Note: English version is at the bottom of the post.

可能是上了年纪，越来越感到浓浓的乡愁。越来越怀念以前在国内的那种春花烂漫无忧无虑的生活和家里的亲人们。咦，这不是刚从国内休假回来，估计是美国的日子太过安逸悠闲？相信很多人会说我是无病呻吟。 对于我这个常年在外面漂的人，应该是很习惯了和家人久别的日子才是。 或者是因为短暂的团聚带来的别后愁绪吧。

昨天晚上梦到哥哥院子里的果树了，其中最让我怀念的是那棵杨桃树。 一到开花结果的时候，哥哥都会用袋子把幼果认真地包起来。 这样可以防止幼果被小鸟吃掉。而且还可以更好地保护幼果不被风给刮掉。每年杨桃结果的时候也正好是老家的台风季节，所以这些保护措施还是要做到的。 而且即便如此，每年刮风的时候都会被吹掉大半。好是心疼。所以对留下的果子也就更加地珍惜。哥哥一般都舍不得自己吃，都是留下来给孩子们吃。我这次回去之前他也精心保存了一些成熟的果子给我吃。 非常清甜，一点都不酸。想想都流口水。

父亲在我们近成人的时候去世了。留下一屁股给他看病借的债。母亲是那种典型的家庭主妇，也从来没有出去上班过。 只知道每天在家里忙里忙外地，保持家里的清洁。作为家里的长子，在我和弟弟工作前主要是哥哥负起家里的重任。 我走上工作岗位后就一直独自一人在外面打工，长期没有在家里。 作为家里唯一的女孩子，我个人问题就一直成为家里的牵挂。 母亲老是念叨着说在老爸去世前就一直遗憾我没有成家。然后这也成为我奶奶和爷爷的遗愿。有时候自己觉得罪过好大，让那么多的长辈都放不下心。哥哥一直没说什么，但可以看出，他也为这个妹妹成为老大难而着急， 但他又不敢明着对我说。因为他知道我这个妹妹有多固执。 终于老天开眼（：），我也在长达N 多年的寻觅中在大洋彼岸终于找到了自己的那一半。老公是美国纽约人，我们在去年9 月份步入结婚殿堂。 因为距离原因，我们一直拖到今年七月底才回到老家，让老公认主归宗。整个婚礼都是依照家里的风俗规矩来办的。 我哥自觉得长兄如父，所以一切费用都是他承担。婚礼办得非常地繁重，他什么都用最好的。个人觉得太铺张浪费，而且都这么大一把年龄，根本就反对大办。但大哥和母亲不这么认为。他们说人一生只接一回婚，一定要办个像样的，这样也算给老爸一个交代。 突然间觉得有点懂了。 我哥平时和我不是很亲近。我也一直都是有事才找他，没事的话甚至几个月都没联系。 估计谁摊上我这种妹妹都无语 。

大哥在去年七月份的时候终于咬咬牙来美国旅游。 在我这里住了一个月。这估计是我们自从成人后在一起最久的时间。我平时要上班，大哥就自己走路在家里附近四处逛逛。然后就是回去准备好丰富的晚餐等我回家。哥哥是个煮菜的能手，连我老公都喜欢吃他煮的菜。 哥哥还喜欢海钓，所以他在家乡也开了一家非常有特色的海鲜馆。 我之前也在Steemit 上也做了分享。 如果你有空去莆田的话，可以抽空去认识一下。 以下是链接 ：

https://steemit.com/food/@susanli3769/my-brother-s-seafood-restaurant-in-putian-china-authentic-ingredients-from-ocean

回到美国已经一周了，日子也慢慢回归正常。 昨晚又梦里回到家乡。心里感恩大哥为我们所做的一切，唯有在遥远的大洋彼岸遥祝家里的亲人一生平安。 虽然由于家庭和工作原因我没有办法回到国内和家人一起， 但走再远只要母亲和兄弟还在，那里始终都是我最爱的家。

以下一些图片供欣赏：

哥哥的后院和他的花花草草们（brother's backyard and his plants)-

我最爱的杨桃树和果子(my favorite starfruit tree and starfruits)：

谢谢你的阅读。如果你喜欢的话请Upvote & Follow. 以下为英文版。

Maybe it's because of age, I start to feel home sick more and more. Really miss the time in China and all my friends and families. Gee, didn't I just come back from vacation in China? Is it because life in US is too boring or relax that I start to have nostalgia that much? I am always away from home since I graduated from college, theoretically I should have had gotten used to being alone and away. Or maybe it's because the short reunion makes me more homesick? It's just what my husband usually says, you need a vacation after vacation.

I dreamed of the fruit trees at the backyard of my elder brother. What I like most is the starfruit tree. Every year when it starts to blossom, my brother will always wrap the fruit up carefully so it won't be taken by birds, and it also helps to prevent typhoon. It's really annoying that typhoon season always coincides with star fruit blossom. Even with all the protections, every year when typhoon comes, it will take majority of the fruits away. We always appreciate the remaining fruits more. My brother usually doesn't eat the fruit as he likes to leave them for the kids. Before I came home this time, he actually carefully preserved some very nice fruits and kept them for me. Very organic and sweet , it isn't sour at all. Oh boy, how I miss it!

Our father passed away before we became an adult. He left us huge debt that we borrowed for his treatment. My mother is a typical suburb family woman, she is good at taking care of the house, but not making any money. As the eldest son of the family, everything fall on the shoulder of my brother before me and my younger brother started to work. Since I started to work, I have always been away from home and didn't stay too much time at home. As the only daughter of the family, my personal marital issue had became the only concern of the whole family. My mom used to tell me how my father was sad about me being single before he passed away, it also became the same regret of my late grandparents. Sometimes I felt a little bit guilty about it for becoming such a burden to every seniors. My brother never pushed me, but I could tell he was also worried. Thank Goodness, after so many years of seeking, I finally found my Mr. Right on the other side of the Ocean Pacific. My husband is a New Yorker. We got married in Sept of last year. But due to distance and other priorities in life, we didn't go back to China until late July. My brother threw us a huge wedding ceremony, he invited the whole village to the wedding, and everything was used with the most expensive/best ones. He felt the responsibilities to himself and shouldered all the cost himself. I personally disagreed a big wedding as it's too burdensome and too costly. But my brother and mom vetoed my suggestion, they said everybody only gets to get married once, as long as everybody's happy, all is worth it. And for my brother, it means a lot more. he felt he could finally face my late father and told him that he has finished his late wish. I am usually not very close to my brother, if there isn't anything special, I may not contact with him for months, I guess maybe nobody wants to have a sister like that.

Brother finally made a trip to US in July of last year. He stayed with me for a whole month. This is actually the longest time we ever stayed together after I left home for work. I still had to work, so my brother tried to wander around local neighborhood on foot by himself and then went back home to prepare delicious dinner for me. My brother is a very good cook. My husband also likes his cooking a lot. On spare time, my brother likes ocean fishing. He runs a seafood restaurant in my hometown, I wrote about it awhile ago as linked below. If you happen to be in town, pls try to stop by if you can. It's so good that it will make your trip better.

https://steemit.com/food/@susanli3769/my-brother-s-seafood-restaurant-in-putian-china-authentic-ingredients-from-ocean

I've been back to the State for more than a week now and am back to my routine. I dreamed of going back to my hometown again. I am so thankful for such a great bother and all he has been done for us. It will be awhile for me to go back again, but I will always keep in mind that my root is kept with where my mom and brother are. There is always a home for me to go to no matter what.

Thanks for reading and hope you will like it. If yes, pls do help to upvote and follow. Thank you!