It started with black squirrels and a Sears Roebuck catalog purchase.

Karen H. Sabel began experimenting with photography at age 12 when she used her babysitting money to buy a Kodak camera. She burned through her entire first roll of film taking pictures of black squirrels before realizing she had to pay to develop them.

Photography is among multiple pursuits that keep Karen grounded and loving the natural side of Florida.

Growing up in State College, Pennsylvania, Karen was the youngest girl in a family of five children. Her creative side was first sparked by music.

“We all sang in the packed station wagon as we traveled to Maine every summer to the boys’ camp where my father was the athletic director,” says Karen, whose father worked for Penn State University and was a soccer coach.

 Karen pursued music into adulthood, eventually becoming a worship leader at three different churches.

Although she dreamed of playing soccer, the sport was considered taboo for girls in the 1960s. Instead, she concentrated on bowling, doing well enough to earn a scholarship to Penn State. She majored in nutrition and became a registered dietitian, wellness coordinator and certified diabetes educator. 

Karen met Doug, the love of her life, while teaching nutrition classes to employees at Purdue University. They married in 2009 and moved to Florida in 2015.

Between them, she and Doug have four children, 10 grandchildren and five “grand dogs.”

After a 40-year career in nutrition, Karen’s life as a retiree hasn’t slowed down. She’s taught diabetes classes at The Plantation, where she and Doug live, staying engaged in numerous clubs and outdoor activities. 

She still enjoys photographing her favorite subjects from her teenage years: animals (including squirrels), birds, flowers and landscapes. Although she’s sold her photos at arts and crafts fairs, photography is mostly a hobby now. 

Karen rides her bike, plays tennis and pickleball and manages the softball team in The Plantation. She and Doug do some cooking demonstrations and she’s started painting—mostly still life and landscapes.

“I don’t think we’re good at taking care of our souls, so I’ve really made that a focus in the last decade to disconnect with media and reconnect with nature,” she says. “Church has been a big part of my life. My goals are to love God, love people and serve.” 

Photos: Nicole Hamel