Holiday Bazaars and AK Girl Photography

It's that time of year - the holiday season! And with it comes all the craft bazaars that Kodiakans love to do. So much that there are 4 or 5 in a short period of time. I was thankful to get a table at the big one last weekend, and while I originally planned on simply getting my name out, people were encouraging and excited to purchase my products. I had many people make the rounds and come back just to tell me that they were very impressed with the photos.

Actually, last week was such a big hit that I signed up for the bazaar yesterday, which was a lot smaller, but still had a nice turnout. Still not sure what to expect, and having very little time to prepare (I found out I could have a table less than 15 hours before; worked my shift at KPD, getting off at 8, which gave me all of 2 hours to throw everything in boxes, put my signs together, get everything in the car and over to the armory to set up before people started showing up at 10am.). But it worked, and the response I had was amazing. In just one week, word of mouth had accomplished a lot. One gal said she's been showing my prints around the office and they want to sell my 'product line' at the visitors center downtown; the owner of another longtime local tourist shop downtown asked me to come in since she wants my photos and cards in her store by next spring (tourist season). Everyone's favorites seemed to be the dragonfly, float plane, city of Kodiak, and bear pics.

I just found out about another bazaar on Dec 3, and I'm hoping they still have tables available. So excited to see what the future brings for Alaska Girl Photography...things seem to be off to a really good start!

Birthday!!!

Where does time go? It's hard to believe I'm already almost 30! Another birthday has come and gone...and it was my best birthday yet, thanks to my wonderful boyfriend. He put so much effort in to making my day special, and he blew me away in every aspect! Hours spent baking me an incredible gluten free cheesecake from scratch was at the very top of the list, along with the delicious homecooked chicken dinner he cooked up. He made sure I had a relaxing day, and surprised me with a new Canon Rebel camera and camera bag as well! The only way it could have been better is if I could have had the day off of work, but even so, to get off and spend a great day with my best friend was ever so nice. :-)

Holiday Bazaar!

My world has pretty much been revolving around work and photography. One of the things I'd been told would be a good way to get my foot in the door here was to get a booth at the big Christmas bazaar that is put on at the high school each year. Over 90 booths, with vendors coming from all over Alaska to participate, and thousands of people walking through that day. I was warned that it is generally VERY hard to get in, as the waiting list can be very long, prior vendors have priority, and most come back each year. However, once you get in once, you automatically have a spot the next year. Well, sign-up day came around, and I went in early, just in case. It was a good thing too, because when I made it to the front of the line I was informed that there was only one table left, and everyone behind me was out of luck! I'd made it in! All of a sudden I had so much more to do! Photos to choose, editing to be done, products to design and order, and decisions to make on how to set up the booth. I'm slowly but surely working through those things, and it's all finally starting to come together. What a relief!
I know it will all work out, and I'm trusting that God will keep me sane and enable me to get what I need to done, when it needs done. In the meantime, I'm working on setting up an online website where my customers can order their favorite prints. It's going to be http://www.akgirlphotography.smugmug.com/. All calendars, magnets, and cards will still have to be ordered through me for the time being, but it's a start, and I'm excited about it!

Hola, mi amigos!

My days are whizzing by faster than I can adjust to! I'm enjoying work, but graveyard shift is taking its toll. I'm on my second stretch in a row, and while 3 months was ok, 6 is a bit much. We also have several coworkers out with medical stuff going on, so we've all had to pitch in with a lot of extra OT. Again, while a week or two isn't a problem, a month or more starts to wear you down.
My photography business is off to a good start. Those who have ordered calendars liked them so much they've ordered more, and told their friends. Greeting cards are also finding their niche, and I hope to continue to add to my selection this fall. Next month is the holiday bazaar, and I've got my name on the list to get a table for it, though there are so many I'm not sure that will pan out this year. So for now, word of mouth is the way I'm getting the word out.

The weather has been great, I've had a chance to get out fishing a time or two, and driving out the road has enabled me to take a few of my new favorite pictures. A bald eagle was eating a fish when a seagull came in and chased him away. The eagle then flew out and joined the other two eagles, while several seagulls floated serenely in front. The next few pictures are of a field of fireweed as fall arrived, and then a week later as the wind spread the seeds. Then there was the cross fox who just sat watching as I walked around photographing it. Alaska is truly amazing!

