About My PODCAST AND MY PHOTOGRAPHY

By Wendy Fleming Dexter

How "Life on the Illinois Prairie" Began

I was raised on a farm west of Mattoon, Illinois—the only girl among six children. My appreciation of the land and our surroundings came from my dad. Sunday afternoons were often spent in the car, taking long, leisurely drives to area lakes or parks.

As an adult who resided in the country, I was often in a rush and running late to get to town. But when I reached my mid-sixties and retired, it was as though God tapped me on the shoulder and whispered, "Slow down. You are hurtling toward death… and you are already closer to the end than you realize."

So, I heeded his advice. When I did slow down, I saw things I hadn’t really noticed before. Sure, I had seen them, but I hadn’t really seen them. I often stopped and took photos with my phone. In the beginning, phone cameras were very handy, but not all that great. With the advent of smartphones, the cameras in them became more sophisticated and my photos were turning out much better.

Photography became a great way to express myself, but I yearned for more. As a big supporter of rescuing animals and spaying and neutering, I used my real-life cat, Pinky, to tell her story from the perspective of a rescue pet. In the book, "Pinky, the Purrminator: Undercover Kitty," she had but one item on her bucket list: to become the first feline contestant on the TV game show, The Price Is Right. I self-published the book and assumed there was little chance of ever having an audio version.

In an amazing twist of fate that changed my life, Friesen Press began offering the opportunity to turn my book into an audiobook. I jumped at the chance to give voices to the pets in my book. The company I worked with, Audivita, was wonderful, patient, and very helpful. I was also allowed to use my voice instead of having a professional do it. I knew the individual personalities of my own cats and dogs so well.

As I was wrapping up the audiobook, my husband, Stacy, noted that Audivita offered podcasts and urged me to try it. The topic came up a few times and, although I was reluctant, we arranged a Zoom meeting with Audivita CEO, David Wolfe. That meeting (and Stacy's urging) convinced me to step way out of my comfort zone. I have never looked back, and my life has been enriched beyond words. I have the opportunity to interview many fascinating local people, and I was able to share a deeply personal story that I called, "The Unknown Sister: How I Found My Voice and Lost My Family." I am currently in the process of turning that life-changing experience into a book.

Photography has remained a passion

Social media, such as Facebook, became the perfect place to share my pictures. When I began to receive positive feedback, I was encouraged to post more photos. In an effort to counteract so much negativity on Facebook, I began to try to add something positive using my photos. People told me that often my pictures made them homesick, or brought up pleasant memories, or just resonated with them. Often, they provoke lively discussions, and they have been a tremendous learning experience for me. It is deeply touching when someone shares a photo or offers a personal "thank you." To be able to move another human in an emotional way, is something I never dreamed I could do. When someone says they are inspired by me to take more pictures, that truly is the ultimate compliment.

I have incorporated some recurring features that people seem to enjoy. One is to invite captions to humorous photos, and another is to offer a mystery photo, where people guess what the item pictured actually is. I also have what I call the "Shoe View." Seeing people interacting in a positive, often humorous way brings great satisfaction.

Awards

Friends encouraged me to enter the Mattoon Arts Council Photography show in 2016. There are so many talented photographers in my area, but I figured why not give it a shot (pun intended). I was dumbstruck to win First Place in the category "Color Photograph, Amateur" for my picture "Grain Bin Bend." That photo also was declared "Best of Show."

In 2017, I won First Place in the "Black and White, Amateur" category for a picture called "Twin Lakes, Paris," as well as First Place in the "Color Photograph, Amateur" category for my picture of a dew-covered Japanese beetle called "Bedazzled Beetle."

In 2018, I was blessed again to win First Place in the category "Color Photograph, Amateur" for a photo called "Shoe View." This photo also was named "Best of Show."

Personal Reflections

Anyone who knows me knows I believe that timing is everything. I am a classic late bloomer, having only discovered my passion in my later years. I believe highly in divine guidance because I sometimes have no idea why I take a certain path or go down a particular road. Also, I had an art teacher who demeaned me in 7th grade and destroyed my interest in creating art. But eventually, I met Stacy, who encouraged my efforts and made me believe in myself. We married in 2023.

I have always been a deeply passionate person, but I never had a creative outlet for that passion. Whether carefully and slowly scouring the landscape in my car, or kneeling on a piece of cardboard, face down with my face buried in the wet grass of my yard, time passes by so quickly. I get lost in what I’m doing.

When people compliment my work, I tell them that I am only documenting God’s handiwork. After all, He was the one to advise me to slow down and smell—no, make that photograph—the roses.

Thank you for visiting my website and please subscribe to my podcast! You can also follow me on my Life on the Illinois Prairie Facebook page. New episodes drop every Thursday! Thanks for stopping by!