I got back from my 2 week vacation on Jan 8th. I finally picked up a paint brush today! I have had this Japanese matte board with gold in my supply stash for months. I finally had an idea of how I could use it. This is an original ink painting with a Japanese proverb. My initials are at the end of the proverb. A group of monks are on their long pilgrimage or journey. We all have our own journey or pilgrimage to take. Proverb read as follows: Ame futte ji katamaru Literal translation: Rained on ground hardens Meaning: Adversity builds character Support: Japanese matte board with gold, in-laid design surrounding image. size:4.5 H x 4 W inches13.5 H x 12 W cm Speaking of adversity, last year my husband and I visited Yamadera Temple in Yamagata . We climbed 1100 steps to get to the top. The sense of accomplishment along with the view made the climb worth it. Coming down was grueling. Once we got to the bottom, we had amazake, a traditional sweet, low-alcoholic Japanese drink mad