Alaska Girl Photography

I started a Facebook page for my photography! 2012 calendars, prints, and greeting cards with my photos are available to purchase. So go check it out, think of all those people you want to send Christmas gifts to but don't know what to give them, and send them a 100% Alaskan wall calendar this year!

NY - Part 2

So my plan was to finish telling you about the trip that next morning. Yeah, well, it didn't quite work out like that. Like so often happens, I jumped right into the busyness of life, work, and car problems, forgetting to get back on here until now.
Going back to NY. We spent 2 great days at my parents' farm, hanging out with the family, letting my little sister show off the new calves and sheep, and exploring the land. I even managed to attract a ton of mosquitos, and came back from a walk with Scott with a forehead all swollen from mosquito bites! All in all, a fun trip, and we made the drive back to Boston with no problems. As we traveled for over 24 hours to get home, I was reminded yet again on our trip back how long of a journey it is from coast to coast!
It was a wonderful trip, and so good to get back and see my family again.

Vacation to the Northeast

Hi all! It's been a busy few weeks, though that shouldn't surprise anyone, considering the fact that most my weeks are super busy, or at least eventful in some way.
I just returned home from a week's vacation to Massachusetts, Maine, and New York with my  boyfriend. We also stopped for an extended layover in Portland Oregon on the way there, and drove through New Hampshire and Vermont en route to our other destinations. Stepping outside in Portland was wonderful, partly because it was sunny and warm, and partly because I was tired of the plane and just needed a break. We arrived in Boston and instantly did NOT like it! Driving there is madness, and I'm of the opinion that all the other drivers there were certifiably insane. Thankfully, Scott was driving, so all I had to do was get him lost through my fantastic navigation skills. Actually, the GPS was our lifesaver many times, though not so much in Boston. The first two days of our trip were raining, but warm. As we wandered around Salem, it wasn't long before I was drenched. Not a pleasant experience, but we both survived, and drove up to Maine that afternoon. Spent some time at Head Light, saw some sights in the area, and had lobster for dinner. That evening we decided to take a drive to see town and the light houses in the dark. Instead, we saw a skunk in the road, all the lighthouses were blocked off, and on our way back to the hotel I managed to get us lost...and that was using the GPS! Actually, I DID get us back to the right hotel, it just happened to be one in a different town. Not quite sure how that happened, but Scott took over and we made it back safe and sound. It was a fun drive though, and a memory made. The next day we took off going south again, I navigated us on a couple little detours (unneccesary but pretty, so it worked out), and we walked around Freeport, which happens to have a ton of outlet stores and several HUGE L.L. Bean stores. Portland was our choice for the night, and it was a relaxing evening.
On our way over to New York to see my family, we made a slight detour to see Nubble Lighthouse near York, Maine. Beautiful, sunny, and warm! I could have stayed there awhile longer, but I was also anxious to see my family, and have them meet Scott. So we figured out which road in Vermont wasn't closed (due to hurricane Irene, most of the roads were still closed to thru traffic at some point), and headed inland.
More to come later...

Summer on the Emerald Isle

Yowser! What a summer! Sorry I haven't kept up with this, but the last few weeks have been insane, jam packed with all sorts of good, bad, and a little bit of normal. I took a trip to Anchorage with my boyfriend for a doctor's appt, and managed to get stuck an extra day because of our typical Kodiak weather. Of all the times for the fog to settle in, it happened to be the day we were returning. Oh well, I got out of an extra day of work, so it wasn't all bad. It's not a whole lot of fun to sit in the airport and on a plane for over 15 hours when normally it would take all of less than 2 hours. I've been working graves, with one or two day shifts each week. I hadn't realized how completely that messes with your sleep schedule till I went on it! Just graves would have been a step up, but filling in on other shifts, well, that's painful. So my social life has been nonexistent, and I'm sleeping all the time, pretty much. The last few weeks I haven't even had a chance to do much with my photography. :( Oh well.
Summer is coming to an end, as the fireweed is evidence of. For those of you who are unaware, Alaskans can tell a lot by the fireweed. When it starts to turn green, spring is here, then come the blossoms, working their way up the plant as summer progresses. All too soon it starts going to seed, the blossoms have reached the tip top of the stem, and the end of summer is here when the leaves turn red. The salmonberries are on the last leg as well, though I managed to find another couple quarts a couple days ago.
I've been the true Alaskan this summer. We've been out fishing, catching cod, rock fish, and salmon, and then smoking and canning them. We picked a whole bunch of salmonberries and russian berries to freeze and eat fresh. Also a lot of fireweed and clover for fireweed honey and jelly. In a couple days I'm going to make a batch of salmonberry jelly as well. They've all turned out delicious! I really am living the dream up here! The weather has been gorgeous, and I love it here!
More later, as I need to go take a nap before heading in to work. Blessings on you all.

