MrDohettyBuildsHisDreamLife原文和翻译.docx

MrDohettyBuildsHisDreamLife原文和翻译.docx

《MrDohettyBuildsHisDreamLife原文和翻译.docx》由会员分享，可在线阅读，更多相关《MrDohettyBuildsHisDreamLife原文和翻译.docx（11页珍藏版）》请在冰豆网上搜索。

MrDohettyBuildsHisDreamLife原文和翻译

Mr.Dohetty-Builds-His-Dream-Life原文和翻译

InAmericamanypeoplehavearomanticideaoflifeinthecountryside.Manylivingintownsdreamofstartinguptheirownfarm,oflivingofftheland.Fewgetroundtoputtingtheirdreamsintopractice.Thisisperhapsjustaswell,asthelifeoffarmerisfarfromeasy,asJimDohertydiscoveredwhenhesetouttocombinebeingawriterwithrunningafarm.Nevertheless,asheexplains,hehasnoregretsandremainsenthusiasticabouthisdecisiontochangehiswayoflife.

Mr.DohertyBuildHisDreamLife

JimDoherty

1、TherearetwothingsIhavealwayswanttodo–writeandliveonafarm.TodayI’mdoingboth.I’mnotinE.B.white’sclassasawriterorinmyneighbors’leagueasafarmer,butI’mgettingby.Andafteryearsoffrustrationwithcityandsuburbanliving,mywifeSandyandIhavefinallyfoundcontentmenthereinthecountry.

2、It’saself-reliantsortoflife.Wegrownearlyalloffruitsandvegetables.Ourhenskeepusineggs,withseveraldozenleftovertoselleachweek.Ourbeesprovideuswithhoney,andwecutenoughwoodtojustaboutmakeitthroughtheheatingseason.

3、It’sasatisfyinglifetoo.Inthesummer,wecanoeontheriver,gopickinginthewoods,andtakelongbicyclerides.Inthewinter,weskiandskate,wegetexcitedaboutsunsets.Welovethesmelloftheearthwarmingandthesoundofcattlelowing.Wewatchforhawksintheskyanddeerinthecornfields.

4、Butthegoodlifecangetprettytough.Theremonthagowhenitwas30below,wespenttwomiserabledayshaulingfirewooduptheriveronasled.Theremonthsfromnow,itwillbe95aboveandwewillbecultivatingcorn,weedingstrawberriesandkillingchickens.Recently,SandyandIhadtoretilethebackroof.SoonJim,16andEmily,13,theyoungestofourfourchildrenwillhelpmemakessomelong-overdueimprovementsontheoutdoortoiletthatsupplementsourindoorplumbingwhenweareworkingintheoutside.Laterinthismonth,we’llsparytheo,cleanthebar,plantthegarden,andcleanthehenshousebeforethenewchickarrive.

5、

6、balancethingshavegonemuchbetterthanwehadanyrighttoexpect.Forvariousstoriesofmine,I’vecrawledintoblack-beardensforSportsIllustrated,hitchedupdogsledracingteamsforSmithsonianmagazine,checkedouttheLackChamplain“monster”forScienceDigest,andcanoedthroughtheBoundarywaterswildernessareaofMinnesotaforDestinations.

7、I’mnotmakinganywherenearasmuchmoneyasIdidwhenIwasemployedfulltime,butnowwedon’tneedasmucheither.Igenerateenoughincometohandleour$600-a-monthmortgagepaymentsplustheusualexpensesforafamilylikeours.Thatincludeseverythingfrommusiclessonsanddentalbillstocarrepairsandcollegecosts.Whenitcomestoinsurance,wehaveapoormen’smajor-medicalpolicy.Wehavetopaythefirst500dollarsofanymedicalfeesforeachmemberofthefamily.Itpicksup80%ofthecostsbeyondthat.Althoughwearestuckwithpayingminorexpenses,ourpremiumislow-Only560dollarsayear-andwearecoveredagainstcatastrophe.Asidefromthatandthepolicyonourtwocarsat$400ayear,wehavenootherinsurance.Butwearesettingaside$2000ayearinanIRA.

8、We’vebeenanabletomakeupthedifferenceinincomebycuttingbackwithoutappreciablyloweringourstandardofliving.Wecontinuetodineoutonceortwiceamonth,butnowwepatronizelocalrestaurantsinsteadofmoreexpensiveplacesinthecity.WestillattendoperaandballetinMilwaukeebutonlyafewtimesayear.Weeatlessmeat,drinkcheaperwineandseefewermovies.ExtravagantChristmasesareamemory,andwecombinevacationswithstoryassignments...

9、Isuspectnoteverywholovesthecountrywouldbehappylivingthewaywedo.Ittakesacoupleofspecialqualities.Oneisatoleranceforsolitude.Becausewearesobusyandonsuchatightbudget,wedon’tentertainmuch.Duringthegrowingseasonthereisnotimeforsocializinganyway.JimandEmilyareinvolvedinschoolactivities,buttheytoospendmostoftheirtimeathome.

10、Theotherrequirementisenergy-alotofit.Thewaytomakeself-sufficiencyworkonasmallscaleistoresistthetemptationtobuyatractorandotherexpensivelaborsavingdevices.Instead,youdotheworkyourself.Theonlymachineryweown（notcountingthelawnmower）isalittlethree-horsepowerrotarycultivatoranda16-inchchainsaw.

11、Howmuchlongerwe’llhaveenoughenergytostayonhereisanybody’sguess-perhapsforquiteawhile,perhapsnot.Whenthetimecomes,wewillleavewithafeelingofsorrowbutalsowithasenseofprideatwhatwe’vebeenabletoaccomplish.Weshouldmakeafireprofitonthesaleoftheplace,too.We’veinvestedabout$35,000ofourownmoneyinit,andwecouldjustaboutdoublethatifwesol