Childhood under the ancient camphor tree

On my uncle's seventieth birthday, I came to a place full of joy under the "Zhang Baofeng" tree that has grown for hundreds of years. I am very pleased to see my uncle and his relatives and friends, and silently wish him happiness as the East China Sea and longevity as the South Mountain.

After dinner, my sister in law and I stood at the door and took a nap. Looking around, the surrounding environment is very different from my childhood memories. Only the old and vigorous camphor tree next to it and the pond in front that is not too big and muddy are still so quiet.

The thick adobe wall has been painted with white lime, and the commune pig farm under the big camphor tree has disappeared. The small house with the big wooden door painted red by the pond is gone, and so is the skinny little friend who lives in the small house. At that time, the "little husband" who laughed "Li Dehong's wife is here" as soon as he arrived at his grandmother's house is no longer known. I don't know what it has become. My thoughts were pulled out one by one, and the colorful pictures of my childhood emerged in front of me. I took a boat of memory and wandered in the long river of my childhood and under the ancient camphor tree. ...

There are actually two trees next to my uncle's house, a camphor tree and a maple tree. These two vigorous trees have embraced each other in the wind and rain for hundreds of years. Therefore, the locals call this seemingly complete tree "Zhang Baofeng". When I was a child, I thought "Zhang Baofeng" was just a tree. It is tall and strong, with lush foliage and long branches, and has been shaking hands with the roof of my uncle's house! There is a big hole in the thick tree root, and local people often burn incense on the edge of the hole. Young people are full of awe. I've never seen it carefully since I was a child. I don't know how camphor trees embrace maple trees. I only know that the branches and leaves of maple trees extend from the bifurcation of camphor trees. I also know that the ancient camphor tree has been doing its duty-protecting maple trees and guarding the villagers in this place for hundreds of years. Whenever the maple ball grows up, it will automatically fall when the wind blows, and people will pick it up with baskets under the tree. When the time comes, take a "maple ball" bath with boiling water, and your body will feel very comfortable.

? Today, "Zhang Baofeng" has become a local wonder. Some friends like this:

Zhang Baofeng (the scenery at home when I was a child)

I have been entangled in trees since I was a child and have been in love for more than a hundred years. A good marriage will always be happy, and happiness will always rise. * * * Enjoy midnight and chat with birds at dawn. It is only appropriate to put your troubles and grievances aside and treat your vows as a dream.

? Zhang Bao holds a maple tree, which the locals call "the couple tree". A tall and straight camphor tree and a tall and green maple tree are intimately intertwined, in which the natural air roots of camphor tree are like huge arms, tightly embracing the graceful maple trees and tightly surrounding the two trees. No matter how nearsighted you are from a distance, it looks like a lovestruck couple hugging or making out. According to legend, as long as young men and women in love come to these two trees to hug and make a wish, they will get what they want and become a loving and sweet couple.

Venue: Zhang Baofeng Wonderland in Qimu Village.

The sixth day of the sixth lunar month is my grandmother's birthday every year. That day, our family was very happy. Our four brothers and sisters put on new clothes that are rarely worn in a year, followed their parents on the green train or the black stuffy tanker, and got off at the Xiakou to Wake Bridge. We watched all the trees and villages run back happily along the way, and we were indescribable excited.

It is said to be Xiaguan, and there are no high mountains around it. At that time, I thought: How did this station get its name? There is a black railway bridge in that place called Wake Bridge, which is not very long. Maybe it is called "Wick Bridge" for this reason! It lay quietly on the sparkling river, silent and solemn, which made me feel scared when I was a child.

? After getting off the bus, we will walk along a winding river for a while. The river is clear, reflecting the blue sky, and white clouds follow us to grandma's house like flowers in the water. If in summer, there are many beautiful butterflies flying around on the road, sometimes blocking our way in groups, and sometimes flying around us. I always wanted to catch a few, but as soon as I reached out, it flew away playfully.

