Lens-Artists’ challenge this week has the theme simplicity. P.A. Moed says: As the coronavirus pandemic spreads and intensifies, many of us around the world are spending a lot of time at home, following governmental regulations to shelter in place. More and more of us feel like we’re returning to a simpler time–cooking our own meals, playing board games, reading (and re-reading) the classics, cleaning the house, and taking up hobbies like knitting, sewing, and gardening. For me, this time also highlights the value of simplicity.

I feel as P.A. Moed does – I find pleasure in the simple things of life. After all, I have plenty of time to look for things that I might not otherwise notice. Most of these simple things are the beauty of nature.

For example, I delight in the simplicity of a sunset, like this one in January:

the simplicity of a stand of birch trees in winter:

the simple pleasures of childhood:

the simple beauty of daffodils about to fully bloom, a sign that spring is really here:

the quiet and simple beauty of a swan resting at the edge of a pond: