It's taken me a lifetime to find my joy.  And I'm still not one hundred percent sure I know what it is.  However, what I found is that I do have joy in my life.  And right now, my joy is taking photographs of my local wildlife and making greeting cards to sell and help raise funds for local nature centers.  Of course I also need to make a living for myself, so I'm doing special art shows whenever I can to raise these funds.  However, the absolute joy I get from being outside and observing nature at her best, is pure and unadulterated.

Last year I discovered the joy of painting.  I tried my hand at some acrylic abstracts which can be matted and framed, and then moved on to greeting cards.  I later made some original art greeting cards which sell quite well.  I also paint on canvas panels and stretched canvas.  This new discovery has opened a whole new world to me, and I have two art galleries that have a little of my work, so I'm slowly but surely getting my work out there.  I have a website for my Original Art if you're interested. Dixie

Despite not having a car and having to make do with my bicycle (year round in Colorado!), I manage to get out and about and take the time to notice the fascinating "life" around me.  I've even made friends with a Canada Goose I call Dixie.  She has a crippled foot and has been coming back to the same spot for years, and now when I call her, she comes right to me for some food.  This year is the first year she's actually eating out Dixie of my hand, and she knows that if she comes right up to me, she'll not be picked on by the others.  Dixie on the Fence I'm now even allowed to stroke her back while she eats out of my other hand.  What a privilege!  Basically, I think she's accustomed to the sound of the word "Dixie" and that it means food.  She's my joy.  To be honest, I don't know if she's a she or a he.

Trying to find ways of earning a living in this economy is not the easiest thing I've ever done.  And it's wearing me out.  Using a bicycle for transportation, living in a friend's basement as accommodation, wearing clothes from Goodwill (thank goodness for Goodwill), doing without most things (a great lesson I have to say), is a test of one's resolve and resilience.  For me, both are intact.

A project I'm presently working on is a series of books featuring my wildlife photographs.  I plan to use these books as fundraisers to benefit wildlife and nature organizations.  Please visit this page for more information on my new series of books entitled Backyard Snapshots.

Other joys in my life include my digital camera (I worked hard and saved hard for this), my website, my book reviews (I love reading non-fiction), travel (not in my current budget, however), and just being in the moment.  I'm always working on book ideas and will be published for a third time - third time lucky as the other two books haven't earned me anything.  I do it for the joy of it. You Should Get a Website of Your Own - Click Here

Please take a tour of my website.
I'm still working on this page so check back again.
Thank you for visiting me here.  Peace and happiness.  Adrienne
Updated January 2013


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