Adair was given a kayak as a gift back in 2018 by her son and has since embraced the solitude that comes with floating down a river. Now in her sixties, Adair hasn’t slowed down, racking up mileage by paddling through local waterways. Adair said that her son’s gift was a natural fit for her, as she’s always been connected with nature.

“We’ve always gone camping, and we played in the water a lot,” Adair said.

Now in her sixties, her son’s gift was a way for Adair to stay active and connect with nature.

“It’s just the solitude that I love,” Adair said.

Courtesy Photo Adair gets an up-close shot of a ladybug crawling along a plant.

Adair explained that kayaking gives her a chance to appreciate the impermanence of nature and the changes that Northeast Michigan experiences within a year.

“What we have is kind of priceless,” Adair said. “It’s always changing.”

Though she is an avid kayaker, Adair said that she prefers to kayak along rivers rather than lakes.

“The water is not really moving (on a lake),” Adair said.

She explained that when you kayak on a river, you can coast with the current and observe the environment around you. She also said it gives her time to snap pictures.

Courtesy Photo Adair is seen preparing for a kayak trip with a group of friends.

“You see a shot and you can grab it,” Adair said.

Further, Adair views her time in nature as a time to reflect and absorb the world around her.

“It’s just solitude that you have on the river…nothing there is permanent,” Adair said. “It’s almost untouchable…just a moment you designate for yourself.”

Adair stated she enjoys 15-mile kayak trips down the Au Sable River, but also really enjoys cruising around Island View Park and the Besser Natural Area.

Besides kayaking, Adair is also an avid photographer and a passionate birder.

Courtesy Photo Adair photographs two horses seen standing in a field.

Adair said she always loved taking photos and spent time developing photos when her children were young. Ten years ago, Adair’s husband gifted her a digital camera, and since then, she has captured many angles of Northeast Michigan.

“It was fun figuring it out,” Adair said. “(Then friends) started approaching me about doing photos.”

Adair explained that she started doing senior photos for close friends and has done a few weddings. She said she feels some pressure capturing those moments, though she makes exceptions for friends.

“Wedding photos are a bit risky,” Adair said. “(And) a lot of what I do, I barter out. I’ve gotten my drywall fixed…(bartering) is even more dear than receiving cash.”

Adair explained that she enjoys photographing nature the most, especially birds.

Courtesy Photo Adair captures a bee seen collecting pollen from a plant.

“(Birds) are beautiful and they are very smart,” Adair said. “There’s an abundance of birds up here.”

In addition to birds, she also enjoys photographing insects. She explained that you can get a new perspective on nature through just a small square of a photograph.

“Insects intrigue the heck out of me,” Adair said. “You don’t see them up close, so it’s a whole different perspective of them.”

Adair explained that she is inspired by her 86-year-old father, who is still active and independent. Because of him, she has the motivation to continue with her hobbies in an era of her life when others might expect her to slow down.

“My dad has inspired me most of my life,” Adair said. “Even though he is 86 years old, he still has a very full schedule. He puts in his own boat dock by himself every year and takes it out…he never ceases to amaze me.”

Courtesy Photo Adair photographs a flock of birds flying.

Courtesy Photo Adair gets an up close photograph of a bird.