The Hippie Shack

Summer Fires

2011-09-13T18:12:00.000-07:00

We've entered that scary time of year when everything is so dried out that even a spark from farm equipment can set a field on fire. This particular fire was located in the middle of Cappy's Trails very close to our home. So close that I was able to "respond" via mountain bike. It was quite a hike down to the actual fire. Fortunately, a minor discovered this fire, told his mother, who then notified the authorities ... and HOORAY for EJFR for extinguishing it thoroughly and completely!

The core of the fire was located very close to this small transient camp. And not just the run of the mill transient camp either ... very nicely put together with a foam mattress, desk, chair, candles and a jug of cleaning spray. People are ingenious. Looking at that foam mattress and imagining how incredibly dark it must be in the middle of those woods at night (especially when the coyotes start singing) ... I am grateful for my blessings, my family and my home.

Beckett Point Fire, Port Townsend WA

2011-09-13T17:31:00.000-07:00

"According to a witness, the fire “exploded” down the hillside above the fishing community when whipped by winds of up to 20 mph. Beckett Point is 10 miles west of Port Townsend, approximately halfway down the east side of Discovery Bay." http://www.ejfr.org/press-releases/index.php#Beckett

It was amazing being there firsthand to witness the men and women of the local fire departments and the members of DNR work together to control this potentially deadly brush fire. No injuries and no real property loss. Way to go!

Roche Harbor, San Juan Islands

2011-09-13T17:13:00.000-07:00

Goodbye Sweet Summer!

We couldn't have asked for nicer weather for our impromptu flight to Roche Harbor. I'm always reminded how beautiful our region truly is when we visit the San Juan Islands, and last night was no exception.

We had the most incredible meal at McMillan's ... Prime Rib for Steve and some sort of Chicken delicacy with garlic mashed potatoes for me. (I highly recommend the restaurant) Mid meal, we watched the Color Ceremony on the docks while the sun set in the background.

As we made our way back to the runway, a gorgeous full moon rose-up to fill the horizon. It was truly breathtaking ... a warm summer breeze, a golden sunset behind us, and a glorious harvest moon in front of us. Wow.

Video Bday Party

2011-03-21T19:11:00.000-07:00

Video of the birthday party at the Seattle Children's Museum! Toddlers rock!

Video Sisters

2011-03-21T18:48:00.000-07:00

Video of the LittleBits just being sisters. This song is the same song that their Mother and Aunt and I used to dance around to. Fond memories! It's pretty awesome to watch these two little ones start their own awesome memories. May we always remember to stomp in the mud puddles ...

PS. Several experiments show that you probably aren't going to be able to view the video from any kind of cell phone : (

Video Pacific Northwest

2011-03-21T17:41:00.000-07:00

Beautiful images of the Pacific Northwest to some awesome Celtic music! ("The Heather, She Grows ... Elyra Campbell") Photographer is of course Crystal Craig. I put this together for our family in North Carolina so they can see some of the beautiful reasons we choose to live on the West Coast.

(And only because people keep asking ... High quality images from video may be purchased at: http://www.dreamstime.com/Crystalcraig_info )

If you are having trouble viewing the video from your cellphone ... it's probably because I can't figure out how to save, upload or configure the video for mobile devices yet. Still working on it : (

Video ChitterChatter

2011-03-21T17:15:00.000-07:00

LittleBit ChitterChatter video! A creative compilation of Aya and Nya performing toddler speak.

Video Home Sweet Home

2011-03-21T16:34:00.000-07:00

My Pops requested that I put together some West Coast video to show our family in North Carolina. Dad and I have a Big Trip coming up in April and we're really looking forward to seeing everyone! This one is all about the HippieShack ... my and Steve's little space in the woods of Port Townsend. (You might not be able to view this from your phone)

SuperMoon Party

2011-03-21T14:29:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, March 19th, the moon was closer to earth than it has been in 18 years. Did we really need this good reason to get together with friends and celebrate? Not really ... but we did anyway. And we had a blast! Thanks to Scout and Sheila for hosting a wonderful get together!

Oh, and by the way ... Sheila is having her cookbook printed soon! Anyone that wants to purchase a copy of this amazing collection of original organic recipes inspired by the local northwest garden, please let me know and I can hook you up!

Belltown to Market

2011-03-08T17:53:00.000-08:00

After the LittleBit birthday party, Steve, Amanda and I bolted for the Market. It's always an interesting jaunt through Belltown where Amanda once dormed when she was a student at the Seattle Art Institute. I think the building was recently condemned (no fault of Amanda's of course).

I have great memories of hiding out in Seattle's Pike Place Market. It's one of the most diverse hubs you'll find in the Pacific Northwest Region. The smell of king crab legs and fresh cut lavender mix wildly with baked strawberry-rhubarb piroshky ... the guttural tones of fish mongers and seagulls rise in harmony to the ebb and flow of the of local vendors and world travelers. Street musicians, university students, cruise couples ... cobblestones, ornamental iron, stained glass ... organic ginger, beeswax candles, tie-dyed aprons ... gotta have a fresh made doughnut and rice paper candy!

Steve, Amanda and I were able to stop in at the Pike Place Bar & Grill to share a fanfare of steamed Vanila clams, crispy calamari, asiago parmesan spinach dip and baked potato skins. We had to be rolled onto the ferry to get home!

LittleBit Birthday Party

2011-03-08T14:07:00.000-08:00

Another year whooshed by! Ayana is now 3 and Naiara is 2, less than a year apart; Irish Twins they call that! (maybe because only Irish women are crazy enough to space them that close together?)

Amanda drove up from Coos Bay Oregon to join Steve and I for the girl's birthday party. The three of us jumped on the Bainbridge Ferry and were treated to a non-rainy day view of beautiful Downtown Seattle! I stood on the bow of the boat and took as many beautiful captures as my frozen fingers would allow. Sunny, but still frigid (the weather).

Then we attempted to hail a taxi from the ferry dock and ended up in a stretch Limo ... I kid you not! That's right, we have style!

The Seattle Children's Museum (downstairs of the Seattle Center House next door to the Space Needle) is one of the greatest venues for hosting a LittleBit birthday party! This year Renee' booked the "Undersea Room" with an amazing assortment of hand painted mermaids, sea turtles, fish and kelp decorating the walls. Aya was excited to see the Castle on the wall (lighthouse)!

I followed the LittleBits around as they ventured through the theme rooms. Starting at the grocery store, then to the bus depot, and off to the construction site ...

Several of the children showed up before the party to take advantage of quality room time. As the day wears on, the rooms get rather crowded with children and the toys tend to wander out of their originating theme rooms.

Eventually, the pizza and fruit were served up and more friends and family flowed into the room until there was nothing but chaos. Seriously, a two-and-three year old birthday party emits sounds, sights and smells that are distinctively unique.

Then came the most important part of the party ... Cake time!

And presents ...

Then we planned our escape. Out the back door ... Leaving the mess and chaos to the youngsters. Heh, I love saying that! Until next year!!!

Snow, Snow, and even more snow!

2011-02-23T18:43:00.000-08:00

During the last few hours of Steve's Duty Chief shift, the snow finally arrived in Port Townsend. I was invited to ride along to patrol the township and keep an eye on the road conditions. With camera in one hand, iPhone in the other, and a latte in the cup holder ... I was ready for an exciting ride-along!

We fueled up at Mean Bean. Jeremy, the owner, informed us that he and his family were supposed to be heading out of town to Idaho for a trip they delayed last month due to weather conditions. "I guess Murphy always wins!" he said. I think I'm related to a Murphy.

So far, so good. Traffic moving well, not too much accumulation on the roads. Sanding trucks and snow plows already hard at work. Doing well. Heading to the office for some collaboration with the Chief. (And apparently to dip into the Girl Scout cookies hidden in Steve's desk)

The snow started kickin' up quickly! Can hardly see the Chief ahead of us. We're headed back to town to be "available" for incoming calls we know will be starting soon.

Down in the boat haven some die-hards are braving the unusual PNW snow to finish demolition of the "Salish Shine" (an old girl come to the yard to be put to rest)

It was about here that the calls started coming in. The roads started getting slick, the visibility difficult in spots... Sirens, radios, and non-stop excitement! Sliding, slippin' and bonking all over town!

Heh. Only in PT. If you could only see the icicles in his beard. So cool.

Kept expecting this one to not end well. Apparently he was either very lucky or from Alaska.

