Wild Beauty

Animals are some of God's most amazing creations (humans being the most magnificent of all because we are created in his image). I have a membership to the zoo just so I can photograph the beauty of the animals (I also enjoy taking my nephew, Connor, to the zoo. He is a another reason why I have a zoo membership). One of my dreams for the future is to travel the world and photograph some of God's amazing creatures in their natural habitats.

Sleeping Lioness

Inquisitive Giraffe

Clouds

I started college one year after I graduated high school. I always hated high school, but I found that I truly loved going to college. When I started college I was certain that I wanted to be a disc jockey on the radio, so I started taking communications classes. When we are young it is often difficult to decipher what you enjoy versus what your passion is. After two years of communication classes I found that I wasn't truly interested in communications. During the course of my education, I had an elective class in meteorology. It was one of the most fascinating classes to me. I have always been fascinated by clouds and weather. Whenever there is a tornado warning, most people do the wise thing and go down to their basements. I, on the other hand, go outside with my camera to see if I can photograph the power of nature. I know it isn't the wisest choice, but I can't help myself. At the end of my 2nd year, I thought that perhaps I should switch majors to meteorology. Beginning my 3rd year at college I found that I was having trouble concentrating in class. I started failing my courses even though I had been on the Dean's List for my first two years. I just figured I was burned out so I quit school. It wasn't until later that year when I started experiencing other symptoms such as fatigue, dry skin, shaky hands, hair loss, and constantly being cold that I went to the doctor. It was at that time that I discovered that I had hypothyroidism. The loss of concentration had been part of the symptoms. After three days of taking synthetic thyroid hormones, I was no longer tired, cold, and found that I could concentrate again. I had just started a new day job and I didn't want to quit to go back to school, so I just kept working. I never went back to college. It wasn't until years later when I finally figured out that my true passion is photography. I still enjoy photographing the clouds. Here are a few for your enjoyment.

Sunset in Northern Arizona

Storm Clouds

My Hometown

I'm not a big gambler. I do enjoy playing No-Limit Texas Hold Em on occasion, but other than that, I don't really gamble. However, once a year my family and I go to Churchill Downs to see the horses race. Their power and speed is something to behold. Louisville, Kentucky sits on the banks of the Ohio River. I enjoy going downtown to see the sunset over the river. These are some photos I took of my hometown, Louisville, Kentucky.

Churchill Downs Racing

2nd Street Bridge

The Painted Desert - Northern Arizona

In February of this year my husband I traveled to Arizona to visit his parents. While we were there, we took a drive through the White Mountains to Northeastern Arizona to visit the Painted Desert/Petrified Forest National Park. Of course, it was all about the photography for me. I'm always looking for one of God's beautiful and amazing creations to capture with my lens.

The Painted Desert Landscape

Petrified Wood

Painted Rocks

Flowers

I absolutely love photographing flowers. Their colors are amazing. The camera can't even begin to capture their true beauty. I enjoy growing flowers but I don't have a green thumb. I'm just not very good at gardening in general. When my husband and I first bought our house I planted tons of flowers. I made sure to plant only "annuals" thinking that "annual" meant yearly so they should bloom every year. It was the following summer when the flowers didn't bloom in my garden that I finally took the time to look up the difference between annual and perennial. It was then that I realized my error. So now I only plant flowering trees and let the true gardners take care of growing the flowers. These are some photographs of someone else's gardening skills.

Pretty in Hot Pink

Rain-Kissed Calla Lilly

Virginia Beach, Virginia

There is nothing so serene and calming to me as the sound of the ocean. I can stand there for hours and hours and just listen to the sound of the waves breaking. My husband had business in Virginia Beach, Virginia and I decided to travel with him. While he was working, I traveled to the beach to listen to the surf and take photographs. Even though it was February and cold and windy, I stood there for what seemed like hours. Only God could have created this beauty.

The Pier - Virginia Beach, VA

Seagulls

Arizona

I met my husband, Cameron, online. He lived in Arizona at the time and I lived in Kentucky. I know it's cliche and kind of like "Sleepless in Seattle," but its true. When I met Cameron online, I really wasn't interested in men. I had my heart broken twice before I wasn't going to go there again. Cameron and I had so much in common. We talked and talked. After about a month, an ex-boyfriend popped back into my life. I wasn't serious about my friendship/blooming romance with Cameron so I broke it off. Cameron and I still spoke online, but I tried to make it clear that nothing would come of the relationship. One night about a week later I came home from work and signed on to talk to Cameron like I had everyday for the past month or so. But he wasn't online. I waited for hours and hours to no avail. Around midnight I realized that I was making the worst mistake of my life. I called my boyfriend and told him it was over. I was in love with someone else. Then I called Cameron and begged for forgiveness. He forgave me. Our relationship intensified and we starting calling one another and sending photos and cards. Finally I traveled to Arizona to meet him face-to-face. It was then that I knew I had found the "one." I moved to Arizona about a month later and Cameron and I were married two months later. Cameron and I have been happily married for 10 years now. He and I lived in Arizona for about 2 years and then I dragged him back home to Kentucky with me and we've lived here ever since. I find that sometimes I really miss Arizona. Cameron and I travel there about once a year to visit his family. I'm always excited to go there and sad to leave. Whenever we visit, we always take a drive through the state and I take photographs (because that's what I love to do). These are some of the photos I took while we were driving through the beautiful state of Arizona.

Desert Sunset

Saguaro Cactus