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(typo disclosuse ~ I write these as fast as I can type. Please excuse any typo because I don’t proof read this. I just full send it.)

Reasons why…. This is my favorite time of year for all kinds of reasons… perfect sweater and coffee weather, the beauty of Fall, I was born in October which is fitting. So, as always on a birthday another year has past and it’s time to reflect on what have you done with your year, Joy? First and foremost, I got a year. I am not promised even the very next minute of this life. Last year I was on top of a mountain on this very day and that memory is making me smile right now. My son just shared an image of us literally walking up into the clouds on that trip. I am asking you to please go and do all the things that you have not done that have been on your list. Don’t let time slip away mindlessly. If it’s on your mind and you’ve been denying yourself the time to do whatever, please go that thing. Find a way. Since, my trip, I have been doing something every day to fulfill those moments of true peace, joy and presence in my life. It makes a world of difference. Try it. Do it. The thing that is calling to you… stop denying it. It’s waiting for you. It’s been waiting for you your entire life.

11,500 feet Burns Colorado ~ 8 days sleeping in a tent. Only light was sunlight, moonlight and firelight. Food and water was whatever you brought. No shower. No cell service. No nothing turned into everything.

What are reasons why to do what you are doing every day???? Ask yourself that. For me: To be in nature. To do something I was missing and mad, sad, regretting not doing it. What am I doing daily? I live out in countryside. I love being outside. I live on the National Ice Age Trail. I use to long distance run outside year around and overtime had to stop running because it was physically breaking me down. I gave that up roughly 10 years ago and really missed it. I also have loved taking photos and really missed that & just did not have enough time to do it. Over Summer I just stumbled upon this new thing… finding it was a complete accident. I did not start it intentionally. This is it: waking up early, walking/biking from my front door and capturing a photo of something before I get home. It’s been an amazing experience. It’s seems simple/silly but the darkness fading into natural sunlight is truly awesome to experience. Also the world is moving, the stars/sky/moon/sun are moving, the animals are moving, the sounds, the woods, the wind, the weather… it’s all been awe inspiring. The photos have been a challenge in many ways (poison ivy) and super fun. On the days I think there is nothing out there I get the best photo. It’s been a great game. I wish I had been doing it my entire life.

I am not going to be able to continue this as soon as it snows. The trail turns into a sheet of ice. I am going to miss it until Spring. I have maybe a month left? The cold is fine. The snow is not. Again, I live in rural area and the drifts are deep, snow makes it impossible to do.

The rules

1. Leave in the dark on foot or bike, no matter the weather. You can’t miss a day unless it’s impossible. (You are not sleeping in cuz you don’t feel like it. I can’t wait to go so I am up without an alarm.) Post the song of the day at the time you leave. I sometimes listen to music. I sometimes shut it off.

2. Get a photo before you get home. You have to use your phones camera. (The phones camera is a terrible camera. They are great for being inside of a phone but not great as an actual camera. I am use to a really great actual camera.)

3. You get one edit to the photo.

4. You have to post it while you are standing there looking at whatever the photo is. No, pre-taking photo the day before…etc. If I post that photo I am standing right there at that minute.

5. Commit to that image. You can’t see another beautiful thing and then take another photo. I have cheated on that twice, sorry about that.

Here are some of my favorite photos and what was going on when I took them.

The Moon ~ Almost a full moon, center of the trail. I tried to get to this the next day at the same time but again the Earth is moving at the same time of morning it had moved off the trail and far to the left.

Red sunrise coming up from Lake Michigan. When I saw the red in the sky I raced the sun up to this location knowing what it would look like. I climbed an abandoned pheasant inclosure to get the pic, 10 or 12 feet high and made from stapled together rotting nonsense. It held me. I had to trick my phones focus to get the image… you kind of drag the focus.

Tree ~ Foggy, misty morning… I really thought there is no way I am getting a photo today and here it was. I sat here and had a cup of coffee. This tree & location on any other day looks like a complete ugly disaster, but not on this morning. It was perfect.

Sunlit Tree ~ nothing more to say 🙂

The Mill ~ I pass this everyday. How I got this image is really unknown to me. It was magical, took my breath away. After turning around to move off of the grass I ran smack dead into a skinny green fence post because I could see it… hilarious 🙂 I was laughing so hard I couldn’t get back on my bike.

If you want to see all the pics they are on my instagram story daily (I only post them on the story) and you can see them all there under Prairie Sunrise on our profile page on instagram. You can have the complete song play list on Spotify under Wild Prairie Silver and the playlist is Prairie Sunrise. I am sorry about any explicit songs but I have reasons/memories for loving those songs. Most of the playlist is subtle, as it is 4 in the morning & rocknroll is usually not it.

Just sending this email to encourage anyone to go live their best life. It’s obviously not leaving your house in the dark on foot. That is not for most people, but whatever it is go do that. It’s been great.

To everyone… thank you. Thank you for another year of amazing work and friendships. Our party is for you. Please come and enjoy the bonfire, the old fashions, the chocolate, the wine, each other and of course the jewelry. xoxoxoxoxo ~ joy

RSVP so I have enough food & if you need directions 🙂 1-920-365-6341