At the end of the day, things went pretty well for our "winter storm". There will be lots of work for the auto-body shoppe in the morning, and I was able to capture a few great stock shots for my portfolio. Cheers and thanks for checking in!

Reflections

2011-01-28T15:24:00.000-08:00

I was so afraid of losing my love of photography when I turned it into a career ... One of the ways I prevent burnout, is to grab a few captures here and there just "because". The following collection are some of the artistic fun images I find and take for myself (some even ended up qualifying for my stockfolio at Dreamstime! Bonus : )

Truckee California

2011-01-21T16:23:00.000-08:00

Truckee California ... going home for the funeral.

We stayed at the River Street Inn right in town across from the Truckee Diner.

The couple that runs this lovely rustic inn were so friendly and helpful! We felt right at home and would completely recommend this place to any of our friends or family

Jax Truckee Diner ... Oh dude, try the home made corned beef hash and fresh squeezed orange juice. Sooooo delicious!

I couldn't get over how flippin cold it was! It was MINUS nine degrees F when we arrived. F could stand for Fahrenheit? I learned right away not to touch anything metal with bare hands!

The trains were amazing. My only grief about staying right town was the constant "Whooot!" of the trains and grating of the 24 hour snow blowers.

The Truckee Train Depot ... Look at those icicles!!!

Heh ... that's a LOT of snow! Steve said they'd already received 44 feet of snow this season! Can you imagine?

Fwhit-Fwhew! Sara and Steve ... the ONLY photo I captured with the two of them that didn't have one of them sticking out their tongues or holding up rabbit ears behind eachothers' heads! LOL

Lot's of shopping to be done. Not that we didn't already hit every REI from Seattle to Truckee anyhow!

Everyone seems to have their own personal snowblower doohickey thing

Truckee's finest

Squaw Valley

Amazing scenics everywhere!

Mount Shasta

2011-01-21T13:01:00.000-08:00

Sometimes it's worth taking the path less traveled!

As we were zoopin' home from our very long memorial trip in Truckee, the sunlight was reaching it's beautiful golden hour ... I kept looking in the rear view mirror and seeing Mount Shasta peeking from the hills. We found an off-ramp and drove for less than a 1/4 mile when I found this location to shoot from. Absolutely amazing and certainly worth a few minutes detour!

The Beach

2011-01-21T12:11:00.000-08:00

Returning home ... we had to stop by the beach for a little Pacific inhale.

There is something so healing about the ocean ... the deep rhythm of the waves, the water crashing against the rocks ... the way the ground hums with life. You can taste the salt miles before you reach her shore ... I feel drawn into the water, like I'm just one small drop.

PhotoShoot with the Littlebits

2011-01-17T15:52:00.000-08:00

Some days you just have to go with the flow! The girls were able to visit for the weekend and we thought it would be a great opportunity to catch-up on family portraits. Unfortunately, Naiara was slightly under the weather (the day after immunization boosters) and unwilling to participate cheerfully with our "plan". Haha! We still did what we could and ended up with some great images.

Many of the images were converted to black and white because the colors of the favorite blanket (blue plaid) and favorite pillow (neon green) were too obnoxious.

Ayana holding up three fingers for her upcoming birthday ... Naiara below counting out two for hers.

Some of my favorite portrait captures are those that happen inbetween the "say cheese" ...

I absolutely LOVE the above photo! Naiara really mad, Ayana picking her nose, and Renee' with the Mommy-Look.

Both color portraits ... top portrait with a warming filter.

Late Tribute to the Port Townsend Kinetic Sculpture Races

2011-01-11T17:11:00.000-08:00

Every year, our little town has the opportunity to prove it's not really "all there". And every year, it does just that at the Kinetic Sculpture Races!

The rules are simple. To win you must be the most mediocre of all the contestants ... haha! Seriously!! This is a day I set out with a triple-tall latte and plan on spending the entire day shooting crazy funny images. It's one of the few days I take photos just for the fun of it .. Enjoy!

All good things start with a hotdog!

Leavenworth in the Fall

2011-01-11T16:53:00.000-08:00

Yes, yes. I know, it's way past autumn. These were still worth sharing!

Steve and I have a particular fondness for Leavenworth Washington. There's just something about the little Bavarian Styled town that keeps us coming back every year ... usually around Octoberfest. It's not all about the beer! (just a little)

We usually stay at the Enzian Inn. A very quaint and cozy Inn right in town. Makes it convenient to walk to dinner and shopping. The fabulous down comforters, fireplace and jacuzzi style bath are pretty sweet too! We also find ourselves up in the mountainside where all the brilliant fall colors have pasted the dramatic landscape. I still remember camping alongside icicle creek when I was a child. This is a "must visit town" for photographers planning to visit our area ... Cheers and enjoy the photos!

LittleBit Visit

2011-01-11T16:32:00.000-08:00

Ha! I've been so fortunate to be able to have the Littlebits come stay with us for a few days every month! I'm amazed at how much they grow in between visits ...

This visit we went on an "Adventure" ... just like Dora the Explorer does! I still find myself humming "I'm the map, I'm the map .." Anyone who has the privilege of watching the latest children's television series will know the tune ... the rest of you should try it once. It sure beats the purple dinosaur or the bright red puppet (no names, but you know who you are!)

New Year's ...

2011-01-11T16:23:00.000-08:00

Looks like I'm sadly behind on keeping up with the Blog ... so far behind that I'm not sure where to pick back up! There were so many wonderful happenings in 2010 ... many little flights, visits with the girls, town festivals and events, and so much that I couldn't possibly cover it all so I shall just follow wherever I go ... heh.

We have certainly been bracing ourselves for a "Winter following El Nino". Port Townsend isn't the only place in the United States receiving "unusual weather" but we're certainly giving credence to the dramatic predictions. It's rare for our area to receive more than 3 inches at a time and if we do, it's usually gone within a day or two. I say ... "bring it!" But then again, I'm no longer doing the morning commutes or rushing children to bus stops or grumbling because everything has been scheduled two hours late.

Quick Flight to Arlington

2010-02-21T12:58:00.000-08:00

I'm working very hard at trying to take great photos through the curved canopy of our plane. It really takes some finesse to avoid the wing, the propeller, and the windshield frame ... all while keeping the camera steady through engine hum and turbulence. This is such a great example of it's ALL about the JOURNEY! hehe! I love my life!

Steve is going over his pre-flight list ... it looks sorta small, doesn't it?

Beautiful Mt. Rainier in the background. As soon as we climb altitude over our local airport, we can see Mount Rainier and Mount Baker and even downtown Seattle when conditions are clear.

Snow dusted Cascade Mountain range. Incredible views all the way around ...

Today's flight was a quick one. We landed at the Arlington Airport to pick up a package. This is our shadow scooting across the grass field.

Ha! Here I am ... One of the special features of the RV7 is that we can sit side-by-side, rather than tandem.

Another swooping s-curve over Arlington. Everything looks so completely different from the sky! Especially distance ... from way up top, everything is much much closer than I thought.

Home sweet home. The San Juan Islands ...

Really, we have it pretty darned good!

Flight from PT to Olympia to Shoreline to Arlington

2010-02-21T12:43:00.000-08:00

Here are a few photos from one of our spontaneous mid-day flights ...

The majestic Olympic Mountains were so close I felt like I could reach out and touch them ....

It's so silent up there ... just the hum of the engine

This was my first time flying over/past downtown Seattle in a small airplane ...

We cruised right over Ballard, towards Shoreline ...

As we passed over my old high school, I had to marvel at how I'd never imagined I'd be zoopin' over it 25 years later in a little experimental plane!

We passed right over my parent's house ... I really wished I had called them before the flight so they could keep an eye out ... one of these days!

We headed back towards home via Arlington. Mt. Baker stood gleaming white on the horizon.

This beautiful s-curve is just north of the Arlington Airport.

And here we are again, nearly home as the sun starts to dip behind the mountains.

What a wonderful way to spend an afternoon!

Thanksgiving

2009-12-01T20:58:00.000-08:00

We were blessed this year to have the girls join us for a combination Thanksgiving/Chella's Birthday. Since everyone was pretty busy on the actual holiday, we had our own a few days later! No ... we don't have Swine Flu, and No ... no one pulled Steve's finger. I was trying out a stock photo idea ... LOL.

Please note that Rochelle had a very special vegan tofu scramble while the rest of us oinked out on turkey, potatoes, stuffing and all the other traditional holiday foods.

I was able to get a few fun Christmas shots of the girls in front of the Christmas Tree. This year will be a magical Christmas ...

