暖冬cool夏
这里一年四季温暖如春，没有酷暑没有严寒......
一)
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As time marches on, soon it is spring, the best season of the year. Normally, after some germinal winter rains, the parched land would turn green. Rolling hills would unfurl verdantly, and wild flowers would burst in a riot of colors.
This year however, the rainy season dragged on to spring. Drizzles, showers and unexpected storms came along incessantly and unprecedentedly, bringing forth snow in high mountains, and bringing back brimming rivers to the land. In a matter of weeks, the backdrop against which the city nestles is no longer barren, but carpeted with either lush grass or white snows.
As good memories surfaced but prolonged rains locked Em indoors, her yearn for an outdoor hike became burgeoning. On the second Saturday of March, she stepped out alone with a big camera hanging over the neck, only to find the trails closed. She was later compensated with the sight of a blue heron catching two gofers in a row. Spotting a blue heron in a city surrounded by sprawling valleys and ponds is not uncommon, but seeing it eating gofers is an once- in- a- blue-moon opportunity.
On the following Saturday, Em had another chance encounter in a park, this time, with an old American couple.
By the time Em and her husband arrived at the park, after a futile attempt at a closed trail, it was almost 11 o’clock. The sun was out, the air was crisp, and clusters of white clouds were scattered on the blue sky. They parked and walked along the gravelly bank overlooking a creek that runs through the marsh land. An open sight of the flowing creek was complemented by the jolly appearances of birds, ducks and fish. Em saw in the middle of the creek two blue herons foraging here and there for food, and two pelicans rested leisurely, oblivion to the sloshing fish under the water.
As Em watched and moved on, she met an old man and his wife with binoculars in hands. They looked like in their late 70s, if not early 80s. Amicable greetings were exchanged between them, ensued by a long conversation. The old man noticed the big letters embroidered on the front of Em’s sweater, and said “that BROOKLYN is where I came from.”
“I’ve never been there though.” Em explained.
“I came here in 1971, more than half a century ago.” The old man introduced himself as a retired professor in one of the UCs.
Then he asked Em where she was originally from.
“China”, said EM.
“Which city?” he asked.
Em searched in her mind for a proper city name, as she knew that the small city she came from won’t be known for a foreigner. Hesitant for only a second, she answered that Ningbo is the city, as is her husband’s hometown, though he himself lived in the suburb.
Obviously the old man did not know it, but that is enough to lift the lid off his memory. He told Em that his first “illegal” visit to China was back in 1979, when China and U.S. barely started their diplomatic relations. As a professor and a doctor, he was invited to visit Beijing via Hongkong. He was accommodated in Jinjiang hotel, the only hotel in Beijing at the time to be open to foreigners. On his first night there, recalled the old man vividly, he was received by a beautiful lady at the front desk who spoke perfect English. He deliberately said the last two words emphatically, raising his voice and three of right-hand fingers in a sign of OK, to show his seriousness. But the highlight of the story was until the lady told him that his room did not need a key. “Just walk in, and nobody will take anything from the room. It’s crime-free here.”said the lady with a smile.
This left the gentleman in awe, and after 44 years, the scene still stays fresh in his aging mind.
“It is totally a different world,” as the old man commenced the tale of his second visit to China in 2013.
Then his wife chimed in. The old lady’s wrinkled face looked much like the texture of a thick tree bark.
With stammers here and there, the lady started to tell us her impressions of China: how impressively modern China has become within decades, how beautiful Yunnan was, and how horrifyingly educational their visits to Nanjing Massacre Museum turned out to be. As the lady talked in high spirits, the old man stood behind, fixating on his cell phone.
Half an hour must have passed by. The sun relentlessly beamed down on Em’s back, the temperature rose to low 70s. In her sweater, Em felt a bit sweaty, and would like very much to retreat to a shady place. But the old lady showed no intent of finishing her story soon. Em decided to stay on, as more family stories unfolded about an adopted Chinese granddaughter, the lady’s youngest son who works for a Chinese company named Zuora and lives in Beijing…
Towards the end of conversation, the old man approached Em and showed her the pictures of Yunnan he found back in his cell phone. That was year 2013. Clad in suits, the old man stood on a busy street thronged with minority people who dressed up traditionally. .
Em felt a bit surreal to meet a couple whose family stories tales are more likely to be found in novels. But aren’t novels pieced together by real life experiences, Em wondered aloud. As if to complete the encounter with a strong note, the old man quoted a Tao’s saying in English that “if you are depressed, you are living in the past. If you are anxious, you are living in the future. If you are at peace, you are living in the moment.”
Em stood there as she parted with the couple, watching them disappearing into the depth of the marsh, with Tao’s quote still echoing in her mind.
注：老歌里有我的童年少年时光。唱老歌轻轻松松，因为有点童子功，这些是印在记忆里的歌：）但是对于年纪尚轻的，这些歌太老了，可以略过不听。这篇博文的照片也跟上一篇有重复了。
《人说山西好风光》
《绣金匾》
By the way, Em is shortened for Emma. Em was initially given by Em's intimate American co-worker, who repeatedly called Em her BFF (best friend forever), though they are no longer in touch.
Have a great new week, my friend!
First, great pics! I've never seen lupines spreading out over so large a strip
of land and good timing catching the heron with its prey. The mallards remind me
of Mandarin ducks. Maybe there is a connection.
I like good usage of words like unfurl, sloshing, etc., and your vivid account
of the stories of the old couple. The saying from the gentleman reminded me of a
quote from Master Sifu in Kongfu Panda. It might be a Tao wisdom but I don't
remember anything similar in the Tao Te Ching.
I never met anyone with the name Em. Is it a shorthand for Emily or Emma?
