unit1Mr.DohertyBuildsHisDreamLifeInAmericamanypeoplehavearomanticideaoflifeinthecountryside.Manylivingintownsdreamofstartinguptheirownfarm,oflivingofftheland.Fewgetroundtoputtingtheirdreamsintopractice.Thisisperhapsjustaswell,asthelifeofafarmerisfarfromeasy,asJimDohertydiscoveredwhenhesetouttocombinebeingawriterwithrunningafarm.Nevertheless,asheexplains,hehasnoregretsandremainsenthusiasticabouthisdecisiontochangehiswayoflife.在美国，不少人对乡村生活怀有浪漫的情感。许多居住在城镇的人梦想着自己办个农场，梦想着靠土地为生。很少有人真去把梦想变为现实。或许这也没有什么不好，因为，正如吉姆·多尔蒂当初开始其写作和农场经营双重生涯时所体验到的那样，农耕生活远非轻松自在。但他写道，自己并不后悔，对自己作出的改变生活方式的决定仍热情不减。Mr.DohertyBuildsHisDreamLifeJimDoherty1TherearetwothingsIhavealwayswantedtodo--writeandliveonafarm.TodayI'mdoingboth.IamnotinE.B.White'sclassasawriterorinmyneighbors'leagueasafarmer,butI'mgettingby.Andafteryearsoffrustrationwithcityandsuburbanliving,mywifeSandyandIhavefinallyfoundcontentmenthereinthecountry.多尔蒂先生创建自己的理想生活吉姆·多尔蒂有两件事是我一直想做的――写作与务农。如今我同时做着这两件事。作为作家，我和E·B·怀特不属同一等级，作为农场主，我和乡邻也不是同一类人，不过我应付得还行。在城市以及郊区历经多年的怅惘失望之后，我和妻子桑迪终于在这里的乡村寻觅到心灵的满足。2It'saself-reliantsortoflife.Wegrownearlyallofourfruitsandvegetables.Ourhenskeepusineggs,withseveraldozenleftovertoselleachweek.Ourbeesprovideuswithhoney,andwecutenoughwoodtojustaboutmakeitthroughtheheatingseason.这是一种自力更生的生活。我们食用的果蔬几乎都是自己种的。自家饲养的鸡提供鸡蛋，每星期还能剩余几十个出售。自家养殖的蜜蜂提供蜂蜜，我们还自己动手砍柴，足可供过冬取暖之用。3It'sasatisfyinglifetoo.Inthesummerwecanoeontheriver,gopicnickinginthewoodsandtakelongbicyclerides.Inthewinterweskiandskate.Wegetexcitedaboutsunsets.Welovethesmelloftheearthwarmingandthesoundofcattlelowing.Wewatchforhawksintheskyanddeerinthecornfields.这也是一种令人满足的生活。夏日里我们在河上荡舟，在林子里野餐，骑着自行车长时间漫游。冬日里我们滑雪溜冰。我们为落日的余辉而激动。我们爱闻大地回暖的气息，爱听牛群哞叫。我们守着看鹰儿飞过上空，看玉米田间鹿群嬉跃。4Butthegoodlifecangetprettytough.Threemonthsagowhenitwas30below,wespenttwomiserabledayshaulingfirewooduptheriveronasled.Threemonthsfromnow,itwillbe95aboveandwewillbecultivatingcorn,weedingstrawberriesandkillingchickens.Recently,SandyandIhadtoretilethebackroof.SoonJim,16andEmily,13,theyoungestofourfourchildren,willhelpmemakesomelong-overdueimprovementsontheoutdoortoiletthatsupplementsourindoorplumbingwhenweareworkingoutside.Laterthismonth,we'llspraytheorchard,paintthebarn,plantthegardenandcleanthehenhousebeforethenewchicksarrive.但如此美妙的生活有时会变得相当艰苦。就在三个月前，气温降到华氏零下30度，我们辛苦劳作了整整两天，用一个雪橇沿着河边拖运木柴。再过三个月，气温会升到95度，我们就要给玉米松土，在草莓地除草，还要宰杀家禽。前一阵子我和桑迪不得不翻修后屋顶。过些时候，四个孩子中的两个小的，16岁的吉米和13岁的埃米莉，会帮着我一起把拖了很久没修的室外厕所修葺一下，那是专为室外干活修建的。这个月晚些时候，我们要给果树喷洒药水，要油漆谷仓，要给菜园播种，要赶在新的小鸡运到之前清扫鸡舍。5Inbetweensuchchores,Imanagetospend50to60hoursaweekatthetypewriterordoingreportingforthefreelancearticlesIselltomagazinesandnewspapers.Sandy,meanwhile,pursuesherowndemanding...
