The Blossoms of April

The crabapple tree in front of my townhouse is beginning to blossom.

There are so many trees blossoming right now in the neighborhood that it was hard to choose which to photograph.  I restricted myself to one more photograph: a tree up the street that is so heavy with blossoms that it resembles a giant bouquet.

A New Toaster

My old toaster had become a hazard.  It would make alarming fizzing noises when toasting bread.

Tonight my younger son surprised me with the gift of a new Sunbeam toaster -- a snazzy four-slot Mercedes Benz of a toaster with shiny knobs, levers, and bagel buttons.  I made my first piece of toast with it and felt entirely like a child with a new toy!

The Beggars' Plan

I am often susceptible to anxiety about the future -- mulling over potential retirement financial shortfalls, concerns about diminishing health in my later years, and so forth.  This is a failing of mine.  As Charles Spurgeon said, "Anxiety does not empty tomorrow of its sorrows, but only empties today of its strength."

This little story taken from Aleksandr Avanasev's collection Russian Fairy Tales reminds me not to think overmuch about the future.

The Beggars' Plan

Two old beggars, husband and wife, were walking along a road and approached a village.  The old man said: "I will ask for some milk."  His wife answered: "And I will crumb some bread into the milk."  The man seized her and began to beat her, saying: "Don't crumb bread into the milk, it will get sour; don't crumb bread into the milk, it will get sour."  But when they came to the village no one gave them milk.

Hildebrand Ranch Park

Today I took a walk in Hildebrand Ranch Park.  It was more ranch than park.  Specifically, it consisted of an abandoned barn and a great many acres of former pasture land.

The trail circuit went through this flat pasture land, down to Fairview Reservoir, and then back along the hogback foothills to the west.

I tarried awhile at the reservoir to enjoy the peaceful scenery.  As I stood on a fishing pier, six geese paddled toward me.  They probably wanted a closer look at my broad-brimmed straw hat.

Here is one of my admirers.