Ayana is a BIG fan of books! It's in the blood ...

Rochelle and her "almost vegan" birthday cake! Can you believe my baby is 20 years old?

In the spirit of a very merry Christmas, I hand painted our windows ...

I am thankful for my family, for our good health, for our warm and safe home. Cheers to you and yours!

Autumn Babies

2009-12-01T19:42:00.000-08:00

Updates of the most beautiful little ones in the whole wide world of course ...

Ayana is just reaching the terrible two stage ... I personally think it's funny. Karmic paybacks, dontcha know!

Leavenworth Washington

2009-12-01T18:40:00.000-08:00

Steve and spend a weekend in the Bavarian town of Leavenworth Washington at least once a year. It seems as though we manage to make it there around Octobrefest ... coincidence? I think not. Is it the beer or the autumn foliage ... both are pretty spectacular!?!

Leavenworth, WA

The drive to Leavenworth is incredible, as is the surrounding area. These docile horses are rented out to tourists during the peak seasons and can be found by The Sleeping Lady Inn near Icicle Creek.

Further up Icicle Creek are hiking paths leading into some ruggedly beautiful landscape ...

The Bavarian charm of town is captured in their signage, home architecture and even their public transportation system! How cute is this trolley style bus?

One of our favorite valleys to drive through has some of the most amazing homesteads. I can't imagine who lives in these beautiful foothills but I'm willing to bet they're blood pressure beats the city folks!

This beautiful cabin is located in Plain, Washington. Probably one of the most picturesque little towns around. Very quiet, secluded and independent.

Here is a fine example of courteousness extended to the female sort ... this lovely tortoise decorated toilet seat in the plywood bathroom stall is for patrons of the Wenatchee Airport (which is simply a stretch of grass)

Lake Wenatchee ... the wind was ripping across the water so fast and steady that it drew tears down my cheeks and numbed my fingers to the bone.

Driving through the pass on the way back home ... the hills are just barely dusted with the first snow of the season. Soon this will be covered in several feet of snow to the delight of the local winter sports enthusiasts.

Beautiful creeks and rivers are scattered throughout the region ... I trenched through the ditches and climbed through the rocks to get to this little brook. Tripod and slow exposure makes the water appear veiled and misty.

We made our way back home by way of Whidbey Island, crossed the Deception Pass Bridge and took the Keystone Ferry home.

Below is the RV Park at Keystone ... I watched a large sealion play in the surf while we waited for our ferry to come in. Pretty beautiful, isn't it?

Official Pilot

2009-12-01T16:40:00.000-08:00

On October 22nd Steve passed his pilot's license test! Whoot Whoot! Our first flight together was two days later to beautiful Orcas Island for lunch.

Point Wilson - Fort Worden, Port Townsend WA

It's a bit of a challenge to photograph at such a high speed through the concave windshield with constant vibrations. I'll figure it out with lots of practice! LOTS and LOTS of practice!! It was very cool flying through the Whidbey Island airspace and having the fighter pilots fly UNDER us! I believe I gasped and giggled at the same time ... is that a gisple?

Below is Deception Pass, Whidbey Island ...

Friday Harbor, Washington

The very same island we took the whale watching cruise to last month. By boat, car and plane I'm getting a blended perspective of the beautiful area I live in! I'm more thoroughly convinced there is no where in the world more beautiful than my home!

I did fairly well with the turbulance though Steve was kind in keeping everything mellow. I suppose he didn't want to have to break in the barf bags. It's a little different perspective in a wee plane vs. an airliner.

We landed at the Orcas Island Airport and walked the little trail into the quaint town. I believe it is less than a mile from the airstrip. I had a school friend that used to spend her summer vacations at Orcas ... now I know why.

Located in the San Juan Islands:

http://orcasislandchamber.com/map.php

The quaint little town offers eclectic shopping including an entire store just for the fairy princesses! Little handmade gauze tutus in bright bold colors with coordinating magic wands, ribbons and other frills. I know where I will be shopping for my grand daughters! There is also an assortment of nautical shops, massage therapists, adventure gear, herbalists, a wide variety of artistic galleries and even a fortune teller for those who are feeling lucky!

The buildings are beautiful and each very unique, from the picture perfect church on the water to the specialty coffee shoppe with Mr. and Mrs. Pumpkin on the grassy lawn. Steve and I ate at an unnamed restaurant at the suggestion of a trusted friend ... we wont be going back to THAT particular restaurant. It just wasn't our cup of tea. It's probably hard to find good help on a tiny little island. However, the adjacent bread shop is to DIE for and we bought a loaf of fresh garlic walnut focaccia and a brownie to share. Wow. Good stuff!

There appeared to be many other choices of restaurants that we are both eager to try ... next time. We have several other islands to explore first!

The skies turned dramatic as we headed back towards home. I didn't realize that up in the air going 190 mph that you really don't need windshield wipers ... the water just beads right off!

Yes Mom, that's 190 miles per hour. Sorry.

If you look down at the bottom of the above photograph, you'll see my little crocs ... I can't quite reach the rudder pedals ... which is GOOD (for now). But I CAN reach a whole assortment of buttons, doohickeys and gadget controls ... including a seat warmer. Steve almost has me convinced that I will need to learn how to land the plane for that once in a lifetime emergency ...

And if you can't read what it says on the dash ...

Until next time!

Play Date with Cathy & Tim

2009-12-01T12:57:00.001-08:00

Getting to hangout with other photographers is an absolutely rewarding experience! Tim and Cathy were constantly examining viewpoints and perspectives that I never even thought of. Many areas that I've passed right by without giving them a second look. They arrived early one morning in Port Townsend, cameras in hand, and they took me for a scenic tour of our little town.

This beautiful ivy laced building houses our local weekly newspaper, The Leader. We spent several minutes shuffling around, bending, stooping, craning ... all trying to get a unique perspective. With the way we were carrying on, we looked like papparazzi going after Brad Pitt in a tutu!

The autumn foliage was in it's full glory! I, fortunately, was carrying my 70-200mm lens which allowed for some spectacular bokeh in the higher branches of the trees.

I've always been drawn to reflections, whether it's in the water or a window, there always seems to be photographs within photographs. We walked the docks down at the marina and found many interesting subjects.

Although our natural wildlife seemed to be hiding during their visit, we still enjoyed the walk down the Larry Scott Trail. Both Cathy and Tim tormented me about the "so called eagles and deer" that I promised them. Fortunately, at the very end of their visit, we spotted a few deer lounging in a neighbor's yard. Next time they come over we plan to hike on Hurricane Ridge.

Trick or Treat

2009-10-13T16:33:00.001-07:00

West Coast Sea Kayak Symposium

2009-10-13T16:12:00.000-07:00

The West Coast Sea Kayak Symposium is held annually at Point Wilson Fort Worden, Port Townsend. An assortment of brightly colored kayaks and their equally brilliant owners gather on the shores to exchange tips, ideas, and the latest and greatest in sea kayak craftsmanship. Observers can stand dockside and get some tips from listening in on the little pods of private instructional classes, but it looks much funner to get out there and get wet. I was able to get aerial shots of this as well (in a different part of the blog).

Getting Ready

2009-10-13T15:39:00.000-07:00

A typical evening with the Jones's. My grandbabies are adorable! Every day seems like a milestone! They are growing up super fast ...

Port Gamble

2009-10-13T15:18:00.001-07:00

Port Gamble, Washington. Picturesque, classic, small town USA. It doesn't get any quainter than Port Gamble. 25 mph through town and one big corner. Many future brides dream of having their cozy wedding at the storybook church. Port Gamble is on our way to and from the Edmonds ferry ... and even though I go through it on a regular basis, I still find it very charming. In the fall, it's hard to get a clear shot without a photographer standing in your way! The best time of day to take pictures there is early morning as the sun crests the hill and filters into town casting long shadows. White picket fences, darling manicured gardens with oversized dahlias, fine craftmanship, patriotic spirit ... a must see.

Walks in Port Townsend

2009-10-13T14:56:00.001-07:00

I really enjoy walking in Port Townsend. We have an abundance of public trails and you can get just about anywhere using them. Most of the time, I do not take my camera with me ... but on this walk I did. I just wanted to share with you what I see on a typical walk to the store.

Does it get any better than this?

Trip to Tokeland

2009-10-13T14:37:00.000-07:00

Tokeland Washington ... ever heard of it? Neither had we. Steve had some business in Chehalis and we wanted to stop by some friends that live in Pe Ell and since it's a considerable drive, we decided to make the trip into a spontaneous date. Lee and his wife recommended that we stay at a quaint little inn at Tokeland, a little jut of land that reaches into the Willapa Bay on the coast. Apparently it's quite the Audubon favorite for recommending bird watchers. Not the inn, but the marina at the end of the spit. As far as the inn is concerned, we found it quite charming. It's more like an old country house converted into an inn/bed-n-breakfast. There's no cable, no wi-fi, no tv, pretty much a bedroom. European style shared bathrooms at both ends of the house, and a fabulous restaurant downstairs. Wonderfully peaceful and quiet. Oh, and that flock of birds are called marbled godwits ... I looked it up.

Whale Watching Trip

2009-10-13T13:45:00.001-07:00

Steve and I went on the Glacier Spirit for a Friday Harbor Cruise with whale watching adventure. Friday Harbor is a quaint little town located in the San Juan Islands and from Port Townsend to Friday Harbor there is a good chance at spotting several types of beautiful whales along the way. Common are the Orcas (also called Killer Whales), unfortunately, we had an "uncommon" day and only saw one small newly weaned Minke whale and that was when we were in the last hour of our 8 hour expedition. I really enjoyed the trip, even with the lack of whales. Steve said I reminded him of a "labrador" at the bow of the boat.

Our captain took us by Minor Island to view the seals resting on shore with their pups. The is also a 5-foot in diameter Eagle nest on the ground. Apparently the lack of preditors made for this very rare occurance. We didn't get to see the eagles as they were probably hiding somewhere with the whales. We did however get to see the seal of Friday Harbor. According to the captain, the one-eyed seal has been making the marina rounds for over 25 years. I didn't know they lived that long?

Play Date with Jane

2009-10-13T13:21:00.001-07:00

See Jane stand. Who is Jane? Jane and I went to high school together way way back when. She is also a fellow photographer. We scheduled a play date to just take our cameras out and have some fun, no kids, no dudes, no nothing.

This is part of the backwoods of Fort Worden State Park. Remember where an Officer and a Gentleman was filmed?

The apples, sea kayaks, old fort details and the lighthouse are all from Fort Worden and Point Wilson. Especially photographic area! It was fun seeing through another photographer's eyes.

The geese were a special treat along side the road. Jane actually tried barking to get their attention. We also spent a bit of time at Port Gamble, a very picturesque classic small town USA.

Aerial Images

2009-10-13T11:17:00.000-07:00

During our annual West Coast Sea Kayak Symposium (say that really fast), I was able to join a friend of ours on a photo flight over Fort Worden. He took me up in his Cessna and we circled Point Wilson several times so that I could get a few amazing shots. His Cessna is an older plane and goes fairly slow, which is perfect for aerial photography. I was able to open the side window and with my camera clutched tightly in my hands I took many many frames. Most were blurry, even with image stabilization, due to the wind gusts and vibrations from the plane. But a FEW were fantastic! The last one there is of our house and property.

Studio Space

2009-10-13T11:07:00.000-07:00

Steve and I were driving through downtown Port Townsend when we passed by a "free" sign above an assortment of studio gear. Naturally, we had to stop to see what goodies someone was throwing out. Alas, there was several large rolls of colored paper for backdrops (like butcher paper - 12' across). Can you believe it? We shoved four rolls into the GTI (out the sunroof) and made way for the hangar. It was Steve's idea that I could share some of his "man space" and have a makeshift photography studio.

Having backdrops is great, however, I needed lights too. So we picked up a few cheap Home Depot "job lights" and I worked with those a few times. Steve scoured through Craig's list and was able to get a great deal on some professional studio lighting that had hardly been used ... wahoo! That put me in business! With several lights, reflectors, and a soft box ... all I have to do is push the plane out of the hangar to have a real space with 100% controlled lighting. Very cool!

The Final Stretch

2009-10-13T10:57:00.001-07:00

Steve only has less than 2 hours of flight time to go before he applies for his final pilot's license! Wahoo! The next step will be to get Instrument Rated. I'm very much looking forward to being able to soar into the skies with my wonderful husband! Just think of all the aerial images I will get to take, lunch in Montana, Orca whale watching from the air! Pretty sweet, heh?

Working Stock Photos

2009-10-13T10:18:00.000-07:00

The beautiful summer weather brought many opportunites to combine outdoor work with outdoor stock images. Our friends and neighbors were usually more than willing to sign model releases for me during their breaktime. And believe it or not, "happy workers" are very profitable in the stock industry.

Steve and I were able to clear and thin-out a bit of our property. The large cedar trees were taken roots and all to the local indian tribe for one of the salmon river restoration projects. It lightened some of the guilt of my tree hugging heart.

I included the dog photos because where there is man ... there is dog. And they are just adorable. Rest in peace Minh. I miss you.

I don't do weddings

2009-10-13T10:02:00.000-07:00

Normally, I cringe when a new bride hears that I am a photographer because they are usually looking for "someone" and seriously ... I don't do weddings. I love brides, way after the wedding, and way before the wedding. However, I just happened to take my camera along for Margit and David's wedding ...

Was wonderful being able to meet many of Steve's "family members" for the very first time and to be able to catch up with several that we hadn't seen in quite awhile. Steve's sister was able to come down from Anchorage. Miss you Sara.

CD Cover Photos

2009-10-13T09:51:00.000-07:00

I was very fortunate to be asked to shoot the cover photography for Paulina Alvarado's newest CD to be released very soon! We met at "my studio" at Jefferson County International Airport and were able to reproduce Paulina's ideas in less than two hours. I was very happy with the resulting photographs and look forward to seeing the final product.

Hiking with Rochelle

2009-10-13T09:41:00.000-07:00

Rochelle and I were able to squeeze in an end-of-season hike up to Murhut Falls in the Olympic National Forest.

Absolutely gorgeous day, incredible scenery and lovely company! Rochelle was nice enough to slow down for her "old mother" while I kept praying under my breath that I wouldn't break a leg. There's no way Rochelle could have carried me out of there!

We scrambled down into the rocks and ate our fruit and crackers while listening to the deep rumble of the falls. Awesome way to spend some time together! Unfortunately, I did not take along my tripod and the lighting was too poor to take quality images at 100 ISO ... so no money makers during that trip, just lots of great memories and fresh air.

Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival

2009-09-18T19:42:00.000-07:00

Port Townsend is hugely famous for our annual Wooden Boat Festival. The rumor this year is that we had over 30,000 visitors! For our little teeny town, that's quite impressive.

I was in photographer's bliss for three days straight. From dawn until sundown I captured over 1,500 images that I am now slowly working my way through. I'm not even close to half-way there.

I tried to take a wide variety of photographs, from the artistic viewpoint to informative and reportage ... some I will hold on to and perhaps one day I will pursue competing for the yearly local Calendar! Others have already been accepted by my stock agency. Hooray!

My-seriously-spectacular husband was quite the champion for chauffeuring me around town before the sun was even up. Then ... he brought me coffee and a scone each morning just as soon after the java stands opened. Hello? Can anyone say "He's a Keeper!"???

We met so many wonderful people, traveling from near and far, all with an unquenchable nautical passion. One couple Steve and I actually met separately, but found we had much in common. He, a retired firefighter and canon camera enthusiast ... she, the background support keeping him focused. We're looking forward to their future return when they should be sailing in on their custom crafted boat to be christened the "Touchstone".

I-was awestruck by the multitudes of professional and amateur photographers present. Apparently the nautical theme ranks right up there with zoo animals and tulip fields. The docks were a great place to talk lens, body and software as hoards of us would eagerly wait for billowing sails to pass picturesquely before Mt. Baker. Admittedly, I privately kept hoping I was going to get one of those high action packed images of amateur sailors taking an unintentional swim.

Many of the shoppe owners Monday morning were apologizing for their barren shelves or limited merchandise ... and in today's economy, that is truly a blessing.

I'm already looking forward to next year!

Port Townsend - Home Sweet Home

2009-07-09T16:53:00.001-07:00

I live in one of the most beautiful parts of the world. Seriously! Port Townsend is a little eclectic town on the tip of the Olympic Peninsula in Washington State. Logistics keeps the population down. Your options to get to the big city (Seattle) are to take a passenger ferry across Puget Sound or drive all the way down the Hood Canal and back up through Tacoma. Either way, it's a "trip" and not tolerable for most daily commuters. Which is pretty okay with me and the rest of us locals over the age of 30!

