Today I started a four-week course on Jewelry Making.
I used a brass plate for practice, and cut small pieces of material with a circular saw while holding it firmly in place with my left hand. The ring, my first work, which I made while struggling, is now in my treasure house (laugh).
今日から4週間 のJewelry Makingコースが始まりました。
練習用には真鍮の板を使い、小さい材料を左手でしっかり固定しながら、糸鋸(イトノコ)でカットして行くのですが、思った以上に力が必要で(特に固定の為左手)明日は筋肉痛になっているかもです。悪戦苦闘しながらの初作品の指輪は、私の宝物殿(笑)入り。

The weather has been unstable recently, with frequent and sudden rain, more like a passing shower than a squall.
Day 2 Thread saw and file, plus some welding work today. After this practice with brass, we will start working with silver next time, so today we went to buy silver for materials. This was also a first experience for me.
このところ天候が不安定で突然の雨がたびたびで、スコールというより通り雨のような。
二日目　糸鋸とヤスリとそれに今日は溶接の作業が加わります。この真鍮での練習が終わると次回からは銀での制作になるので、今日は材料の銀を買いに行きました。コレもはじめての体験。

After class, we had lunch (I heard a rumor that there are fewer foreign tourists on Wednesdays because of international flights) and went to the Uffizi Gallery, which I had long wanted to visit! To my surprise, I was able to smoothly enter the museum without standing in line with a same-day ticket. (Putting aside the credibility of the rumor), when that “Primavera” by Botticelli, which I had seen more than 20 years ago, suddenly appeared in front of me, it took my breath away, even though it is a common expression.
授業後、昼食を済ませ(水曜日は国際便就航の関係で外国人観光客が少ないと言う噂を聴き)念願のウッフィツィ美術館へ！何と並ばずに当日券でスムーズに入場できました。(噂の信憑性はさて置き)20年以上も前に見たあのボッティチェッリ作の「プリマヴェーラ」が突然目の前に現れた時は、ありきたりの表現ながら息を呑んでしまう。

Class Day 4 The second brass ring is complete, and the next step is to melt the silver and process it into silver plate and bar. I only work with the burner to raise the furnace temperature, and the teacher does the pouring, etc. It is quite a thrilling experience. My next challenge is to make a leaf shape on a pendant top. Well, today I tried the Academia Museum of Art! It took me about 30 minutes from the time I bought the ticket, but I had a breathtaking (lol) reunion with the “Statue of David” again today.
授業4日目　二つ目の真鍮での指輪が完成し、次は銀を溶解し銀板と銀棒に加工します。私は炉の温度を上げる為のバーナーでの作業のみで、流し込む事などは先生がしますが、なかなかスリリングな体験です。今度の課題はペンダントトップで葉っぱの形を作ること。さて今日はアカデミア美術館に挑戦！チケット購入からなんだかんだ30分位掛かりましたが、「ダヴィデ像」と、今日も息を呑んで(笑)再会を果たして来ました。

The city of Florence is getting more and more crowded as the number of tourists increases day by day. The number of summer course students is increasing and this week’s art visit to “Piazza della Signoria” had 7 participants (participation is optional). (Participation is optional.) As I feel every time I visit, the more I listen to the detailed explanations, the more I can see the buildings, sculptures, paintings, etc., and the more I can look at them, the more I can look forward to the visit.
フィレンツェの街は観光客の数が日に日に増加し、ますます賑わって来ています。サマーコースの受講生も増えてきて、今週のアートビジット「シニョーリア広場」参加者は7名でした。(参加は任意) 毎回感じる事ですが、詳しい説明を聴いていると、建造物も彫刻も、絵画等々も、より深く見る事が出来、待ち遠しい時間になっています。

I went to Lucca for a cultural activity. The medieval walls and streets still remain, and it seems as if we have entered a fantasy world. We had a relaxing and comfortable time.
カルチャーアクティビティで、「ルッカ」に行きました。中世の城壁と街並みが残っていて、まるでファンタジーの世界に入り込んだようです。のんびりと心地よい時間を過ごせました。

Today is a rest day for me, and after doing reports, laundry, and shopping, I’m going to spend some time reading and preparing for next week.
今日はさすがに休憩日にして、レポート、洗濯、買い出しの後は、読書などしつつゆっくり過ごし来週に備えます。1週間無事に過ごす事が出来感謝。