My love tree

　　But then we had Matthew. And Marvin. And the twins, Alisa and Alan. And then Helen. Five children. I was too busy raising them to grow a garden.

　　Money was tight¹, as well as time. Often when my children were little, one of them would want something that cost too much, and I'd have to say, "Do you see a money tree outside? Money doesn't grow on trees, you know."

　　Finally, all five got through high school and college and were off on their own. I started thinking again about having a garden.

　　I wasn't sure, though. I mean, gardens do cost money, and after all these years I was used to living on a pretty lean（贫乏的） , no-frills budget.

　　Then, one spring morning, on Mother's Day, I was working in my kitchen. Suddenly, I realized that cars were tooting（吹奏，狂欢） their horns² as they drove³ by. I looked out the window and there was a new tree, planted right in my yard. I thought it must be a weeping⁴ willow（垂柳） , because I saw things blowing around on all its branches. Then I put my glasses on - and I couldn't believe what I saw.

　　There was a money tree in my yard!

　　I went outside to look. It was true! There were dollar bills, one hundred of them, taped all over that tree. Think of all the garden flowers I could buy with one hundred dollars! There was also a note attached⁵: "IOU eight hours of digging⁶ time. Love, Marvin."

　　Marvin kept his promise, too. He dug⁷ up a nice ten-by-fifteen foot bed for me. And my other children bought me tools, ornaments（装饰品） , a trellis（格子，框架） , a sunflower stepping stone and gardening⁸ books.

　　That was three years ago. My garden's now very pretty, just like I wanted. When I go out and weed（除草，铲除） or tend my flowers, I don't seem to miss my children as much as I once did. It feels like they're right there with me.

　　I live up in Michigan's Upper Peninsula⁹, where winters are long and cold, and summers are way too short. But every year now, when winter sets in, I look out my window and think of the flowers I'll see next spring in my little garden. I think about what my children did for me, and I get tears in my eyes - every time.

　　I'm still not sure that money grows on trees. But I know love does!

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