英语的美文:Keeping the Harvest
He rounded the corner where cornstalks still stood, tattered heroes of the garden patch. Late-afternoon sunlight filtered through a canopy of bare branches, laying down a grid of shadows. Underfoot, the crunch of dry, caramel-colored leaves sounded the music of a Colorado autumn.
It was the season for "after harvest." Or, what Emma called their "time of plenty." A time to count their many blessings. Long after the last sun-ripened tomato was picked, the last of the autumn raspberries eaten and the garden put to bed for the winter, his wife always insisted on seeking out the later gifts of nature.
Fred knew the best places to start. Hadn"t he searched and gathered on every square foot of this property for forty-four years now? Planted it? Tended it? If Emma were here, she"d be out here with him.
But Emma wasn"t here. So he would do alone what they had always rejoiced in doing together.
At the grape arbor, Fred took out his pocketknife and cut away aged vines, careful to take only the overgrowth. When he had enough, he tucked and plaited, wove and wrapped, shaping the supple lengths to form a wreath.
At the lip of their hand-dug pond, Fred pawed through the disheveled heads of cattails. Finding two still nappy and whole, he snapped them from their stalks and laced them through one side of the circle.
At the fence line, Fred clipped a few twigs of juniper berries and harvested two feathery plumes from the towering pampas grass. Thick fingers knew automatically where to put them, how to secure them.
He paused beneath a flaming mountain ash. Its clumps of jack-o"-lantern orange berries added a festive touch. Satisfied, he studied the wreath, inspecting it for soundness. For balance. For beauty.
The drive to the Alzheimer"s unit was short and pleasant. Humming under his breath, Fred nodded a greeting at the nurses" station and walked into the day room.
Emma stared unseeingly out the bank of windows while her veined hand plucked rhythmically at her blouse. Fred laid his offering on a round table and leaned to kiss her.
"Look what I made today, sweetheart. It"s "after harvest," and the property is brimming with all your favorite things." Fred pointed to the circle. Emma"s bleached blue eyes focused on the wreath.
"Just see how thick and sound the grapevines are now, Emma. Remember how you insisted we plant those spindly things the very first year we moved to the farm?" Stilling her hand with his own, he guided her fingers around the broad circle.
"Why, looky here. Pampas grass. And cattails, two of them. One for you and one for me." Her tentative finger traced the velvety lengths.
"And, oh, sweetie, these beauties are clustered thick on the mountain ash. Nearly had to fight off the grackles to get to them this year!"
Emma was smiling. Fred squeezed her hand and grinned back. If she couldn"t tromp through the seasons herself, then he would bring those blessings to her. After all, it was a "time of plenty" - plenty of memories.
And Fred had gathered enough for both of them.
-
2023年精选唯美的情感语录大集合59条
就是那么想爱你,有一种抑制不住的冲动。以下是小编为大家整理推荐的唯美的情感语录59条,一起来看一下吧。1、还会关心的,也就只有那些曾经关心你到心里去的人。2、不是我不爱你,而是我爱得太累。3、寻找时光罅隙里最后的纯真。4、那一个接一个的人走进我们的生命,...
-
【实用】大气的人生语录摘录38条
在佛祖的眼中一个最有智慧最有本领的人和一只最有智慧最有本领的蚂蚁没有任何区别。以下是小编收集整理的大气的人生语录38条,供各位参考。1、我们会觉得焦虑,无非是因为现在的我们,跟想象中的自己,很有距离。2、于法宝中有其四种:一者教法,二者理法,三者行法,四者果...
-
忧伤的句子集合68句
你已经对他渐渐感到失望我只能默默的替你疗伤。以下是小编为大家推荐的忧伤的句子68句,欢迎阅读,希望大家能够喜欢。1、愁颜与衰鬓,明日又逢春。2、静观一朵花的开放与凋零,静听一片叶蓬勃与枯萎,静数那一场流星雨的浪漫。相思是一种毒,想念是致命的绳,那风与落花的...
-
【推荐】2023年哲理的句子合集90条
世上许多事,只要肯动手做,就并不难。万事开头难,难就难在人皆有懒惰之心,因为怕麻烦而不去开这个头,久而久之,便真觉得事情太难而自己太无能了。于是,以懒惰开始,以怯懦告终,懒汉终于变成了弱者。下面是小编为大家收集的哲理的句子90条,仅供参考,大家一起来看看吧。1、失...
相关文章
- 英语满分作文:Reading-TheBestMeanstoAcquireknowledge
- Earthquake love Thanksgiving大学英语作文带翻译
- Hot spring Let Me Have A Rest为题目的作文
- Is a Test of Spoken English Necessary英语四级作文
- Think Positive Thoughts Every Day英语作文
- 《Right Diet To Keep Eyes Healthy》英语阅读训练
- Ought Parents to Give Children Pocket英语作文
- Passage Eighteen (Strictly Ban smoking)英语阅读理解
- The Best Thing That Could Ever Happen少儿双语阅读
- 英语作文:HelpMyFatherGiveUpSmoking