A squirrel perched on a fallen tree branch at night.

Pasture

My son, Luca, and I often take walks in the cow pastures and hayfields that surround our house. During the pandemic, these walks became more frequent, as social distancing comes naturally among the trees and the tall grass. I was the one pulling his red wagon, but he was the one at the helm. "Pra cá?" he'd suggest in his 2-year-old Portuguese.

This way?

This way. This way towards a small thing I'd not noticed.

When the camera was with us, Luca watched out for big ouches, steering us clear of fire ant mounds and cow poop as I maneuvered the tripod. And when I walked with the camera alone, I practiced Luca's teachings:

Slow down; look; ask questions.

Hear.

Here, complexity dissipates into bite-sized pieces.

Looking at these pictures, a friend remarked, "the infinite in a rectangular piece of ground." This reminds me of our fragility and of how small we truly are. In learning to love the small, we learn to love infinitely -- a comfort in times of crisis.

Black and white photo of a forest with fallen and standing trees.
Black and white photo of a forest with fallen and standing trees.
Sunlight filters through grass blades creating intricate shadows.
Sunlight filters through grass blades creating intricate shadows.
Close-up of tangled black hair strands.
Close-up of tangled black hair strands.
Close-up of dry grass blades tangled on the ground.
Close-up of dry grass blades tangled on the ground.
Black and white image of tangled grass and plants.
Black and white image of tangled grass and plants.
Black and white image of wildflowers amidst tall grass.
Black and white image of wildflowers amidst tall grass.
Black and white image of small flowers scattered on dark ground.
Black and white image of small flowers scattered on dark ground.
Black and white image of scattered, glowing particles on a dark background.
Black and white image of scattered, glowing particles on a dark background.
Black and white image of wildflowers in a field.
Black and white image of wildflowers in a field.
Black and white photo of dense grass and foliage.
Black and white photo of dense grass and foliage.
Close-up of textured, speckled black surface with white and gray spots.
Close-up of textured, speckled black surface with white and gray spots.
Black and white photo of a dense forest with branches and leaves.
Black and white photo of a dense forest with branches and leaves.