Every morning I walk the Larry Scott Memorial Trail, starting from the Port Townsend boat haven and heading towards the pulp mill. Our paper mill gives off a very distinctive aroma that the locals call "money".

When my daughters visit they usually crinkle their noses as it wafts our direction, but I hardly notice it anymore. (It sure beats the smell of I5 traffic on a Friday night!)

The six-mile path follows what used to be an old railroad line. The first 4 miles have been maintained to accommodate wheelchairs, joggers, bicyclists and horses. After that, it gets a bit rough and takes you through wooded back country with only the truly dedicated and hearty athletes.

Okay, so I was passed by a beautiful 65-year-old woman jogger that kept stopping to pick up the snails off the path so they wouldn't get crushed by other trail users ... look, she was fit. I mean really fit!

On the first part of the trail, you follow the water. When the tide goes out, it goes way out! I frequently see beached boats amongst the clam diggers, diving eagles, and blue herons.

There is an eagle couple that lives in a douglas fir tree along the cliff that borders the trail. I feel pretty fortunate to be able to include them in my morning ritual. I don't usually walk with my camera but I was lucky on the morning that I did ... the eagles had captured a meal that was a bit too large for them to carry. It made for a gruesome national geographic moment (I'm a pansy) when I realized what their prize was ... I'd rather not say.

As you can see, I was able to get close to the magnificent birds and was rewarded with several fabulous shots.

In addition to eagles, there are sand pipers, red wing blackbirds, seagulls, crows ... some mornings you can see the deer up on the cliff side. But we have deer everywhere. They gather in lawns, they jump fences, they eat gardens, they cross the street slowly in little herds ...

Port Townsend is just one of those very cool towns where everyone seems to be an artist, carpenter, massage therapist, or photographer, working a temporary job in a restaurant. You know?

It's also very important to wear un-matching handmade clothing, reuse your grocery bags, and have a political opinion branded on the back of your corn-oil burning vehicle with a combination ying-yang-peace symbol etched into the moss embedded rust. You think I'm kidding?

Almost there ...

2009-07-09T15:25:00.000-07:00

Steve is nearing the finish line for his pilot's license! A few more weeks and ... BIG BOY! He was approved to solo on the 9th of June and has done several cross country flights. I'm not sure what defines "cross country" but I can say that he was at 11,000 feet (just a few hundred feet below the tip-top of Mt. Rainier), flew clear out to Yakima over the Cascade Mountains, down to Portland (right by Multnomah Falls) through the Columbia River Basin and back home again. Very exciting!

4th of July

2009-07-09T14:32:00.001-07:00

Happy 4th of July!

I spent a relatively quiet 4th of July with my daughter, grandchildren and good friend, Stephanie, while Steve pulled 48-hour duty putting out fires ... I guess they went on something like 20 calls! Needless to say, he slept for 12 hours straight after he came home.

This was the first year that I missed the pancake breakfast at the Bothell Fire Station in seven or eight years? There are some things I really miss about living on the other side of the water ... hanging out at the station, going on calls, and taking pictures at the big events are just a few of them. I'm still adapting to the big move.

However, I will admit that the fireworks on this side of the water only lasted three hours, didn't shake the house, and did not start two weeks ago. That is a definite plus! Our poor old dog had a half-pint of beer and slept peacefully through the night.

Ayana has learned the proverbial say "cheese" every time the camera is pointed at her! Such personality and charm ... the girls are growing up so fast. Next year I expect we'll be writing names in sparkler trails ... pretty awesome being a grandma.

Road Trippin' Part 2

2009-07-01T16:39:00.001-07:00

Road Trippin' Part 1

2009-06-23T20:37:00.001-07:00

Wow, where to start? Heh … my spazzy husband would say “22.7 miles and counting” … "29.3 miles and counting” … “35.4 miles and counting” … “pull my finger!” But I’m not going to impose the same suffrage on you. We did cover somewhere around 2,500 miles through of the most beautiful scenic countryside in the whole world. We basically took highway 101 all the way down to San Francisco, shot inland to Truckee, then back home. There are obviously details in there somewhere but I’m simply going to let the photographs speak for themselves! Enjoy!

"Seattle Legs"

Multnomah Falls - Portland - Mt. St Helens

2009-05-20T11:10:00.000-07:00

Whew ... This month has just flown by! With our bridge down and our modem going on the fritz everything just was ... odd! I feel technologically behind and am trying to get my posts done before we head out on our big vacation! I'm really excited to visit family in CoosBay, San Fransisco, and Truckee ... next week we'll be on the road, just Steve and I in the little silver GTI zippin down hwy 101 ... camera ready!

We've just returned from a long weekend in Portland, Oregon, for a Fire Equipment Hoopla at the Expo Center. I passed on actually "attending" the Expo and took advantage of the freedom to escape to greater downtown Portland via the MAX (Portland's mass commuter transit system). That is a sweet system! For $4.95 you have an all day pass and it goes everywhere ... from the Expo Center, to Downtown, to the Airport. Sure beats trying to find a parking space.

Man I love Portland! So much flavor packed in one little mini-Seattle.One of my favorite spots to hang in is the Pioneer Square. Every walk of life mixes and mingles together harmoniously right in the center of the city. The rail borders the square making it a natural destination and meeting place. There is of course a Starbuck's and street musicians, food vendors, hackie-sack, religious fanatics, street rats, business men, tattooed Mommies, chess matches, an ancient wisteria ... if you can imagine it, you'll eventually find it at Pioneer Square.

I hoofed it over to the very best book store in the whole world ... Powell's Used Books on 10th. Just the smell alone is intoxicating. Each floor is stuffed with loved and cherished books, they even have a rare book section. It's a MUST for anyone visiting Portland. One of those places you compare all others to.

Down by the waterfront where they have the Saturday Market, they were setting up for the Rose Fesitval weekend with the traditional carnival rides and booths. I enjoyed cooling in the shade of the border trees and watching the people pass by on the waterside pathway. Portland is so bike-pedestrian friendly ... I could live there. Seriously.

After the Expo was over Steve and I headed out to Multnomah falls ... A truly amazing soul-searching kind of place. The cool sweet mist, the rich green mosses, the humming thunder of the falls echoing in the solid granite bowl, the winding steep pathway, all the way down to the details in the trail posts ... beautiful just doesn't do it justice! I will always make an effort to stop by whenever we are in the area.

After the falls we drove out to Mt. St. Helens ... for some reason the observatory wasn't opened so we settled for a gorgeous view from a dining balcony of a rather fantastic restaurant. I can't remember the name. There is a heli-pad for touring right next to it ... one of these days, Steve and I will just fly over Mt. St. Helens in the RV7. Can't wait to bring home THOSE photos!

Sheriff's Log

2009-05-20T10:15:00.000-07:00

The following are samplings of police calls posted in our weekly local newspaper ... This is just one of the reasons I love PT!

A woman who lives on Hill Street said a sick or injured raccoon was at her front door May 7 and wouldn't let her leave.

Deputies talked to a Port Hadlock man May 1 after a store employee was asked to call deputies. The man said he was feeling "insecure," but after talking to deputies, he felt better.

A bobcat was chased from the Chimacum High School property May 2.

An assault at a home in Chimacum on May 1 involved several people. Deputies concluded it was "mutual combat" situation. All parties agreed that the situation was resolved and no further action was needed.

A deputy contacted a marina manager to advise him that it was legal to shoot off a small cannon in the marina, which is within a "no shooting" zone, provided the cannon didn't fire a "projectile."

I really wish I had saved the one where the lady calls the deputies to complain that someone is yelling across the valley for her rooster to "shut up!".

Seriously, if these calls make the paper ... you know you're living in a pretty great place!

Mommy Stock

2009-04-17T12:29:00.000-07:00

This week I was able to visit with Renee' and the girls at the "Mommy-House" and take some wonderful photographs for my stock portfolio ... Hopefully many of these wonderful images will get accepted as early as next week!

http://www.dreamstime.com/resp275119-free-photo

North Carolina ... The Sequel

2009-04-17T10:29:00.000-07:00

Dad and I had a blast during our traveling adventures to North Carolina! We actually spent more time together during this trip to Pinehurst N.C. than we have in the past 20 years. I think we managed at least one hiking adventure every day, if not two or more, and my Aunt Mary accompanied us on all but two! Our hikes included the Sandhills Horticultural Center, Reservoir Park, and many neighborhood trails and local parks. Some of the parks in Pinehurst are the nicest I've ever seen.