新鲜的花朵和怀旧的老歌，美丽动听，相辅相成。
在加州呢，却没看到这美丽的紫花。我也喜欢暖冬的文和歌，是你的粉丝。冒泡问候！：）
三月，你还发现美好，捕捉到精彩的蓝鹭抓田鼠的镜头和美丽的鲁冰花！
暖冬唱的两首歌，显唱功，地方味十足！
第二首，真够老的，有红色，哈哈哈
温暖的冬儿，感恩文城有小暖云相伴！
移民局从来就是很官僚的地方，这不，又要打电话重新弄，还不知道会怎么样，还有她国内的爸爸能维持多久，唉，也是不容易。 谢谢燕儿临贴留言，周末快乐！
移民局也太没人性了吧，说她父亲住进ICU,没有说要dying。有点故意刁难的味道了。
她在纽约读书，住的公寓近三千块，暑假也在那里住，但是完全可以利用暑假多出几篇论文的，否则今天的情况都不是要好很多。
七月这里的fortune cookie的说法有意思，很有可能的，反正我查了查没有看见相应的中文，谢谢七月的热心和分享自己的看法，很犀利啊。预祝周末快乐！
又读了一遍这个女孩的故事，了解了更多，让我想到了海风姐今天的博文（关于啃老）。 如果是她的父母（你的学生）高工资高收入，可以比较轻松地供她上学倒也罢了。原来是三家人省吃俭用地付出几百万人民币，这太不值了。 在这里我说句逆耳的实话， 我觉得这个女孩既不懂事也不聪明。 如果懂事，不该这么花父母祖父母的积蓄到美国来上学，或者找个便宜点的学校，好点的专业。 如果聪明，至少应该了解市场需求和机会，明白自己的处境和优势，选择一条符合她自己条件的路。 如果喜欢写小说，何必住在纽约那么贵的城市呢？
话说回来， 我觉得女孩的父母也有责任。一开始送孩子来美国念书就有点勉强。 如果孩子聪明，在中国上大学不是挺好吗？ 我认识的不少小留，都是父母比较富裕，或者在国内读不上什么好大学的。 只有一个在国内普通大学毕业， 到美国来读研的。 两年硕士读完，她爸爸说花了六十多万人民币。 我跟她和她爸爸讲，如果接下来她申请不到有奖学金的学校/专业，无论再读个硕还是升博，都要坚决不支持。 结果女孩用了一年的实习期， 最后回国。 现在还不错，家长和孩子都满意。 Tough love， 我觉得比较好。
看了仙鹤吃田鼠的照片，我好开心！ 我家草坪有田鼠，而且田鼠冬天专门钻到雪下面吃草根。 繁殖能力还特别强，人拿它根本没办法。 邻居的猫咪常来帮助控制田鼠。 现在知道仙鹤也吃它，以后在草坪上撒仙鹤吃的粮食，争取吸引仙鹤也来顺便给除田鼠。
小小说得是，网络是现实生活的延伸，文字是心与心的交流，心灵能相通的，自然也能在现实生活中合拍。感谢在云里与小小相遇相知相伴，谢谢你无微不至的关心和每次认真的评论。谢谢听歌点赞，祝春好春安！
身有体会啊，网络是现实生活的延伸，这里也就像我们生活中的你、我、他/她，有真挚的友情，真诚的朋友，许多与暖冬同感，有从网络认识的朋友，到成为生活中的朋友，感恩与暖冬的相逢相识！：））
后面的两首歌也唱得很好，特别是第一首，人说山西好风光，听暖冬的歌很舒服，温暖亲切！：））
你这个“也勾也度苹果脸”，是不是google,baidu,apple 和facebook的缩写啊。谢谢拾影临贴阅读听歌！
能歌能舞鲁冰花
人无完人半是命
仙鹤不仙也偷鼠
人说山西好风光
却是乌篷踩船女
英文难倒英雄汉
也勾也度苹果脸
新歌还真唱不好，唱不了，一个时代有一个时代的歌，现在的歌不好唱，要求更高。唱老歌就是一种怀旧，yesterday once more. 谢谢主流临帖留言，希望南北加早日天晴，早日春暖花开！
歌声真的很有天赋！不过，那些歌实在太老了，何不尝试一些经典的流行曲呢。：-）
祝暖冬仲春愉快！春安吉祥！
我们在这边已经习惯了阳光灿烂，虽然盼望下雨，但是阴雨绵绵的，不舒服的，而且房子的结构都不是那么抗涝的。
谢谢边边读文听歌，郭兰英的歌是童年少年记忆里的歌，谢谢边边喜欢！
Oncemm这个总结写得真好，浓缩的精华，高度也不同，字字珠玑，非常喜欢！也谢谢你用心读，有你这样的读者，才有我写英文练笔的动力。
三月春雨/春雪不断，让我们共同期盼四月的芳菲！
麦子总是热心肠，我都不知道怎么玩chatGPT，为了知道老子的原文，我还去网上查，只说是道德经里的，我翻开道德经也没有找到中文。这下好了，明白了，有人把这哲理套在老子头上：）
谢谢麦子细致入微的阅读，点评，谬赞，我最近留言少了，沉浸在自己的世界里，看到你新的贴，新西兰的美景，有空来拜读。感谢麦子的真诚相待！祝好！
姐不想写博的时候就多唱歌，你唱的民族歌曲真带味儿，唱得听得都觉得开朗起来了。
两首歌在北京上学的时候听过， 好像郭兰英唱过？ 暖冬唱得好听，尤其“山西好风光”。 鼓掌。
小留近观察 7 – 在纽约找到工作
https://blog.wenxuecity.com/myblog/71920/201911/29286.html
我的外甥女只是本科毕业（不是名校，大学排名100以后），现在在纽约找到了很好的工作。