Those flowers / 那些花兒

我們正式進入炎熱的夏季，高溫的日子裡，我開始懷念春天的清爽和繽紛，和那些花兒。

We have officially ushered in the sweltering summer. On the sultry summer days, I can't help but miss the cool, colorful spring, and those flowers. 

        四月裡，我們帶孩子去採用來裝飾個人花環的花朵。

     In April, we invited the children to pick the flowers they would like to use for their head garlands. 

        孩子們在花園樹叢裡來來回回地跑，我好喜歡他們在陽光下奔跑的樣子。

     The kids enjoyed running back and forth in the gardens, which never failed to fascinate me when I looked at them. 

        撿了好多賞心悅目的葉子和花朵。

     The leaves and flowers were so pleasing to the eye. 

        開始花環DIY，媽媽比孩子們還興奮。

     As we began the DIY lesson, the mothers were actually more excited than their kids. 

        成品超級美麗！

     What beautiful wreaths! 

        孩子們也愛不釋手！

     The kids didn't feel like taking the garlands off their heads at all. 

        戴上花環再去戶外玩灑花的遊戲！多美好的季節和童年！ 

     With the garlands on, the children couldn't wait to go outdoors to play the game of tossing petals into the air. They certainly knew how to make best use of the beauty of the spring season!

How to have a cool summer day / 夏天裡

最好坐在木造的泰式屋子裡，什麼也不做，發呆吹風‧‧‧‧‧‧

Sit in a wooden Thai-style house, doing nothing, and then you'll feel the cool breeze...

between text and illustration / 文圖之間

今年開始對自己的創作模式有一些思考，好一陣子都是從文字著手，有時寫到沒有畫面，自己也察覺不到，所以我想改變。

This year I started to have some reflection on my pattern of making a picture book. For the past few years I have written the text first, but the danger is that sometimes part of the text doesn't conjure up any visual image, which I might not be aware of.  

        自從去上了繪本課之後，得到很多刺激，例如說我又一再被提醒，所有好作品的出發點都是創作者本身要享受整個過程，那些外加的目的和野心必須先放在一邊。

     Ever since I attended the picture-making courses, I have gained much stimulation. For one thing, I am constantly reminded that I have to discard my ambition and focus on enjoying making a book.

        雖然在分享作品方面，我是個超級膽小鬼，可是看到同學們大方地把作品擺出來，懇切地和老師同儕討論，我也自我鼓勵，每次上課都不斷突破心防。

     I am a coward when it comes to sharing my works, but seeing my classmates present and share their stories with everyone in class, I also try my best do let go of my fear. 

        透過老師不斷問問題，加上我說出自己在創作上一直以來的瓶頸，我覺得好像找到前進的路。

     In trying to answer the teacher's questions and voicing the problem I have detected in creating stories, somehow I feel I have found a really good direction. 

        因為我老是在故事裡包含太多意涵，所以最後主題沒說清楚，又把故事弄得很抽象。老師說我可以從圖畫起，把抽象的文本具像化，再把圖串連起來。

     Since I've always wanted to include too much in my stories, I fail to express the themes successfully. Also, they are too abstract for children to understand. My teacher said that I can try starting from drawing pictures because that way I can give concrete images to abstract ideas. Then a story can be developed by connecting the images I have. 

        即使故事這次寫不好，我也不在意從頭再來。只要我可以學著把故事說好，一切都好說。

     Even if the drafts are a failure, I don't mind begin anew. As long as I can learn to tell a good story, every effort is worth it. 

On a spring night / 春末的夜裡

春末的夜裡，小男孩瑞瑞和媽媽咪咪來看我，而雙胞胎哥哥在車上睡覺，瑞瑞睡不著，因為怕做惡夢。

On a spring night, Ray comes to visit me with his mom Mimi, while his twin brother sleeps in the car. Ray can't sleep because he is afraid of having nightmares. 

瑞瑞問我：「汪達阿姨，你讀一年級的時候有夢想嗎？」我搖搖頭，很可惜地說沒有。

瑞瑞說：「我想當歌手。」
咪咪鼓勵瑞瑞唱一曲。於是我們在深夜裡開了盡興的小型演唱會。
媽媽繼續說兩兄弟的趣事，例如下田體驗農耕生活時，當其他孩子雙腳深陷於泥濘當中，精力過盛的兩人追著鴉子跑。

Ray asks me, "Auntie Wanda, did you have a dream when you were in first grade?" Unfortunately, I didn't. I felt pity for not being able to give a more creative answer.
Ray goes on to say, "I want to be a singer."
Mimi encourages Ray to sing, and thus starts our late-night mini-concert.
Mimi tells me more anecdotes about the two brothers.  For example, as the other kids panicked, the boys got so carried away when experiencing farming that they started to chase after the ducks.

好寧靜又好有活力的春夜啊！

What a peaceful and energetic spring night!

