，中央嵌飾美娜蓮女王的黃金像。

     The Golden Hall is named after the decorative mosaics made of more than 18 million glass and gold pieces. On the center of the wall is the Queen of Lake Maelaren, which represents Stockholm being honored by the East and the West. 

        市政廳外面還有如此浪漫的畫面！

     I capture a super romantic image outside the city hall! 

        地面市集，多半是移民經營的攤販。

     The outdoor market outside the Old Haymarket: Most stands are run by immigrants. 

        貴氣的市內市場，連小販都很有個人風格。

     The indoor market is chic. Each of the vendors has his/her distinctive style. 

        光看就飽了！

     This is a feast for the eyes! 

        連餐桌都是風景！

     There's something to see even on the dining table! 

        多特寧皇宮有「北方凡爾賽宮」之稱，始建於十六世紀末，十八世紀為瑞典皇室避暑勝地，現為皇家成員居住地。

     Drottningham Palace is also known as the Swedish Versailles. It was originally built in the late 16th century. It served as a summer residence for the Swedish royal family during most of the 18th century. Now it is the private residence of the royal family. 

        皇宮外的巴洛克花園。

     The baroque garden outside the palace. 

        庭園四周環繞著森林。

     The garden is surrounded by the woods. 

        我對皇宮裡的特展很有興趣，是介紹之前的橘園所種植的各式植物。

     I am intrigued by an exhibition in the palace, which introduces the plants grown in the orangery in the past. 

        最初的橘園只是個小溫室，不過在1714年擴建為石造建築，收集的異國花草也日漸壯大。

     The first orangery at Drottningham was a simple hothouse. The erection in 1714 of a larger orangery in stone made it possible to accommodate a greater variety of exotic plants. 

        這個展覽很酷的地方在於提供各種花草的味道，讓訪客有更深刻的嗅覺經驗。

I find the exhibition to be cool in that even the fragrances of plants are provided to enhance the visitor's olfactory experience. 

        不知道冬季的斯德哥爾摩好不好呢？ 

     I wonder what Stockholm is like in winter?

Senses of Fern / 覺蕨

植標館最近規劃了一系列蕨類的展出和演講，在咖啡館裡學植物是我的初體驗！

     The TAI Herbarium has recently hosted an exhibition with Alpha Jade and a series of talks. It's my first-time experience to learn about plants in a cafe. 

        位於台大後門對面的靈感咖啡在小公寓的二樓，是很有趣的空間。

     Idea Cafe, located on the second floor of a traditional apartment building right across from the back gate of NTU, is a very fascinating place. 

        沿著樓梯上去擺滿了蕨類的圖片，感覺像要去參加一場蕨類盛宴！

     Along the staircases are exquisite pictures of ferns. I feel like attending a pompous fern party! 

        咖啡館充滿蕨類的綠意。

     The cafe is filled with lush green ferns. 

        參加講座的人數不到二十人，是低調卻奢華的派對。

     There are less than twenty guests, but it's a low-key yet luxurious party. 

        每位客人都拿到一瓶三叉葉星蕨當伴手禮。

     Every guest gets a bottle with Java fern swimming in it as a souvenir. 

        天花板也有玄機。

     Even the ceiling is decorated with projected images of ferns. 

        講師就是我一直都很尊敬的郭城孟教授，老師今天用超級有重點的方式教授蕨類的學習重點。老師說雖然蕨類無花無果實，但葉片有無窮的變化，就像巴哈的音樂。

     The lecturer today is my idol Dr. Chen-Meng Kuo. Today the professor teaches ferns in a super understandable manner. He says that though ferns have no flowers or fruits, the variation of leaf shapes and patterns is amazing, just like Bach's music. 

        結果到了中場休息時間，居然安排了兩位市立交響樂團的老師來演奏巴哈的組曲，我都快融化了，真是驚喜連連啊！

     Guess what? Then two professional musicians appear to perform Bach's music for us during the intermission. My heart totally melts at the surprise! 

        聽完演講再到植標館的庭園看展覽，這裡不只有各種蕨類，還有許多藝術作。主辦單位乾玉新創聯合郭城孟教授和幾位藝術家做跨界的合作，是很動人的展覽。

     After the talk, we move on to the gardens and greenhouse of TAI for the exhibition of ferns and artworks. The host organization Alpha Jade invites Dr. Kuo and several artists to collaborate and come up with an extremely impressive exhibition.  

        主辦單位利用植標館庭園和溫室的環境，搭配繪畫、雕刻、陶瓷等藝術形式，讓訪客可以更深刻體驗蕨類的重要性和美好。

     The host organization makes use of the fantastic space of the gardens and the greenhouse. Many forms of art such as paintings, sculpture and ceramics are employed to highlight the importance and beauty of ferns. 

        其實大自然就是最美的一場展覽不是嗎？

     I think nature is the most fantastic exhibition isn't it? 

        每種蕨類也被細心地附上名牌，以華麗的姿態面對訪客。

     Every fern is attached with a name tag for the visitor to know and learn more easily. 

        郭老師早上教的遠古蕨類家族在溫室裡都找到了真品，這是松葉蕨，有肉眼可見的圓球狀孢子囊。

     The fern families that date back to ancient times mentioned by Dr. Kuo can all be found here. This is psilotum nudum, with sporangia visible to the naked eye. 

        全緣卷柏，枝條呈壓扁狀，葉有四排。

     Delicate spikemoss: The branches are flat, with four rows of leaves. 

        木賊，葉子呈輪生狀，枝頂端有如松果般的孢子囊穗。

     Horsetail: Verticillate leaves, with a cone-like sporangium spike at the tip of the branch. 

        之前提過的伴手禮三叉葉星蕨！

     This is Java fern, which I've mentioned earlier. 

        這場展覽為期兩個月，從十二月一日到明年的一月三十一日，展區為臺大植物標本館庭園和溫室，開放時間為早上八點到下午六點，傍晚溫室夜景也是個大驚喜喔。每周三和六下午兩點有定時導覽，更多資訊請上乾玉新創。

     The exhibition will last two months from 1st December, 2015 to Jan. 31st 2016 in the TAI herbarium gardens and the greenhouse. It's open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day. The night view in the greenhouse is a huge surprise. There are guided tours at 2 p.m. every Wednesday and Saturday. For more information, please go to Alpha Jade.