? Walking, I came to a hill. At the foot of the mountain, there is a well with clear spring water. The spring eye is not big, and thick springs are constantly pouring out of it. Look! "Gollum" surfaced and turned into a round lotus leaf, which dispersed silently into the distance. When we pass by the well in summer, we all have to take a nice sip of spring water, wash our faces and feet in the small ditch where the water flows, and then praise: "It's really cool!" At that time, I always asked adults, "How can springs come out of the ground?"

In front of the spring well is a large area of farmland. In summer, a large area of green has been extended to the front of farmers at the edge of the village. After the busy farming, cows, sheep, chickens and ducklings are happily foraging in the fields. This is also our happy world. We are here to play the game of the eagle catching the chicken, to have a pig grass cutting competition, and to "play a few tricks" after cutting the pig grass (a game betting on pig grass) and so on.

My favorite thing is to tease a goat tied to a stake. Some goats are grazing by the ridge of the field. When we passed by, they bleated and their beards became warped. Bold children bark like them and tease them with bamboo sticks. Although goats are usually docile and angry, they will lower their heads, erect two horns and rush towards you to top people. Luckily, they were tied by a rope. Seeing this posture will definitely hurt you. If it can't reach people, it has to call "baa baa-"again. Naughty boys will shout at girls: "XX, it's calling you' hmm'!" At that time, the pronunciation of our name "Mom" was "Hmmm". The called girl was very angry and raised her fist to hit him. The boy said, "I'm not scolding you, I mean calling them!" " "This is not bad. He angered a large group of girls and chased him like a swarm of bees. He just flew away in the field, but there were heroes among the girls, and he was taken as a "prisoner" without running a few steps. He didn't give in, but he shook his hand and tried to get rid of the girl. Unexpectedly, all the buttons of the clothes he grabbed fell off, and the girls wouldn't let go. At this time, a group of girls gathered around and asked, "Do you still curse?" "hey! "The voice did not fall, and the little fist nodded like rain." Don't scold! Don't swear! "The girls let him go with a smile. He just walked away discontentedly.

Through the field, you can see the lively scene of a family next to the big camphor tree in the distance. Relatives and friends all come to grandma's house to drink birthday wine during the Spring Festival. As soon as he entered the house, his little brother shouted, "Happy New Year, grandparents! The grandson dog is coming! " Suddenly, a room full of friends and relatives burst into laughter, and kind grandparents came out of the room and greeted us with a smile: "OK, OK! Come in and bake firewood and eat fruit! "

At this time, an attractive smell came from the kitchen, and my uncles were cooking delicious food. When we flew in, the first thing we saw was that there were several layers of steaming cages in the big iron pot on the earthen stove, and white atmospheric fog came out of it. I wonder if we haven't eaten any big dishes yet. See if there are any boiled bones or other odds and ends on the stove. If so, share it. If not, run to grandma's house to eat something.

Although I know there is a lot of fruit in the woodshed, I know that it is for guests to eat, and I can't take a lot if I want to eat it. Once you enter grandma's house, you won't be polite. I carefully opened the lid of the tile candy, grabbed what I could eat and stuffed it into my mouth. I'm not afraid my mouth will explode. I can take as much as I can, that is, frozen rice candy, sweet potato chips and glutinous rice chips. I fell too much on the ground, and my grandfather scolded me sharply: "What are you doing with so much?" It's almost finished, isn't it? "Grandma immediately stopped grandpa and said," Let them go! There is nothing to eat at ordinary times, so let them eat more in the New Year! " He turned to us and said, "Eat! Eat more! Just pick it up! "We left in a hurry and celebrated the New Year happily.

Grandma's life is really comfortable! After breakfast every day, I go to my boss's hometown to pay a New Year call. This community is very friendly. After warmly entertaining us, I will bring back some boiled eggs, steamed bread or salted fruit different from his home. I remember once I brought back an egg, and I was always reluctant to eat it. Before lunch, a large family gathered around the fire and watched my grandmother cook. When my uncle saw that I still had the eggs, he said, "Yan Yan, come, I'll peel the eggs for you." After peeling, he showed it to me. I saw an oval egg with a ball missing, so I cried and said, "You take a bite, you take a bite, you pay for it!" " "My uncle looked innocent and said," I didn't eat. So that's it! """Impossible, it was round before shelling, and now there is a ball missing, that is, you take a bite!" My uncle smiled and said, "Look, the missing place is very smooth!" " No tooth marks! "Others advised me that boiled eggs are like this, and my mother said so. After persuading for a long time, I was still dubious: how did this happen? When I grew up and studied, I learned about it and understood why, so I felt funny.

