華龍師の物語: An Unforgettable Farm

I grew up in a serene and scenic farm in Chek Lap Kok before it was transformed into the hectic Hong Kong International Airport. I always reminisce about my good old days.

The quiet farm was remotely located in a valley near the seashore. During summer, my favourite activity was to go to the beach, lie on the sand, enjoy the sun-bath until the sun set. In winter, I preferred not going to the beach because the wind blown from the sea was too frigid to stand.

The farm was owned by my grandfather who was a diligent farmer. He grew many kinds of vegetables, including cabbage, lettuce, tomato, potato, celery, beetroot, pepper, onion, marrow, pumpkin, carrot and radish. Most of them were perennial and always welcomed in the market. When I visited him, he always dug out the sweetest carrots and picked up the fattest tomatoes for me. I liked eating them uncooked. My grandfather also grew different kinds of fruit. I loved the juicy peaches most but they were only available in late spring. I was sick of bananas because they were available throughout the year and I was fed too many good ones always.

Grew in my grandfather's farm were also longans and lychees, which were usually served as my afternoon snacks. But lemons, pineapples, mangoes and citrus were rather sour and I did not like them. When I grew older, I volunteered to help my grandfather water the vegetables and weed out the fields. In spring, he took me to the farmlands to get rid of the greedy birds pecking at our produce.

Flowers abounded too. Wild and blossoming daisies could be seen everywhere around the farm, particularly in spring.

My grandmother was an expert in planting lily, daffodil and chrysanthemum which were mostly in white or light colour. On Sunday, I loved to follow her to the chapel, which was built on the other side of the hill. The journey to the chapel was amazing. We first walked half an hour along the seashore and then turned to the footpath between woods for another half. I saw sea gulls flying above the sea and also swallows nesting on the eaves. Although I did not know much about religion, I liked the angelic music and choir at the chapel, which gave me a sense of spirituality and tranquility.