72+ Degrees!!!

It turned out to be the warmest day so far this summer here in Kodiak, which automatically translates into a day when being outside is a necessity. Therefore, I slept all day. Actually, I didn't have a clue how nice it was until after I woke up mid-afternoon. After grabbing some grub, Scott and I drove out the road, berry bucket, camera, and fishing pole in hand, to see what we could see. If I wasn't an Alaskan girl before, I've certainly adapted and am now. Over 70 degrees, and I was melting! Standing in the sun picking gallons of berries was a bit hot. After a few minutes, we had a panful of salmonberries, and headed out to our fishing hole. I relaxed on the riverbank while Scott pulled in a Jack King and a good sized Dolly. We decided we would be smoking and then canning this batch, since the ones we did the other day turned out so well.

Summertime...and Kodiak bears

Oh, the joys of the Emerald Isle! Friends, it's that time of year. The time for salmonberry picking...boat rides...fishing...picnics...hiking...camping...the list is endless! This summer has been gorgeous. We've had beautiful weather, with several days hitting the upper 60's and low 70's! Several gallons of salmonberries are already in the freezer, with many more to come. A king salmon was caught and is ready to be smoked tomorrow. The boat has been put to good use for picnics on Long Island and fishing for halibut, though only dogfish, cod, and uglies took the bait that day. I've seen 4 bears (all on different rivers), several deer, whales, sea lions, otters, ducks, buffalo, rabbits, and even a fox with a rabbit in it's mouth. The sunsets and sunrises are incredible, and the landscape breathtaking! So much color, so much variety, and so much fun.

GF, OT, and AK Girl Photography

It's been a long, stressful, exhausting, difficult, and exciting few weeks! Yep, all of the above. Due to a variety of challenging situations I've been faced with, I'm ready for a break, at least emotionally.
About a month ago I started noticing a variety of health related stuff going on that needed checked out. After several doctor appointments and a bunch of testing, I was given a very definite diagnosis of Celiac. Due to the fact that several family members have had it for years, it wasn't a big surprise. However, it was an unwanted surprise, and one I had thought I'd escaped. In addition to the necessity of an entire lifestyle change, it's now hitting home how expensive this is going to be. Alaska is not a cheap place to buy food in the first place, and particularly GF foods. But I'm determined to make it work, and am slowly but surely gathering what I need to survive on this particular diet.
My job is also keeping me busy. Because so many people are on vacation, calling in sick, and taking time away for training, our schedules have been a little mixed up, and we've all put in some extra overtime. My time off will come though, and I'll be grateful!
One thing about living here is that for any specialty appt, you have to fly to Anchorage. This has its pros and cons. You get off the island and get a chance to go shopping, but the expenses for the trip are rather high. So I'm going to make the best of my shoulder appt, and hopefully enjoy the time surrounding it up there. :-)
The other major change in my life has been the decision to take my passion for photography to a higher level. We've had gorgeous weather, so I've spent many, many hours of my 'spare' time out and about the island taking pictures. This place is just so incredible and beautiful! The rest has been used up experimenting with lighting, editing, and researching everything from printers to copyrights to cameras. I decided to see how well some of my favorites looked blown up, and whether or not they would hold their quality, so I ordered a variety of 11x14" prints. They arrived a couple days ago, and I couldn't be happier! A few weren't quite the quality I'd hoped (they'll still work great as 8x11" prints or as cards), but most of them came out looking spectacular (in my opinion)! I'm so excited to be able to share what I see here with others who want a taste of Alaska! So, my business is going to be Alaska Girl Photography. Check out my blog at http://akgirlphotography.blogspot.com/ and let me know what you think. Honest opinions, please! Any tips or suggestions, feel free to email me at akgirlphotography@gmail.com.
That would be my life in a nutshell. Hope you are enjoying the summer, and finding those little things in life that make the day so much brighter!

