12/1の日曜日、邦久庵の大掃除ワークショップを開催。令和元年の邦久庵倶楽部の活動を締めくくりました。
 

掃除は上から下に。地元の大工さんの掛け声を合図に、長さ10尺の笹竹を使って大きな梁の上に溜まった汚れをはたき落とします。一気にたくさんの煤が舞い、やがて床に積もりました。それは1年間、この庵の維持のために煙を焚き上げ続けてきた証拠であり、だからこそ倶楽部の活動を支えてきてくださった皆さんからは、その汚れの落ちっぷりにむしろ歓声すら上がったのでした。
 

皆さんが新聞紙で磨き上げて下さった高窓は、また来年も真正面からの夕陽をたっぷりと届けてくれることでしょう。囲炉裏の灰は十分に漉され、空気をたっぷり含んだ神聖な表情を取り戻しました。杉板の床は大振りの糠袋で撫でられて、淡い天然のワックスが光を豊かに弾いていました。
 

障子紙の張り替えは去年行ったこともあり、今年は細やかなところも目を配ってそれぞれ掃除に取り組んで下さいました。神棚、水屋、冷蔵庫、勝手口。何より、今後のさらなる活動の展開に向けて、台所や収納棚の備品整理を、女性陣中心に使いやすくわかりやすく整理していただけたのは本当に嬉しい限り。頻繁に使うもの、時々使うもの、試行錯誤しながら整理整頓なされました。
 

今回もボランティアの皆さんがご用意くださった“簡単な食事”。そこに込められたたくさんの工夫とアイデア。小麦粉を混ぜて団子汁作り。お庭で取れたサツマイモは葉っぱも使って。お手製のお漬物やチーズケーキ。そして全て掃除が終わった後の一杯のコーヒーが美味しかった。
 

今年は16名の皆様がご参加。

「凛とした気持ちになった」「今日参加してよかった」「波の音を聴きながらの贅沢な時間」「糠袋を持って帰りたい！」などなど。
 

本当に嬉しい言葉をたくさん頂きました。掃除というものを仕事や作業ではなく、交流や感謝のきっかけとしてくださっていることに、改めてこの場の力を感じている次第です。

来年は2020/1/19（日）、例年恒例の「ハツカエビス」からスタート予定。またより一層のご支援をよろしくお願いします。

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"Thorough Cleaning Workshop at Hokyuann 2019"

 

On Sunday, the first of December, a thorough cleaning workshop was held as the last event of 2019.

We started cleaning from the top. With a local carpenter's call-out, soot on the beam was dusted off, using three-meter-long thin bamboo trees. A large amount of soot flew in the air then fell on the floor. It's an evidence of making smoke regularly at the irori fireplace, which is crucial to conserve the house. Therefore, genuine volunteers, who have been supporting Hokyuann, were very excited to find the dust on the floor.

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High windows, facing the East, were polished with newspapers. We can now clearly see the sun, setting right in front of you, through the windows. Also, ash at the irori fireplace was filtered and it looks very sacred. The floors, furthermore, have gained a shine after being wiped with rice-bran bags. The oil from rice-bran bags performed like wax does.

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Shoji paper was peplaced last year so me left it as it is this time. Instead, volunteers thoroughly cleaned other places such as the home shrine, the washing place in the tea-ceremony room, the refrigerator, and the backdoor. Women rearranged fixtures in the kitchen and cupboards, considering future opportunities and frequency in use.

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"Simple meal" was prepared again by volunteers but actually it's not simple at all. They put lots of efforts and ideas in it. Dumplings, made from flour, were found in a bowl of soup. Sweet potatoes with leaves, harvested at a volunteer's garden, were also put in the soup．They even added the leaves. They did not throw them away! Home-made Japanese pickles and cheese cake were also served. At last, a cup of coffee after the cleaning was the best.

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Sixteen people joined the cleaning workshop this year. We received a lot of positive comments. "I feel dignified." "I really enjoyed." "I had such a precious time to listen to the sound of the water and waves." "I want to take a rice-bran bag home!"

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The participants of the workshop did not consider cleaning to be a work or labor. They considered it to be an occasion of communication and appreciation. That is the uniqueness of this place.

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We will start off next year with an annual event, "Hatsuka Ebisu," on Sunday, the 19th of January. We are looking forward to meeting you all and appreciate your continuous supports to conserve Hokyuann and leave it to the next generation.