Everyday experiences can be transformed into refreshing visions, given the right attitude of mind. These essays seek to convey the joy of noticing such things as perfect circles in nature; a field of spiders’ webs illuminated; the amazing aerial combat of birds; the searching roots of an orchid; the balletic gracefulness of swans; the beauty of a handmade bookmark; a blood-red strawberry tree; and heartfelt offerings made at a natural spring. And, in addition, praise for the elements of fire, earth and water; the claims of competing religious icons; and the transformative effects of stillness and meditation. Seen from a Zen perspective, nothing seems quite as ordinary as it once was. Peter Quince writes novels, short stories and poetry as well as essays. He practises tai chi, meditation and philosophy, follows Buddhism and Taoism, and advocates a simple life where, if you realise that little is enough, you are truly rich.