Sleep, Guns and Stampedes

I'm finally getting the hang of the whole sleep schedule thing. The last couple days I've been alert my whole shift, and been able to sleep for more than an hour or two at a time during the day. And yes, it helps a lot. A couple days ago, I headed out the road to take some pictures after I woke up. I was standing halfway up the hill when two cars pulled in that I recognized. My friends had some relatives in town and happened to be bringing them out to do a little target practice. I joined them, and we had a great time. I did pretty good, and the fact that we were using a gun that didn't have much of any kick made it even better. All us gals had our cameras out, so between us we had a bunch of good pics.
The other night I took my cousins out to Pasagshak. As we were standing at the mouth of the river, we heard a dull thundering sound behind us. When I turned around, there was a herd of cattle being driven around the bend in the road. As we watched, they turned and started running down the beach right at us. We took off, and as we got out of the way, the cattle ran right over where we had been standing 30 seconds before. Let me tell you, it's quite the adrenaline rush to have a herd of around 300 cattle stampeding at you full speed! One of the ranchers pulled into the parking lot, saw how close we were, grabbed his horse out of the back and jumped on real quick, and then realized we'd made it out of the way. A bit too close for comfort. It was an impressive sight, and one I've never seen before. There were a lot of young calves running with their moms, too, which was pretty cool. Definitely not a normal occurance on the beach. :-)

Graveyard Shift

Yes, I'm sure I've complained about this before, and yes, I'm going to say it anyways - graves is not an easy shift to get used to. Particularly since I switched from days to graves, which is by far the hardest adjustment. My body is screaming in rebellion, as it tries to convince me that this is not how it should be. The last half of the shift is the hardest, made worse by the complete lack of any activity by local citizens. I can't seem to get more than a couple hours of sleep at a time, and there is no motivation to do anything else. My excitement for getting out and exploring the island has fallen dramatically as well. I know it's just the shift, and in 3 months I'll be my usual self again. For now, I am hoping to make the best of a difficult situation, and work on adjusting my sleep schedule so at least the energy will return when I'm not sleeping. It's almost the end of the day, and my bed is beckoning. Good night, friends.

Ducks and Dinner

We were sitting inside talking about things happening that seem crazy, but are all in God's timing, when there was a loud thud outside. Yep, a duck had made a crash landing on the deck, and was laying on the steps right outside the door, stunned. A duck? Since when do ducks fly into decks? Kinda crazy! It was gone when we checked on it awhile later.

 I decided to go all out for dinner tonight. Cooked up some extremely spicy halibut enchiladas (I accidentally bought the super hot green chili sauce instead of the mild), made some good ol' sweet tea, and put together a big salad with various kinds of lettuce freshly picked from my aunt's garden. Mmm...good! 

 

Windmills and Sunsets

Windmills in the fog

11:45pm - The moon overlooking Woman's Bay

 

 

 

 

 

Long Island Lagoon

We took the skiff out from Dog Bay to have a picnic on Long Island.

 

 

There was a sailboat in the lagoon when we first arrived.

It was like stepping out of the boat into the middle of a national park. Beautiful! 

 

 

 

Hanging out in the sun. Eating pickles. :-)

 

 

The bees were busy here, there, and everywhere.

  

Messing around with the macro.

 

  

 

 

Yep, it was a perfect day for a picnic.

Out to see what we could see...

Buffalo, ducks, beachcombing, and maybe a bit of fishing for rainbows.

 

 

  

 

  

 

 

 

A Little Randomness

 

 

 

 

Jewel Beach

We went for a drive on one of our gorgeous sunny days.

 

 

 

 

Then we hiked through the woods down to Jewel Beach. The thick layer of moss brings so much color to the woods. I was also able to get some good pictures of a bright red bird that was flitting around.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

At the beach we watched the seagulls, gathered beach glass, and fooled around with making bull kelp into whips and clubs.