Spring had certainly arrived in North Carolina. Between the bird song, bloomin azaleas and weather in the seventies .... wow! We were amazed by the wisteria vines that reached the tops of the pines and speckled the natural vegetation all along the highways with rich plumes of velvety lavender. We were also there during the Pine Pollination ... Holy cow! I would park the rental car under a stand of pines and within 10 minutes the windshield would be so thick with pollen that you would need the windshield wipers to see. Drifts of yellow pollen would float on the air and coat everything in sight. Apparently this phenomenon occurs every year for about three weeks. Pretty amazing!

Dad was able to get in a few swims in Jane's pool while I stood by with camera and life preserver in hand. He has only attempted to swim one other time since having both legs amputated. By day three he was crossing the pool rather like a pro ... he'd also figured out that it was best not to go too deep in the water since the temperature under the first foot of water was brutally chilly.

Grandma spoiled us daily with her home cooked meals and we heard many wonderful stories of the good old days and way back whens ... Grandpa was able to make copies of special photographs that I was anxious to add to my collection ... and we were fortunate to get a visit from my Aunts, Uncles and Cousins here and there during the entire week.

I feel pretty lucky to have been given this chance to spend with a huge portion of the McCormick family ... pretty lucky indeed.

She's a REAL plane!

2009-03-30T12:15:00.000-07:00

Wahoo! March 26th, 2009 ... Peter and Steve completed the 40 hour fly-off test phase! This means that Steve's RV7 has become a real plane. She's no longer restricted to the 50 mile designated test area and can now accept passengers! And yes ... I was the honored prima passenger!

Peter is an amazing pilot and was very gentle with my first small aircraft experience. It was absolutely incredible ... smooth, gentle, purrrrrfect ... soaring above our home and seeing Port Townsend from a completely different perspective. I followed the familiar roads and mentally logged them into their appropriate slots as the larger picture became much clearer than it ever was from the road. The white steam plume of the Port Townsend paper mill serves as a quick and easy marker from miles away, the San Juan Islands appear as gentle rich green mounds scattered in the deep blue waters, a light dust of snow sharpens the cliffs and craters in the Olympic Mountains, the thick dramatic clouds in the distance promise a Pacific Northwest shower is on the way ... mostly overcast with very little wind, it was the perfect day for a first flight. Now I understand why the boys have been pushing so hard to get her completed these past 2 1/2 years ... I will be taking my camera next time but I'm afraid it wont capture but a fraction of the awesomeness.

Steve's RV7 is equipped with seat warmers (wahoo!) and an incredible display of electronic equipment and doohickeys that light up and apparently produce all and any information a pilot could ever need. You can fly the plane from either side of the plane ... Peter prefers to fly from the right side because it's familiar to his military days. Peter showed me the speed and altitude numbers, and a brief glance at the GPS system ... However my eyes kept bouncing back to the FAA required sticker that reads "Passenger Warning- THIS AIRCRAFT IS AMATEUR-BUILT AND DOES NOT COMPLY WITH THE FEDERAL SAFETY REGULATIONS FOR STANDARD AIRCRAFT." It only made me grin proudly to think wow ... they built this in a garage and it works! (okay, proudly and with just a pinch of nervousness)

Lynn, Peter's wife, was the second honored passenger and from the brilliant smile on her face before take-off, it was obvious this wasn't her first time in a small experimental plane. When they returned, the boys put her back in the hangar and we celebrated with champagne and strawberries (thank you Lynn).

Kudos to Steve and Peter ... there are not many people in the whole wide world that can claim such an amazing accomplishment!

Renee's Birthday

2009-03-30T11:39:00.000-07:00

What more could you want for your birthday than to have your mom and sister to come over and hang with the girls while you finish unpacking from your latest move? (same address ... just bigger rooms) That, and the opportunity to take an uninterrupted full shower followed by dinner at the Vegan Vegetarian Teahouse! Okay, so the vegetarian food was more for Rochelle and myself ...

Little Miss Ayana is teething again. It looks as though she will have a full set of teeth before the end of the year! (not really) Poor little gal is 80% miserable /20% cheery. I believe she is getting #7, #8 and #9? Her bright pink cheeks, runny nose and slobbery kisses will hopefully let up by next week and then maybe they'll all get just a wee bit more sleep ...

Sweet little Naira is staying awake for longer periods of time and checking out all the new sights and sounds. Renee' said her last doctor's visit put her at 8lbs 11 oz. All signs healthy and good! Her eyes are still a smokey greyish green and seem to be changing every time I see her.

Digital Stock Photography Push

2009-03-23T19:10:00.000-07:00

Hooray! We've already had one sale from the "North Carolina group stock photos"! Family Genealogy starring our one and only Jane was purchased last week. The buyer searched for the words "wall photos" and decided this one was just the one they wanted! Thank you again to my wonderful family members that tolerated the constant flash and click of my camera throughout my visit! I'm anticipating great success with the latest batch upload and am hopeful that you'll allow me to get some more fantastic shots of all of you next week when Dad and I visit?

The online digital stock photography business is a slow but steady process and so far (knocking on wood) seems to be holding it's own during our distressed economy. Though I take hundreds and hundreds of photographs on a regular basis only a small percentage of them go to commercial stock.

Hmm ... you might be wondering how I choose which ones will be submitted to my agency????

Broad Market Value - Can this photo be used for many different concepts? A happy couple sells just about anything ... but there are also a LOT of happy couple photos already on the market... tough call. A happy couple holding money ... now that might give the photo the extra touch that a commercial buyer is looking for. A happy interracial couple holding money ... that proves promising.

Specialty Market Value - Hmm, close-up firefighter images in the middle of a blaze are a "hot" item and the competition is minimal. Firefighters are universal and represent many broad subjects such as security, safety, insurance, danger, professions, teamwork, physical challenges, etc ... that proves golden.

Excellent Quality - Focus, color, clarity, composition, noise, artifacts, etc. all must be top notch! All photos are reviewed at 100% magnification and any photos with flaws are ruthlessly weeded out.

Minimal Post Editing - Will I need to spend hours cloning out logos on shirts and baseball caps, or background details that might violate copyright laws? If the photo is incredibly fantastic, it might be worth hours of editing ... otherwise it will cost me more money in post processing time than the image will probably make.

Once I've edited, uploaded and key worded selected photos the rest will be up to the agency editors. They may or may not accept the photo based on certain criteria. The whole process can take weeks just to get the photos online. Once they are online, I keep my fingers crossed and hope that the photos stimulate interest in prospective buyers. It's also very important that I've key worded the images correctly. If a buyer can't find it in a search ... they can't buy it.

It takes many sales to make a photo profitable. The more popular a photograph becomes (the more sales), the more money it generates as it "levels up". For example, my number one seller (posted below) is of a group of firefighters in front of a roaring blaze (119 sales to date) and it's currently a "level 5". When it was a "level 1" it would only cost 3 credits to purchase an Extra large Royalty Free license, now it costs 13 credits for the same sale. And it keeps on selling ... If I can get my portfollio filled with "level 5" images like this one, Steve and I can retire (almost)! Wahoo!

© Photographer: Crystalcraig
Agency: Dreamstime.com

What's the "Push" all about??? Well ... my portfolio is currently at 253 photos and I'm hoping to double that by September 1st. That's 161 days and counting! Wish me luck and say cheese please. Thanks!

The Week After

2009-03-08T14:14:00.000-07:00

The week after Naiara was born, the three girls (Renee', Ayana and Naiara) were able to stay with Steve and I in our Port Townsend home. The goal was to give Renee' a little head start on recovery and help her with the little ones. I seriously had forgotten how exhausting babies can be!

Little Ayana was teething most of the week (one molar and two kanines) ... so she had a little bit of a rough time and wasn't super interested in completing her meals. Of course, that made our dog very happy, as she was given permission to clean up whatever Ayana left behind. And of course, that was entirely entertaining for Yana.

Steve kept himself fairly busy elsewhere most of the time, but when he was around, he and Ayana kept eachother very entertained. At one point (and I wish I weren't too tired to have gotten my camera out for this), Steve and Ayana sat on the couch for nearly 45 minutes shredding a magazine and sticking the little paper pieces to one another.

Baby Naiara developed a little bit of newborn jaundice around day four. We googled as much as we could on the subject and decided it was mild enough to wait until their scheduled doctor's appointment the following week. Ironically, most of the newborn blankets and fabric coverings were pale yellow (Naiara's theme is Giraffes) ... so we kept taking her to the natural window light to be sure it wasn't getting any worse.

