I don’t usually have an issue with not being able to see the forest for the trees. This afternoon, though, even trees seemed hard to find—I was far too preoccupied with the branches. As I walked into the valley, little things, little ordinary things, kept stealing my attention. Here are a few big pictures of the little things I encountered.

I. Young Pears Still Growing on the Tree

It’ll be a fruitful harvest, in every sense of the word. And what could be better to accompany my favorite artisan cheeses?

II. Green Acorns at the Foot of an Oak Tree

I wonder if they fell here during one of the storms we had this week?

III. Yellow Mushrooms in the Moss

I think these are Cantharellus minor—meaning they’re edible—but I don’t trust my mushroom-identifying skills well enough to taste.

Zooming in on the small stuff was a refreshing change from the panoramas that surround me at my home atop the ridge, and when I did make my way back up the hill, I realized that upon drawing back from these close-ups, the big view seems even larger. Every grand vista from the top of my hill is made up of a million little scenes like these.