Goodbye May! / 五月再見！

Good friend / 好朋友

上週的繪本課裡，當老師不斷問大家有否要分享的作品，我遲遲拿不出來，心裡勇敢和懦弱不斷交戰著，最後我安靜若無其事地走回位置上。

In the picture-book class last week, the teacher kept asking if we had any work to share with one another. Even so, my cowardice held me back, finally blowing away the last whiff of courage I had. In the end, I walked back to my seat quietly without saying or showing anything. 

        那天的課堂上，遇見認識好多年的Ada，下課之前她對我說不要害怕，她的鼓勵推了我一把，果然，老師和同學給了我許多回饋，之後我的生活看似相同，但其實一切都不一樣了。

     That day in class I happened to run into Ada, a friend I'd met years ago. Before leaving, she told me not to be afraid. Her words of encouragement made me take a huge leap. As she had predicted, I got so much helpful feedback after showing the work to the teacher and classmates. After that day, though my life appears to be the same on the outside, it has, in fact, become very different. 

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! 

Fishing / 釣魚

貓頭鷹小姐的身體對她說：我們去釣魚吧！ 

Miss Owl's body tells her, "Let's go fishing!" 

Nap / 午覺

睡了一場午覺，感覺自己在涼涼的海水裡輕輕地飄著‧‧‧‧‧‧

In my dream, my body floats lightly in the cool seawater...

The breeze / 微風

Live lightly like the breeze. 

The owl boy Wayne / 貓頭鷹男孩韋恩

I am only eight, 

but I have to wear glasses and braces. 

Well, as long as I can blow bubbles,

nothing can cause troubles. 

My first marathon race / 我的第一場馬拉松

給了Nike辦的Women's Run!雖然事前已經先自己練習過跑十公里，去賽跑的時候心情很不一樣，晏蘋說到現場會很興奮，果然聽到快節奏的音樂和很動感的教練，我等不及要起跑！

Nike's Women's Run was my first marathon race. Though I had practiced running for ten kilometers twice before the run, it felt very different to run in a race. I was kind of skeptical when Irma told me that I would feel the excitement on the spot, but the loud music and hyper coaches really turned me on on the spot. I couldn't wait to begin! 

        剛開始得在人群中鑽來鑽去，漸漸地人潮開始拉長，果然和大家一起跑步比自己在操場上練圈圈有趣多了！沿路不時有工作人員喊加油，這些鼓勵的話語超級有力量，讓我能夠再次加快腳步往前進。我按著一貫的速度，慢慢超過一些跑者時，不覺得是自己變快了，心想也許是別人變慢了，但是馬拉松的精神真的是和自我的競賽。

     In the beginning I had to worm my way out of the crowds, but little by little, the runners began to thin out into long lines. It was indeed much more fun to run with others than practicing alone on the university campus. Along the way, the staff kept rooting for us, and I had to admit, their words were really uplifting. As I progressed at my speed, I gradually ran past some runners. I didn't feel I was running faster. Instead, I couldn't help wondering if they had slowed down. To me, a marathon race is more about competing with myself than with others. 

        我們從仁愛路上高架橋，跑在平常車輛行駛的道路上有種很奇異的感覺。我隨身沒有帶任何手錶或計時器，所以對於跑了多遠沒有什麼感覺，倒是看到沿路的距離牌之際才有恍然大悟的感覺。八公里左右有撞牆期，但是有經驗的跑者知道千萬不要停下來，因為會熊熊發現雙腳不是自己的，再起跑就難了，這時有位跑在我身邊的選手對我說：「你好厲害！」我看著眼前的其他選手，不解地回答：「為什麼呢？」她說：「我從剛才就一直跑在你後面！」被她這麼一說，我的雙腿像裝了推進器，又加速往前衝！

     We ran along Renai Rd. and then went on the Jianguo Expressway. It felt weird, in a good way, to run  on the roads normally for cars. I had neither a watch nor a a timer with me, so I couldn't tell how far I had gone. It was not until I saw the sign that indicates the distance we had covered that I got a clue. When I had run for eight kilometers, I felt I was about to hit the wall, but experienced runners know better than stop to walk because then it will be hard to start again. The legs will feel so heavy that it will require more determination than ever to break into a run again. At this moment a runner next to me said, "You are amazing!" I looked at the runners ahead of me, puzzled by her words. I asked her why. She replied, "I've been running behind you." Upon hearing her words, I couldn't help pushing forward as if my legs were equipped with propellers.  

        結果我以六十三分三十秒完賽，是六千零五十一名選手裡的兩百一十六名喔！以一個跑短跑慢到從來沒有機會跑大隊接力的人來說，我在四十歲的時候找到我的天空！

In the end I finished the race within 63.5 minutes, ranking 216th out of 6,051 runners. I always thought of myself as a super slow runner, so low that I had no chance to run in a relay race in my life, but I found my talent at the age of 40! 