In the afternoon, the production team plays almost every day. The stage is set in front of the big drying valley of the production team. People moved stools early and waited for the opening ceremony. They don't remember what they were performing at that time, only remember that the actors were wearing heavy makeup, wearing long-sleeved clothes, holding fans and singing silently on the stage. Children who don't move stools in the audience always like to grab the edge of the stage, stand on tiptoe and cran their necks to look around. Naughty children want to reach for the actor's beautiful skirt. At that time, there were many kinds of performances, such as Pingxiang Tea-picking Opera Troupe, Pingxiang Spring Gong, Hunan Flower Drum Opera and so on. The most distinctive thing I am most afraid of is watching "Nuo Opera". People wear masks of "Nuo God" and jump around, so I always avoid it, even though I heard that there is a "Nuo God" upstairs in my neighbor's house. We can't understand any drama, so we join in the fun and play a game of catching people or hiding cats in many places. After the rest, people went home in twos and threes. Some of them are telling the story, some are in places with wonderful aftertaste, and some can't help singing ... We've had enough fun, so it's time to go home for dinner.

After dinner, I usually wash my face, feet and bake firewood in the fire room, and then go to bed early. My uncle likes to take me to the wedding ceremony, and I always follow him cheerfully. Speaking of which, my uncle was a handsome boy when he was young. He can play flute and erhu. Many girls in the village like him, especially the girl who broadcasts in the brigade and has two long braids. She is very beautiful. I like her best. Every time I go to my grandmother's house, I can't stay, so my uncle takes me to live. When the new house was noisy, everyone was sitting in it. When they can't sit down, they stand outside the window and watch or listen. The man's guests or neighbors should sing or play musical instruments with the woman's guests, and the woman should choose someone who can sing! I remember once, with the encouragement of my uncle and mother, I sang a song when the woman just finished singing. After singing, there was warm applause in the new house, and I was the happiest that day.

Under the camphor tree is a pig farm. My uncles and aunts are trying to fatten pigs every day. Every time I pass the pig farm, my aunts will bring us delicious food. There is a big cesspool between the pig farm and grandma's house, and the pig manure on it has hardened over time. There is a clearing behind the cesspool, where we often play. Once, my sister and I played in the open space next door. My sister and I are playing "hook tea tray", and my sister is busy chasing chickens, chasing and chasing. The chickens ran to the cesspool, followed by my sister, stepped into the cesspool and slowly sank. Fortunately, the feces are tight in winter and the sinking speed is not fast. My sister cried with fear, and the sister next door rushed over, grabbed her hand, stepped on the edge of the cesspool and leaned back. Sister Li Da didn't let her sister sink. I ran to grandma's house in a panic and told the adults that grandma was hanging clothes. As soon as I heard that my sister had fallen into the cesspit, I ran to save her. After dragging my sister up, my grandmother quickly gave her a hot bath. My sister cried while washing, and it took a long time to stop crying. When it's time to eat, my mother takes her sister to the neighbor's house to ask for some "hundred meals". It is said that eating "a hundred meals" will avoid disasters and diseases. This is really a near miss childhood experience! Later, my sister next door didn't know where she went. Decades have passed, I wonder if this kind and brave sister can be well now?

How happy I am at grandma's house! There are happy things almost every day! We usually stay at grandma's house for a few days, and every time we stay from grandma's birthday to school, we will reluctantly leave. Quietly, the ancient camphor tree sprouted again. There are more and more children under the tree. I grew up slowly, and my childhood drifted away ... My childhood under the ancient camphor tree, like a treasured wine, became more and more rich, and I was intoxicated every time I thought about it. Now, it has become the warmth in my heart!