Grandma wondered what in the world she could do.Should she have someone to get rid of bees？That would cost more than she could afford.She decided to wait and think it over.
During the next few days，the bees were busy making their own business.Grandma could always see a few bees buzzing in and out around the opening high hole in the tree.Before long，she decided the bees won’t bothering anyone，so she went about her business and didn’t give them any other thought.
That summer，Grandma’s little garden grew and grew.The neighbors would stop to admire the huge crop of vegetables and puzzle over their own gardens weren’t doing well.No matter，because Grandma had enough to give some away.Of course，everyone who came to visit was treated to a meal of good things from the garden.
One day，Grandma’s brother Frank visited from Arizona.As Grandma made Frank a delicious lunch of squash pan cakes and home-made apple sauce，she told him the story about the swarm of bees.
Frank said “in Arizona，the famers often hired beekeepers to set up beehives near their fields.The bees pollinated the crops and helped them to grow.”
That was when Grandma realized that her bees had helped with her garden all summer.
“So that’s why my little garden had such a big crop！”she exclaimed.
From that time on，Grandma always believed that since Grandpa couldn’t be there to help her that summer，he had sent the bees to take his place and make Grandma’s little garden grow and grow...
爷爷的关爱
早在我出生以前，奶奶和爷爷搬到碧奇乌大道住。他们膝下养有四个小女儿。女孩们睡在阁楼的一张大羽毛床上。那里冬夜酷寒。奶奶得在床脚下垫热砖给女儿们取暖。
大萧条时期，工作很难找，爷爷什么苦工都做。在周日他挖沟渠，周末和奶奶在花园里挖挖锄锄，种点自己的粮食。
碧奇乌大道的房子有个大前院，院子里种着浓荫遮蔽的大树和果树。院中央的是个水泵，小女孩们就在这里泵水用来做饭、打扫卫生、灌溉花园。
奶奶和爷爷在院子的一边种上番茄、豆子、南瓜、黄瓜、辣椒和草莓，供应这个大家庭的吃用。在另一边，他们围着圣母的雕像种了玫瑰、天竺葵、丁香和蝴蝶花。
人人都辛勤地耕种花园，使它日渐丰实。整个夏天，我们一家人吃着花园种出的食物，欣赏着花园里的美丽花朵。奶奶还把做好的草莓酱、番茄、豆子、辣椒、梨子和桃子装进罐子里，使它们的美味能保持一整个漫长的冬天。
多年过去，孩子们长大，孙子孙女们也来到了世上。
奶奶和爷爷仍然每年春天都耕种花园。人人都能分享花园种出的好东西，也总能带上一些回家里。
孙子孙女们长大了，爷爷、奶奶也年迈古稀，维护花园对他们来说变得更为艰苦了，所以他们缩小了些花园的面积。但里面种出来的食物还足够吃，花朵也还招人喜爱。
等到爷爷八十九岁的那个夏天，他只能坐在草地的椅子上，看蔬菜长大，玫瑰开花。夏日渐渐消逝，爷爷在丰收前就去世了。
对奶奶来说，这是个寂寞的冬天。她坐在窗边，望着外边的院子，考虑着来年春天还要不要耕种花园。只靠她自己来打理太难了些。
当春天来到时，她只稍微种了一点。
初夏的一天，阳光灿烂，奶奶听到前院传来一阵骚动声，她看出窗外，看到可怕的一幕：两棵大树之间到处都是大团大团的蜜蜂。
空中飞舞着成千上万只蜜蜂，数不胜数的蜂群一直排到树梢上！嗡嗡声不绝于耳。奶奶看见这些蜜蜂先后钻进一棵树上高高的树洞中。很快，所有的蜜蜂都搬进新家，消失了。
奶奶不禁发愁起来。她是否该请人清走这些蜜蜂呢？但是她根本支付不起费用。于是她决定等一等，再想想办法。
随后几天，蜜蜂忙碌个不停。奶奶总能看到有一些蜂儿从高高的树洞里嗡嗡地飞进飞出。不久，她看出蜜蜂并无妨碍，于是自顾自地干活，不再理会它们。
那年夏天，奶奶的小花园硕果累累。邻居们都驻足羡慕里面生长丰盛的蔬菜，纳罕怎么自己花园的长势就没有这么喜人。没关系，因为奶奶有好多可以送人。登门来访的人当然都有花园里的美味来招待。
一天，奶奶的弟弟法兰克从亚利桑那州前来拜访。奶奶给他做了一顿香喷喷的午饭，有南瓜饼，有自制的苹果酱，她还把蜜蜂的故事告诉了法兰克。
法兰克说：“在亚利桑那，农夫们常常雇请养蜂人在农田附近搭蜂箱。蜜蜂授粉有助于庄稼成长。”
奶奶才意识到，原来是这些蜜蜂在夏季助成了花园的丰收。
“所以我的小花园才有了大丰收！”她大声地说道。
从那时开始，奶奶便相信是因为爷爷那年夏天没能亲自帮她，才派了蜜蜂到这里，让奶奶的小花园欣欣向荣……
An Important Person—Mother
After 21years of marriage，I discovered a new way of keeping alive the spark of love.I started to go out with another woman.It was really my wife’s idea.
