My love tree

 　　For years I wanted a flower garden. I'd spend hours thinking of different things I could plant that would look nice together.

　　But then we had Matthew. And Marvin. And the twins, Alisa and Alan. And then Helen. Five children. I was too busy raising them to grow a garden.

　　Money was tight¹, as well as time. Often when my children were little, one of them would want something that cost too much, and I'd have to say, "Do you see a money tree outside? Money doesn't grow on trees, you know."

　　Finally, all five got through high school and college and were off on their own. I started thinking again about having a garden.

　　I wasn't sure, though. I mean, gardens do cost money, and after all these years I was used to living on a pretty lean（贫乏的） , no-frills budget.

　　Then, one spring morning, on Mother's Day, I was working in my kitchen. Suddenly, I realized that cars were tooting（吹奏，狂欢） their horns² as they drove³ by. I looked out the window and there was a new tree, planted right in my yard. I thought it must be a weeping⁴ willow（垂柳） , because I saw things blowing around on all its branches. Then I put my glasses on - and I couldn't believe what I saw.

　　There was a money tree in my yard!

　　I went outside to look. It was true! There were dollar bills, one hundred of them, taped all over that tree. Think of all the garden flowers I could buy with one hundred dollars! There was also a note attached⁵: "IOU eight hours of digging⁶ time. Love, Marvin."

　　Marvin kept his promise, too. He dug⁷ up a nice ten-by-fifteen foot bed for me. And my other children bought me tools, ornaments（装饰品） , a trellis（格子，框架） , a sunflower stepping stone and gardening⁸ books.

　　That was three years ago. My garden's now very pretty, just like I wanted. When I go out and weed（除草，铲除） or tend my flowers, I don't seem to miss my children as much as I once did. It feels like they're right there with me.

　　I live up in Michigan's Upper Peninsula⁹, where winters are long and cold, and summers are way too short. But every year now, when winter sets in, I look out my window and think of the flowers I'll see next spring in my little garden. I think about what my children did for me, and I get tears in my eyes - every time.

　　I'm still not sure that money grows on trees. But I know love does!

1 tight   

adj.紧的；难解的；紧密的

参考例句：

• Time is going to be tight,so you'd better hurry.时间很紧，你最好抓紧一点。
• The box is so tight that I can't open it.这个盒子太紧，我打不开。

2 horns   

n.角( horn的名词复数 )；号；角质；（蜗牛等的）触角

参考例句：

• The young goat was just beginning to grow horns. 这只小山羊刚开始长角。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The blare of horns could be heard in the distance. 可以听到远处传来的号角声。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 drove   

vbl.驾驶，drive的过去式；n.畜群

参考例句：

• He drove at a speed of sixty miles per hour.他以每小时60英里的速度开车。
• They drove foreign goods out of the market.他们把外国货驱逐出市场。

4 weeping   

adj. 哭泣的，<古>下雨的，垂枝的 动词weep的现在分词

参考例句：

• It's no use weeping over what can't be helped. 对于无能为力的事哭也没用。
• Is she still weeping away? She's been crying all day! 她还在哭吗？她已经哭了一整天了！

5 attached   

附加的

参考例句：

• The lease entitles the holder to use the buildings and any land attached thereto.本租约持有人有权使用此建筑物以及所附属的土地。

6 digging   

n.挖掘v.挖，掘( dig的现在分词 )；（如用铲、锨或推土机等）挖掘；挖得；寻找

参考例句：

• They were digging up worms to use for bait. 他们正在挖蚯蚓作鱼饵。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The best implement for digging a garden is a spade. 在花园里挖土的最好工具是铁锹。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 dug   

n.动物的乳房[乳头]v.挖，掘( dig的过去式和过去分词 )；（如用铲、锨或推土机等）挖掘；挖得；寻找

参考例句：

• He dug a deep hole in the garden. 他在花园里挖了个深坑。
• We dug a deep pit in the yard. 我们在院子中挖了个深洞。

8 gardening   

n.造园，造园术，园艺

参考例句：

• Dad is always in a good humour for gardening.爸爸干园艺活时，心情总是很好。
• She's outdoors gardening every afternoon.她每天下午都在户外搞园艺。

9 peninsula   

n.半岛

参考例句：

• Dalian is in the south of the Liaodong Peninsula.大连位于辽东半岛南部。
• Korean peninsula lies to the west of Japan.朝鲜半岛在日本以西。