Grapes and wisteria / 葡萄和紫藤

小狐狸的困境：葡萄和紫藤，我可以兩個都要嗎？ 

The dilemma of the fox: Can I have both grapes and wisteria? 

Today / 今天

My whole being is full of good will! 

Moving / 搬家

去年參加佳怡的喪禮之後，從主持人身上得到了靈感，想要好好地重寫阿嬤的故事。這次還請了同事如慧家的小亮和小佑來合作畫插圖，雖然實際準備的時間不長，但因為是一直在腦海中的故事，所以寫起來很順暢。

Last year I was inspired by something said by the host of Chai-y's funeral, which prompted me to rewrite my granny's story. Because of the story's narrative, I even invited the sons of my colleague Emily, Liang and Yo, to illustrate the story together with me. I didn't spend much time making the book since it had been a story that I wanted to tell all these years. 

        這是我第一次和別人合作做繪本，剛開始並不確定自己的想法是否有辦法成真，對於不能讓小亮自由發揮想法，我覺得很過意不去，但因為如慧的決心和堅持，慢慢地我們找到了合作的方法。，以前都是自己一個人埋頭苦幹，有了伙伴之後，我得到意想不到的力量，例如說，如果我進度快，把當天的進展拍給小朋友看時，他們也會加緊腳步，這之間我們互相鼓勵，產生很美好的能量。

     This was a very special experience because it was my first time doing collaborative work. In the beginning, I wasn't sure if the plan was feasible. I hesitated at first for I felt a great sense of guilt in not being able to let Liang exert his creativity. However, thanks to Emily's determination and persistence, we gradually found ways to collaborate. In the process, I gained much strength from my partners, and this was what I couldn't imagine when I worked all by myself. For example, we would share what we had done with each other on a regular basis. Our mutual encouragement made me feel that I could go on and finish the project with ease. 

        孩子們在過程中同樣的稿必須畫很多次，我非常感謝他們的耐心，而能看到這本書的讀者，翻開的時候都感到很驚喜。

     Liang and Yo had to redraw the same pictures several times before the final version. My thanks to them are really beyond description. The design and arrangement of the images also surprise readers when they open the book. 

        雖然今年我沒有入圍信誼的繪本獎，儘管之前有些沮喪，不過因為常常失敗，對於輸贏想得很開了，同時也趕緊自我檢討，我想應該是我的故事要從小朋友的觀點來說，必須把死亡的議題更具像化，不過我也能更寬闊地想，寫故事要回到開心做的初衷，然後不要忘記問問小讀者的意見。

     Though I wasn't even shortlisted this year in the picture book award of the picture book competition held by Hsin-y Publisher, I bounced back soon after taking my time to get over the frustration. I guess  constant failures have turned me into a very powerful person. Fortunately, friends gave me great feedback regarding how to revise the story. The best advice is that I should try to tell the story from a child's perspective and give concrete imagery especially when it comes to a difficult issue like death. Meanwhile, I remind myself that I should write out of joy and constantly consult my young readers. 

        這個星期終於拿到印出來的書，只印了三本，我想我之後一定又會把這個故事做華麗大變身，到時候這個故事各時期的樣貌排在一起來看時，就會很驚人！ 

     This week I finally got the printed version of the book, and there are only three copies in the world. I will definitely transform the story into another one when I feel ready. Then, the books I have written along the way will be amazing when they are juxtaposed together! 

Smell of spring / 春天的味道

雨停了，春天植物開花的味道又瀰漫在空氣中；聞到柚子花香味，便直覺地聯想到灑滿陽光的春日。

When the rain stops, the smell of spring fills the air again. The fragrance of pomelo flowers remind me of spring days full of orange sunshine. 

Pigeons / 鴿子

社區的鴿子們最近發現我的書房外是絕佳的築巢地點，於是展開了和我的同居生活。我不知為何感到很惱怒，不過在這一場戰爭裡，我好像是居弱勢的一方。

The pigeons in our neighborhood have discovered that our roof is a perfect habitat, so for the past week, we've been living together. My typical poise vanishes into the air whenever my ears pick up the slightest noise they make. Still, I have to admit that they have the upper hand in this war... 

Morning exercise / 做早操

春天的早晨，我喜歡特地繞路看做早操的人們，看他們緩慢優雅地擺動身體，我在短暫的某一瞬間也能慢下腳步，吸一口芳香的空氣，然後大步往前邁進。

On spring mornings, I will go out of my way just to take a glimpse at the elderly do morning exercise on the square. Their slow yet elegant movement gives me the freedom to imagine that I can slow down for a second. After inhaling the fragrant morning air, I take a big stride forward with confidence. 

When I'm ready / 等待再次起飛

Sandiaoling Holiday market / 三貂嶺文創市集

下週日（三月二十六日）我要和Irman去三貂嶺參加文創市集，邀請大家一起來踏青！

Next Sunday (March 26) I am going to Sandiaoling Holiday Market with Irman. Please come join us!