Beautiful Things on April 12

Spring has my heart filled with so much joy. On a recent trip to the arboretum, I started thinking about a song I love by Tom Rosenthal. It’s called “Beautiful Things We Saw on April 4” and it was literally made by him turning the responses to the question (what beautiful thing have you seen today) by his fans and followers into lyrics. A couple of years ago I actually went to the arboretum on April 4th, and recorded the beautiful things I saw that day as well. This time of year just lends itself to hope.

I posted to my socials last week and asked if we could do the same thing on Sunday, April 12th. And the results made my heart warm. Please note: all photos except the one of me at the top of this missive were all taken by the folks who shared their answers.

So, may I present, for 2026, with responses from all over the world…

The Beautiful Things on April 12th.

-My Grandmother.

-A baby snail.

-My first wild violet of the season. Nature gives us beauty beyond our own efforts.

-A beautiful iris flower.

-Slept well for the first time in days.

-Beautiful snakes and reptiles.

-Forget-me-nots in among the weeds: a simple and unassuming flower but so beautiful.

-The cherry blossoms are blooming.

-My friend came over and we painted watercolors together.

-The pale yellow of soursop tea in an old Franciscan desert rose cup.

-Pansies randomly growing in the gravel of our driveway.

-An adventure in the zoo with my daughter and her husband.

-All the wildflowers where I live.

-A robin bathing in the garden bird bath

-A beautiful countryside view.

-A peaceful sunrise while driving.

-The bluebells starting to sprout on a path of beech trees laden with moss.

-Glowing vases on a windowsill.

-The sunlight reflecting on the trees.

-Three rescued baby ducklings who fell into a drain.

-My cats came closer to each other than ever, and didn’t fight.

-A swallowtail butterfly flew by right as the windchimes blew.

-Lilacs outside the studio window.

-The shadow of an orchid on the windowsill as the sun streamed in.

-Sunshine and rain.

-Lots of azaleas blooming.

-Made a snake friend at the quarry.

-Singing a hymn that exists today despite enduring hardship, at 1 in the morning.

-My sleeping dog on a lazy Sunday.

-A daffodil in a green glass cup.

-A giant apple blossom tree I love to see in bloom every year.

-Unwrapped a blackberry vine from the first wild iris, and sternly told him to respect other beings’ personal boundaries.

-Greeted a favorite horse chestnut tree on a walk with my dog, using his wheeled walker.

-The sunshine, the wind in the daffodils, and the “PLUNK!” of the first frog in the pond.

-A many-feathered flock of chicks, growing into mini hens.

-My cat chasing butterflies in the yard.

-Our sprightly squirrels.

-The sunrise filtering through my cat’s ear as he sat on my lap.

-A tiny ant carrying a single petal to his house.

-Making sure a neighborhood cat finds a home.

-I saw two mourning doves who let me walk so close by. A sign of good luck, my mother would say.

-Sunrise over the ocean, Gold Coast, Queensland.

-The swirls of the bubbles in the water of my bath.

-My friend’s shy young daughter coming over to hug me.

-The fairy bluebells blooming everywhere today.

-Two lovers embracing by the country’s oldest roller coaster. Their eyes locked on one another, whispering tender things none could hear.

-Springtime bees and blooms at an interstate rest area.

-A wobble-kneed baby foal.

-Waking up to a ladybird on the rim of my water glass.

-The magnolia tree in bloom.

-A beautiful sunrise.

-Having a conversation with a crow as I sat on my porch.

-Planted some wildflower seeds.

-Watched the rain and misty mountains this morning, all quiet and refreshing.

-Mama duck and her ten unruly ducklings.