“I know that you love her.”she said one day，taking me by surprise.“But I love YOU，”I protested.“I know，but you also love her.”
The other woman that my wife wanted me to visit was my mother，who has been a widow for 19years，but the demands of my work and my three children had made it possible to visit her only occasionally.That night I called to invite her to go out for dinner and a movie.“What’s wrong，are you well？”she asked.My mother is the type of woman who suspects that a late night call or a surprise invitation is a sign of bad news.“I thought that it would be pleasant to pass some time with you，”I responded.“Just the two of us.”She thought about it for a moment，then said，“I would like that very much.”
That Friday after work，as I drove over to pick her up I was a bit nervous.When I arrived at her house，I noticed that she，too，seemed to be nervous about our date.She waited at the door with her coat on.She had curled her hair and was wearing the dress that she had worn to celebrate her last wedding anniversary.She smiled from a face that was as radiant as an angel’s.“I told my friends that I was going to go out with my son，and they were impressed，”she said，as she got into the car.“They can’t wait to hear about our meeting.”
We went to a restaurant that，although not elegant，was very nice and cozy.My mother took my arm as if she were the First Lady.After we sat down，I had to read the menu.Her eyes could only read large print.Half way through the entries，I lifted my eyes and saw Mom sitting there staring at me.A nostalgic smile was on her lips.“It was I who used to have to read the menu when you were small，”she said.“Then it’s time that you relax and let me return the favor，”I responded.
During the dinner we had an agreeable conversation—nothing extraordinary—but catching up on recent events of each other’s life.We talked so much that we missed the movie.As we arrived at her house later，she said，“I’ll go out with you again，but only if you let me invite you.”I agreed.
“How was your dinner date？”asked my wife when I got home.“Very nice.So much more than I could have imagined，”I answered.
A few days later my mother died of a massive heart attack.It happened so suddenly that I didn’t have a chance to do anything for her.At that moment I understood the importance of saying in time：“I LOVE YOU”and to give our loved ones the time that they deserve.Nothing in life is more important than your family.Give them the time they deserve，because these things cannot be put off till “some other time”.
生命中一个重要的女人——妈妈
结婚21年后，我发现了保持爱之火花的一种新方法。我开始与另一个女人出去约会。其实这还是我妻子的主意呢。
“我知道你爱她。”有一天她对我说，这令我感到惊奇。“但我也爱你。”我声明。“我知道，不过，你也爱她。”
我妻子想让我去拜访的另一个女人就是我的妈妈，她守寡19年了，但由于我的工作需要以及有三个孩子要抚养，我很少有机会去看望她。那天晚上，我打电话约她吃饭看电影。“出什么事了？你还好吧？”她问。我妈妈是那种认为深夜电话或出其不意的邀请代表坏消息征兆的女人。“我觉得与您共度一段时间将是一件愉快的事，”我这样回答。“就我们两个人。”她想了一想，便说：“其实我很想这样。”
于是周五下班后，我开车去接她。我有点儿不安。到了她的住所，我注意到，她对我们的约会好像也有些紧张。她穿着外套在门口等我。她将头发盘了起来，并且穿着最后一次结婚纪念日那天穿的套装，天使般容光焕发的脸上带着笑容。“我告诉朋友们我要跟儿子出去约会，他们都很感动。”上车时她对我说。“他们急迫地想了解我们约会的情况。”
我们去了一家虽不是一流却很优雅舒适的饭店。妈妈挽着我的手臂，宛如第一夫人。我们坐下后，我开始看菜单。她的眼睛现在只能看清一些大字。菜单看到一半的时候，我抬眼看到妈妈正坐在那儿盯着我，嘴上带着怀旧的笑容。“你小的时候，都是我看菜单。”她说。“现在轮到您休息了，该我回报您了，”我答道。
吃饭的时候，我们谈得很愉快——也没什么特别的事——只是简单描述一下彼此生活中最近发生的事。我们谈得太尽兴以至错过了看电影。当我送她回到家时，她说：“我会再跟你出去约会，但必须是我邀请你。”我同意了。
“饭吃得怎么样啊？”回到家时我妻子问。“非常好。比我想像中要好得多。”我回答。