Renee' did fantastic with her recovery and healing has been much better and quicker this time from the c-section. She hardly looks like she could be a mom of two!

I tried very hard to get "Sibling Portraits" but the best we could do ended up being very comedic and memorable all in itself. There was just no way we could keep Ayana from wanting to clobber her sister.

Arlyn and Rochelle were able to make it over for Ayana's first birthday. She sure liked the tissue wrapping paper, the birthday song, and ... of course, the cake!

Happy Birthday Ayana!

2009-03-08T14:07:00.000-07:00

Can you believe Ayana is One-year-old??!!

Great Grandparents!

2009-03-08T13:56:00.001-07:00

While the girls were staying with us in Port Townsend, my parents were able to make a visit and meet their newest great grand daughter! I really wish I had the camera ready when Dad took off his legs to show us his two different prosthetic feet (apparently his prosthetic dude at the hospital has a sense of humor) ... Ayana found it all quite interesting.

Ayana very much enjoys being read to and can sit through the same book several times in a row before she finally gets bored. Obviously, her Great Grandma is a hit!

This was the first time my parents were actually able to make it over to our home in Port Townsend, so it was an especially wonderful treat.

At the Hospital

2009-03-08T12:47:00.000-07:00

Here we are at the Hospital awaiting the arrival of little Naiara ... It's sometime after 8am, and everything is going as scheduled.

Ayana is cuddling with her mom at the hospital before the operation ... she knows something is going on and she isn't sure she's all that excited about it. Her Auntie Rochelle is going to keep her company while Grandma (that's me!) and her Mom are in the operating room.

Renee', in surgical blue, moments before she will get to meet her second daughter face-to-face! The doctors were fabulous in letting me have my camera in the room throughout the procedure. (So long as the photographs weren't to show up on the Discovery Channel).

Tada! Here she is ... arms open wide and ready for the world! Beautiful baby Naiara (pronounced N-I-ar-uh), born on the 23rd of February via scheduled c-section. I am so blessed to have been able to be in the operating room during the births of both my grand daughters!

All fingers and toes accounted for, and perfectly proportioned. She was ready to start nursing within 10 minutes after being born!
Little miss Ayana has become a big sister, ready-or-not! She is a little hesitant at the hospital and shies away from her mom and new little sister, but it's to be expected and we know that given time they will become the very best of friends.

Just like their Mom and Aunt!

Welcome to North Carolina

2009-02-22T10:51:00.000-08:00

Steve and I finally managed a trip to the East Coast to visit with my relatives. We flew into Raleigh, picked up our rental car, and headed down the highway towards Pinehurst, North Carolina, only to get stuck in a newsworthy traffic jam that delayed us for over an hour.

Apparently an Isuzu, trying to exit the highway, clipped a tractor-trailer, ran off the road toward the woods, returned back to the interstate and hit a van, then a second tractor-trailer (hauling a load of garbage) collided with the Isuzu and careened across the median into oncoming traffic hitting a Dodge Charger. The tractor trailer overturned and caught fire, igniting the surrounding woods. Unfortunately, everything was extinguished by the time our car puttered through the emergency scene ... or I would have had some absolutely fantastic photos to start our vacation with!

My Grandparents live in a quaint little village-like part of Pinehurst. The homes are neatly maintained, landscaping is simple, the roads are winding ... did you know they actually use pine needles (called "pine straw") as landscape cover? An open flame could be disasterous! (and another great photo op) Less than a mile from my Grandparents, live one of my Aunts and one of my Cousins, in homes side by side. Then a little further out, lives another one of my Aunts. Total, there are eleven of them all within a stone's throw (including a cousin who is currently off at college).

Pinehurst is a renowned Golf community, boasting many beautiful courses and clubs with all the amenities. I believe the town has hosted a few Opens. The actual town of Pinehurst is very quaint, clean and uppercrustish. Though the weather was mild compared to home (in the 40's), we were told that it was much colder than average and we had just missed a rare snowfall by one week.

The amazingly beautiful architecture is rich with history dating back to the civil war periods. I couldn't quite say whether I felt like I was in the South or the North ... it seems like Pinehurst rests smack dab on the dividing point. Though I was reminded of biscuits and fried chicken when we asked directions to the "Super Wallmart" from the gal at the local gas station.

Both Jane and Larry were able to serve as our very own knowledgeable tour guides through Pinehurst, giving us short narratives of who did what where and when. Apparently we had just missed Barack Obama shooting hoops at one of the member clubs. At a glance, Pinehurst seems to be unaffected by the failing economy.

Part of our personal tour included several of the homes that Jane and Larry built together. Steve and Larry went over many of the blueprints and talked about the very strict building codes in the Pinehurst area. Steve seemed very enchanted with Pinehurst until he found out you're not able to have a shop on your property within the city limits. I'm not sure that Steve could exist without a shop of some sort to tinker in.

Jane and Larry had also just finished their very cool "Pool House" next to their very cool swimming pool. Hmm ... could you disguise a shop as a "pool house"?

Steve and I scheduled our vacation so that we could visit with family for a day or two, take off and "see North Carolina" then return and spend a few final days with family before heading back home. So after a lively and delicious meal at the Outback (thank you Grandpa) with our hugemungous family, Steve and I retreated back to the hotel to get a good night of sleep before heading out across the state.

Bright and early, we found the one Starbucks in the area and equipped with our soy latte and Earl Grey tea we headed towards Edentown. As we traveled away from Pinehurst, the devestation of our current national economic situation became apparent. I've never seen so many boarded up and abandoned homes, trailer parks and trashed out shacks, yards filled with lawnmowers in dissarray, small town businesses closed up and empty, or churches. Not that churches have to do with economics, but wow ... now I understand what they mean about the "bible belt".

Scattered here and there we also found some wonderfully kept historical treasures such as plantation style estates, an old Standard Oil gas station, etc. Oh, and we passed by a very unique airfield. Several small planes tucked under sheet metal make shift hangars on the border of a cotton field and the "runway" appared to be a strip of grass. I mean, how totally cool is that?

We do hope one day to make the trip to North Carolina in our RV7 ... however, I'm sure we'll be choosing a more conventional landing site. We found (and visited) several small airports during our trip.

Steve and I chose Edenton because it was somewhere between Pinehurst and Nags Head and it boasted on the internet to be one of the South's prettiest little towns. A small hospitable town rich with treasures dating back to the civil war. Unfortunately, we arrived late in the afternoon on an overcast and drizzly day and didn't get much of an opportunity to really tour the town before it turned dark and began raining in a serious manner. We enjoyed southern cooking at a lovely waterside restaurant ... and I learned what "southern style" green beans and hush puppies were.

One of the goals of our trip was to "touch" the Atlantic Ocean and to visit the Wright Brother's Memorial at Kitty Hawk, which is where we headed next, Nags Head. This 100% tourist/vacation town is smack dab in the middle of the Outer Banks, a long narrow strip of sandy beach that borders the main land of North Carolina.

Steve chose a hotel right on the Alantic side of the water, with a room right on the beach, so we could sleep with the sliding glass door open and listen to the waves crashing all night! The beach is very grainy, golden and dense enough for cars to drive on (which they do!) My very first East Coast sunrise from the balcony of our hotel room ... how beautiful is that?

The hotel manager told us that early in the morning and sometimes around 4pm, the dolphins have been seen playing in the surf! That would have completely topped the trip! If we return again, I would like to see the wild horses that run the beaches in the Currituk National Wildlife refuge. You need 4wd or we would have tried this last time. We did stop in a Wildlife Reserve Museum and learned that the Outer Banks was a very popular duck hunters destination. I had to leave partway through the very detailed slide show ...

The entire strip south of the wildlife refuge is heavily occupied with beach rentals, hotels, motels, trinket shops, surf shops, and restaurants that apparently close during the off peak season (Dec through March). Which brings us to the Sugar Shack ... one of the only restaurants open during off peak. This is a restaurant for the strong at heart. All seafood, all deep fried ... I had to try the "Beer Battered Mac-n-Cheese wedges". Yes, deep fried pasta. We consumed all of our grease allowance for the year in one meal.

Steve got a chuckle from the "Brew Thru" drive through convenient stores that dotted the main thoroughway. Unfortunately, the very popular "Dirty Dicks" with their famous crabs was also closed for the season, but we did stop in at Capt'n Franks and learned that cheese in North Carolina commonly comes out of a pump.

