Close-up of an orange-and-black monarch butterfly resting on red and yellow milkweed flowers against a softly blurred green background.

In March 2020, the world suddenly became unfamiliar. Schools closed, routines disappeared, and everyone was asked to stay home. Like so many people, I was trying to understand what was happening and how long this strange new reality might last. I found myself wanting to be outside as much as possible, even if “outside” only meant stepping into my own backyard in Gainesville.

I had planted milkweed there for the monarchs that frequently pass through our part of Florida. That spring, it became more than another plant in the garden. It was a small place where life continued according to its own rhythm, untouched by the confusion unfolding beyond the yard. One afternoon, I carried my camera outside and found this monarch resting on the milkweed. Through my lens, the familiar butterfly became a collection of extraordinary details, with its fine white spots across its body, the dark lines tracing its wings, and the delicate curve of its antennae. For a few quiet moments, there was nothing to solve, and nowhere else I needed to be.

When so much of the world had stopped, the monarchs still arrived. They reminded me that even during uncertain seasons, beauty continues to find us, sometimes just beyond our back door.