Estival Warm Pick Berry 夏季的温馨：采浆果
Estival Warm Pick Berry 夏季的温馨：采浆果
◎ Nancy Sweetland
Sweet, wild berries plucked from roadside patches are a delightful side benefit of camping. Each summer, my husband Bob and I would send the kids off with their little metal buckets and the next day we would all enjoy the fruits of their labor: raspberry pancakes turned on the grill or firm blackberries to dot a hot cooked-on-the-campfire peanut butter sandwich.
香甜的野生浆果散落在路边，点缀成一片露营的好地方。每年夏天，我和我的丈夫鲍博就会让孩子们带上他们的金属小篮出去采浆果，第二天我们就会享受这劳动的果实：烤架上的梅子煎饼，或是黑莓花生酱三明治。
The children looked forward to picking. We could usually find just about anything, from blueberries in early summer to raspberries and blackberries in August. Every year—except one.
孩子们也都很期待出去采浆果。很多时候我们会什么都没有采到，从初夏的蓝莓到悬钩子到八月的黑莓。
“There’s nothing around here to pick!” five-year-old Julie complained, poking a stick into the dying fire one late summer evening.
一个夏日的夜晚，5岁的朱莉抱怨道：“这里什么都没有啊！”说着就一棍子捅进了已经熄灭的火堆里。
The season had been too dry; what few blackberries were left on the bushes were hard as marbles.
这个季节太干燥了，只剩下了很少一些黑莓，还硬得像弹珠似的。
“Yeah. I looked all over,” added four-year-old Brian. “Wish there was something.”
4岁的布莱恩说：“是啊，我到处都找过了。”接着他补充道，“希望还会有一些。”
That night, after the kids were zipped into their sleeping sacks and I was sure they weren’t awake, I handed Bob a bag of large marshmallows and I grabbed a bag of the miniatures.
那天晚上，当孩子们钻进他们的睡袋以后，我确信他们已经睡着了，就递给鲍博一袋大浆果，然后我抓起一袋小的。
“Get the lantern and follow me,” I said. “We’re going to make a memory.”
“拿上灯笼，跟我走，”我说，“我们要去创造记忆了。”
“What?” He looked puzzled.
“什么？”他看着我迷惑地问。
I told him about the kids’ campfire conversation and Bob grinned, “Let’s go!”
我把孩子们的篝火对话告诉了他，他咧嘴笑了，说：“走！”
The next morning over pancakes, I said, “Kids, I think you’re going to have something to pick today.”
第二天早饭时，我说：“孩子们，我想今天你们一定可以采到一些野果了。”
“Really!” Julie’s eyes shone. “What?”
“真的！”朱莉的眼睛闪耀着光芒。“什么？”
“What?” echoed Brian.
“什么？”布莱恩回应着。
“Marshmallows.” I said, as though I’d said it every summer. “Last night Daddy and I walked down toward the lake and it looks as though they’re just about ready to pick. It’s a good thing we’re here now. They only come out one day a year.”
“浆果啊。”我说，就像每年夏季一样。“昨天晚上我和爸爸顺着小溪散步，好像那里就是有很多东西啊。我们现在能在这里太好了，因为它们每年只出现一天。”
Julie looked skeptical, and Brian giggled. “You’re silly, Mom! Marshmallows come in bags from the store.”
朱莉看上去有点怀疑，布莱恩却咯咯地笑了。“你真傻，妈妈。浆果是从商店里买来的。”
I shrugged. “So do blackberries, but you’ve picked those, haven’t you? Somebody just puts them in bags.”
我耸了耸肩膀。“那么，黑莓也是，但是你也已经摘了，不是吗？有人把它们装进了袋子而已。”
“Daddy, is that true?” He demanded.
“爸爸，那是真的吗？”他好像还不甘心。
Bob was very busy turning pancakes. “Guess you’ll just have to go find out for yourself,” he answered.
鲍博正在忙着翻煎饼。他答道：“我想，你得自己去看看能不能采到吧。”
“Okay!”
“好！”
They were off in a flurry, little metal buckets reflecting the morning sun.
他们提着小篮，在阳光明媚的早晨蹦蹦跳跳地跑去。
“You nut.” Bob said to me, laughing. “It won’t work.”
“你这个笨蛋。”鲍博笑着对我说，“那没用的。”
“Be a believer,” I answered.
“要相信别人。”我答道。
Minutes later our two excited children rushed into the clearing.
很快，这两个兴奋的孩子跑了回来，开始清算自己的成果。
“Look! I got some that were just babies!” Julie held up a miniature.
“看！我采到一些小婴儿浆果！”朱莉提着那些迷你小浆果说。
“I picked the big ones!” said Brian. “Boy, I want to cook one! Light the fire, Daddy, quick!”
“我摘到大的！”布莱恩也快活地说。“爸爸，快点生火，我想做一些，快啊！”
“All right, all right, settle down.” Bob winked at me. “They won’t spoil.” He lit some small sticks while the kids ran for their hot dog forks.
“好的，好的，等着啊，”鲍博朝我眨了眨眼睛，“他们没有失望。”趁着孩子们跑去拿烤热狗的叉子时，他点燃了一些小木棒。
“Mine will be better because they’re so little,” predicted Julie. Brian shrugged, mashing two large ones on his fork.
“我的肯定更好，因为它们很小！”朱莉说。布莱恩耸耸肩，用他的叉子穿了两个大果子。
We waited for the culinary verdict.
我们等着做好了之后来裁决。
“Wow!” Brian’s eyes rounded with surprise. “These are sure better than those old ones in the bags!” He reached for another. “These are so good!”
“哇！”布莱恩的眼睛里闪烁着惊奇。“这些肯定比那旧袋子里装的要好得多！”他拿起了另一个，说道，“太好了！”
“Of course,” I said. “These are really fresh!”
“当然了，”我说，“它们真的很新鲜！”
Julie looked puzzled. “How come all those marshmallow bushes don’t have the same kinds of leaves?”
朱莉看上去有点困惑。“为什么它们都没有相同的叶子呢？”
“Just different kinds, that’s all,” I replied quickly. “Like flowers.”
“种类不同的，孩子，”我赶快回答道，“就像花朵一样。”
“Oh.” She licked her fingers, seemingly satisfied with my answer. Then, studying the next marshmallow before she popped it into her mouth, she looked up with the sweetest smile and said softly, “We’re so lucky that they bloomed today!”
“哦。”她舔着她的手指，看上去似乎对我的回答很满意。然后，她开始研究下一个浆果，然后急忙塞到嘴里。她抬起头来，甜美地笑着，轻声说，“我们太幸运了，它们今天全都开了！”
