生活中有很多小事经常为人们忽略，但有时其中蕴含的亲情却会令人回味许久。父亲留下的老照片告诉我，人们并没有什么不同，所有人都想充分享受人生乐趣，体味家的温馨。全家团聚的时刻是珍贵的……
Ilovetolookatoldphotographsinthealbum.Myfatherhadabigboxofpicturesinthecabinetandsomeofthepicturesgowaybacktothe1890’s.Thewomendressedwithsuchdignityandhadstylebackthen.MyDadwouldlingeraroundhispreciousboxofphotographsandtellmestoriesabouteachphotoandveryone.Itwasoneofthosemomentsthatyoucouldnotreallyappreciatewhenyouwereyoung.ItisonlyafterhewaslonggonethatIcanlookbackandsaythanksfortakingthetimetoshowmeatinywindowintotheworldofpeoplewhoreallydidknowhowtolive.
IfoundafewofmyauntsintheirfashionableoutfitsbyanoldCadillac(卡迪拉克，汽车名)pretendingtodrinkwhisky.ManyofthephotographsweretakeninConeyIsland(科尼岛)andCapeCod(科德角).Iespeciallylovethephotographsofthebathingbeautiesandtheirswimsuits.Thesuitsarequitemodestbytoday’sstandardsbuttheyoungwomendidn’tseemtocare.TheywerestayingatsuchplacesasNewportBeachandCapeCodhavingthetimeoftheirlivesrunninginandoutofthetide.Onephotographhadavendor(小贩)sellingdogs(热狗)byacoaster(轮船)atConeyIsland—ayoungerpictureofmymotherwithherebrownhairandblueeyeseagertogoonboardwithmyDad.HelookedabitfrightenedinthepictureasIcouldseehewasholdingontightlytothebartothecoaster,hisblackhairflyinginthebreeze.IsmilewhenIlookatthatpicturebecauseitishardtoimagineanyone’sDadeverbeingakid.Helookedlikehewashavingagreattimeprobablybecausehewaswithmymother.Sheissmilinginthepictureandwearingawhiteblouse,blueshortsandtennisshoes.Sheisquitealooker(美女),IcanseewhymyDadlikedhersomuch.
Idigdowntothebottomoftheboxandseetwolargephotographs.Oneisdated1900andtheotheroneisdated1997—arecentpicturethatlookssimilartotheolderone.Theolderpicturelooksfamiliarbecauseitistakeninthesameplace—thesummerhome.
Iwilldescribetheolderphotographasveryinterestinginthestyleofdressandexactly(确切地，精确地)wherethepeoplearesitting.Theyareposedoutsidethecottagebyasmalltreethatisstilltheretoday.Awomanissittinginarockingchair,withhereblackhairpulledupinabun(脑后的发髻).Sheisnotsmilingbutlookingawayfromthecameraandwearingalongblackdress.Anotherwomaniswearingawhiteblousewithanecktie(领结)andalongblackskirt.Herhairisalsolongandblonder(金黄色的)butpulledbackinabun.Therearetwomenoneithersideofawoodentable.Bothmenappearolderandaredressedinhatsandsuitsandties,trousersandSundayshoes.Neitherissmiling.(IhavethedistinctfeelingthatthewomenaretheirwivesanditisSunday.)Theyprobablyarehungryfortheirroastbeefandpotatoes,butthatisjustmyguess.Thereisayoungboy,probablyabout13inthephotograph.Heiswearingawhiteblouse,blackshorts,longblacksocksandtansportsshoes.Heispettingablackdogthatissittingontopoftheroundwoodentable.Theboyisbendingdownandheisn’tsmilingeither.Itmusthavebeenhotoutsideandheprobablywantstogoforaswimwiththedog.ThewaterisjustbelowthemandheisprobablywonderingwhyhehastotakethisstupidpicturealldresseduponaSunday.
Inoticethatthecolorofmycabinwasquitedifferentin1900anditwasmuchsmaller.Thecolorwasgreen,withwhiterailings(栏杆)aroundtheporchandstepsleadingdowntothepatio(院子).ThatiswherethepictureofthisSmartFamilywastaken.ThefamilyappearsratherstiffinthephotobutIamsurethattheyhadagoodlaughaftertheSundaydinnerwasserved.
Thesecondlargerphotographisofmyownfamilyabout1997.Itisalsoinblackandwhite.Wedidn’twearanyolderclothesbutusedourownclothes.Thetreeinthebackgroundhasgrowntoenormousheightsandisstillstanding.ThestepsleadingdowntoMousamLakehavecrackedandareinawfulneedofrepair.Believeitornot,westillowntheoldwoodentableandalloftherockingchairsownedbytheSmartFamily.IdidasearchoftheSmartFamilyandtheywereoriginallyfromPortsmouth(朴茨茅斯).Atleastfiveotherfamiliesownedmycottagebeforemyfatherboughtitin1950forthreethousanddollars.ThecottagecomeswiththirteenacresoflandthatIstillownalongwithmysevenbrothersandsisters.Itwaspassedontomewhenmymotherdied.WehaveformedtheCampFundtopaythetaxesandpreserveourlegacy.ItisabeautifulcabinonaprimespotonMousamLake.Iwasnotherewhenthisphotowastakenandithangsinthelivingroomofthecabin.Manyvisitorscommentonitandthinkitisquiteamazingtohaveahouseforsolong.
Thehistoryofthehouseisinterestingtoviewfromphotographs.AroundthetablearemybrotherBobjustwearingacasualshirtandshorts(smiling),AnniewearingaT-Shirtandshorts.Mikewearingawhiteshirtandlongnylontrousersnotsmiling,Mary,whomIcouldn’ttellwhatshewaswearing,myMom,herwhitehairandherbeautifulblueeyesandsmile,waswearingapeachblouseandslacks,myDadwasn’taliveforthisphoto,hediedin1986.LastlyinthepictureismybrotherJohn,wearingawhitevest,trousersandsuspenders.Heslicked(使光滑、顺滑)backhisblackhairforthephototoappearintheperiodstyle.Hewasn’tsmilingeither.Theonlydifferenceisthatmycottageispaintedbrownwithalargerporchandsomeadditionalbuildings.Myfatherlovedtobuildthingsandhewasconstantlyimprovingthecabin.Hebuiltadeckdownstairs,andalsoadockforhismanyboats.Healsodesignedaglidingswingandapicnictable.
Allofthesephotographsremindmethatpeoplearenotsoverydifferent.Weallwanttoenjoylivingandbetogetherasafamily.Thetimethatfamiliesspendtogetherisveryvaluable.Thechildrenwillalwaysrememberthelittlethingsthattheirparentsdoforthem.FormeitwasmyDadthatshowedmethesepicturesandtookthetimetotellmethestoriesbehindeachofthem.Ithankhimdearlyforthat.
注释:
photographphotograph/photo
cabinetescape
dignitydignity
style
linger
appreciate
fashionable
outfitfit
whisky
modest
standardstandard
tide
breeze
kid
probably
similar
exactly
pose
appearappear
trousers
distinct
roast
tan
stupid
cabin
porch
leadlead
stiff
backgroundground
enormousnormal
crack
awful
originally
acre
paypay
tax
preserveserve
legacy
prime
spot
living-room
comment
amaze
view
casual
nylon
peach
slack
vest
suspender
paintpaint
constantly
deck
dock
glide
swing
enjoyenjoy/price