By Jan Landon
THE ERICKSON TRIBUNE
Lila Martin views the world differently than most people. The Tallgrass Creek resident sees it, and captures it, through a camera lens.
Photography has always been a hobby for Martin, but when she retired from teaching and moved to Tallgrass Creek with her husband last April, it became a passion. Since then, she has shot thousands of photographs.
"Now I have time to take all the pictures I want," she says. "You can find beautiful art anywhere."
A year of special images
Martin’s husband still works full-time, but she says there is plenty to keep her busy at Tallgrass Creek. In fact, she found so much beauty on the Overland Park campus that it has been included in a 2009 calendar. The calendar, full of Martin’s photographs, is for sale for $15. (Call 1-800-893-3118 for purchasing information.) Proceeds go to the Benevolent Care Fund, which ensures that no resident will ever have to leave Tallgrass Creek because of financial shortfalls.
Martin is far from done when it comes to taking photographs. This year’s calendar is filled with pictures from spring, summer, and early fall. Now she is looking forward to recording the winter season.
"My eye is on next year’s calendar," says Martin. She hopes to encourage other people to take photographs and submit them for the 2010 compilation.
A view of nature
Martin talks about photography and Tallgrass Creek in her apartment home in Redtail View. The view from her picture window is stunning—the grounds still wrestling with autumn colors. She has seen a lot from this window. She can see where her son and daughter-in-law work, and she can almost see where the family lives. The Martins have also spotted killdeer, hawks, blue heron, and flocks of goldfinch that landed on the wildflowers.
"We moved here because of the green space," Martin says.