The Wright Brother's Memorial was absolutely fantastic! We toured the museum ... though the original Kitty Hawk is kept at the Smithsonian, the replica was incredibly detailed and magificent all in itself. We also walked the grounds where you could see the markers for each sucessful flight on your way up to the very distinctive stone block memorial.

They also had just celebrated the 100 year centenial and still had a few large tents set up with more history rich displays from all over the world. I could truly appreciate the enthusiasm for adventure and determination for success the Wright Brothers must have had ... I see the same attributes in Steve. It must be a pilot thing. I wonder if either of the brothers were smartacllics? That's probably the fireman thing.

We stayed in Nags Head through Steve's birthday then headed back towards Pinehurst again. We chose a different route back through large protected land areas and well kept agricultural farms. Though we didn't see very much wildlife, the return route was truly beautiful ... flat and beautiful.

Back amongst family again, we headed out to the horse territory of the Pines. Wow ... big large colonial style homes with pastured acreage and horses. A whole world within itself. I was invited to take some photographs of Logan and her friend "warming up" the horses. Logan is a very talented young rider and the special bond she has with her horse is pretty remarkable. I truly look forward to following her advancement.

Grandma made Steve and I a wonderful dinner for his birthday and a very special holy cow cake. A whipped cream mandarine orange delight. Wowser! We had such a wonderful time listening to stories about the kids growing up, about Grandpa and Grandma's life, Grandpa's medical career, the before technology era ... can you believe he's been driving for 80 years? Also, Grandma still refused to let me help clean up after dinner.

Oh ... we finally made it to breakfast ... Mac's. I'd been hearing about the family Sunday gathering for years and this was very much a big treat to be able to participate. Alex took the head of the table and started our procession with "Hooray" and "Big Boy". Alex wasn't quite sure about the lady with the camera that made the bird sounds ... but eventually he seemed to have accepted me into the group.

Shortly after breakfast we headed over to Jane's for a huge Super Bowl Sunday party! 3D glasses and all! And oh migoodness there was soooo much wonderful food. That was another very special treat for me. To watch the McCormick's watch sports ... I can still remember the faxes flying back and forth whenever the Seahawks played the Browns. Too funny! I believe Grandma said a bad word.

Our last day, Grandma made us another wonderful breakfast, wouldn't let me help clean up, then sent us on our way.

Wow, I really do have a pretty awesome family.

Holidays

2009-01-12T11:26:00.000-08:00

This was the first year we were unable to get the group together for the Holidays due to weather, transportation, and conflicting schedules. We very much missed my Dad's "Puzzling Present" this year (though I detected a hint of relief on his part).

Rochelle and her boyfriend, Arlyn, made it out for Christmas Eve and joined Steve and I for roast turkey dinner with all the trimmings. (Rochelle, of course, had tofu) Steve worked both the 23rd and 25th, making it a very short Christmas celebration. I hate to admit it, but I didn't even bother putting up the tree this year.

Then Renee' and Ayana made it over for a belated Christmas and stayed with us for a few days. A very special treat! Ayana is very clearly and appropriately saying "Good job!" "Thank you!" and "Uh oh!" She's also learned to shake her head "no". Try as I might, I can't help but crack up. Karma, sweet karma. She's still pulling herself around on the furniture but hasn't decided to take that first step yet. She was also quite facinated by the dog which she pronounces as "Tht!"

Next year should prove to be quite a magical Christmas! She wasn't too interested in gifts this year ... except for tasting the wrapping paper. Also, we expect her little sister to be arriving late February, early March.

Rochelle and Arlyn joined us for New Years Eve Eve and we stayed up playing Pictionary and watching Season 4 Friends. Very low key and relaxed ... we are so very blessed.

Winter Wonderland

2009-01-11T20:34:00.001-08:00

Here are a few images of the Port Townsend area during our snow storm. We didn't get near as much snow as other towns/cities but it sure was beautiful. Record breaking 20 degree temperatures kept the snow around for a little over two weeks.

The Winter Driving Lesson

2008-12-22T14:05:00.000-08:00

Having lived a number of years in places such as Truckee California and Anchorage Alaska, Steve is well versed at driving in extreme winter conditions. For the past week he has been coaching me on how to avoid spinning out, how to slow down, how to use your emergency break to turn a corner, etc. I have nodded, listened, and absorbed all the wealth of information my wonderful husband has been willing to disburse without gaining an ounce of his enthusiasm.

Apparently I own the "Sheerah" of 4-wheel drive cars ... the Suburu Outback. "It will go anywhere, Crystal, you'll see!" "Your car sticks to the road like no other". etc... etc...

Yesterday morning we went for a little drive down to Hudson Point for another "driving lesson". The point is a small strip of land that jets out into the Puget Sound on the north side of town. During our winter storm we had sustained 40-50mph winds that created large snow drifts, especially next to the water. You see where this is going, don't you? I fortunately had my camera with me. Keep in mind, I wasn't driving.

As we're approaching the end of the strip I notice a rather large mound of snow (a drift) right in the middle of the roadway and say outloud "Wow, that looks really deep Steve." He replies very confidently, "Oh honey, your car can go through ..." but he doesn't get to finish his sentence, for indeed, we are stuck. Right in the middle of the road. (was my little Sheerah mocking him?)

What can you do but bust out laughing and jump out of the car and start digging? Okay, so I took pictures too. Fortunately there was a very nice and helpful young Coastie that offered to tow us out. I got to stand on the sidelines, take photos, and giggle with the Coastie's girlfriend about how "my husband was just teaching me how to drive in the snow". Gotta love a man who shows by example!

Welcome to The Hippie Shack

2008-12-20T12:43:00.000-08:00

Why "The Hippie Shack"? Well ... for those of you who had the pleasure of visiting our Port Townsend home in the middle of the woods prior to our renovations, you will remember the rather large wooden boat in the back yard, cut into three sections to create a most unique recycled several-ton sculpture. Or perhaps the thirty some bowling balls scattered throughout the brush, the purple counter tops in the kitchen, the assortment of ship crank shafts, the musical instrument and computer component sculptures, or the coy "pond" hot tub in the middle of the deck? In essence, it is in the memory of John Craig's energetic imagination that we have dubbed our home, "The Hippie Shack".

Our little 900 sq foot home is nestled amongst beautiful redwood cedars, western hemlocks and Douglas firs within the city limits of Port Townsend. In the winter, as the foliage thins, we can catch a glimpse of a few neighboring houses, but for the most part we enjoy country seclusion and privacy ... and blessed silence. One of the many public trails borders our property line but I've only seen one hiker since October actually pass through.

We're probably around 90% complete with our remodeling plans. We still have the kitchen, bathroom, and some minor finishing touches, but all-in-all our home is very comfortable, cozy and quite livable as it is right now. Steve has quit twitching every time he looks at the purple counter tops but I believe he's just "numb". When I painted the kitchen walls autumn gold, we looked like die-hard UW Husky fans. Gold, white, and purple! Not only does this make for a great conversation piece, but I find the unique lighting very inspiring for some of my macro photography.

Steve commutes to the "big city" for his continued work with the Bothell Fire Department but since the boys adopted the 48 hour shift schedule, it's really not so bad. They work 48 hours straight then get four days off. In addition, his seniority with the department and vacation days has given him so much time off that he's starting to get bored "hanging" with the wife. I am still selling stock photos through dreamstime, and building commercial websites.

Rochelle is living in Kirkland with her boyfriend and working full time. She is doing fantastically well! She still talks about traveling to Europe, becoming a certified sign language interpreter and just going out and seeing the world.

Renee and Ayana are living in Bellevue and getting ready for the newest arrival due March 3rd, my second granddaughter! Ayana is saying a few words and phrases such as "Oh no!", "Da", "Mom" and she's crawling around pulling herself up on furniture and pretty much giving her mom a run for her money.

Amanda is living in Oregon and finishing up her last quarter (plus one class) to get her college degree. We understand she has taken up kayaking as well as hiking and rock climbing. I believe she is still working closely with the tribal community in the women's services.

The plane was finished and received her official seal of approval from the FAA back in October. Her first flight was absolutely spectacular and without any problems or difficulties. It's incredibly amazing to watch this "experimental" contraption that Steve built with his buddy in a garage ... soaring through the air! She has about 25 hours on her so far and they've only made a few minor and expected adjustments. Steve is busily studying for his pilot's license and will hopefully be soloing by summer 2009.

In the meantime, Steve's buddy, Peter, a retired Air Force pilot, that helped him build his plane, will continue to keep her active and accruing flight hours. She's a two-seater RV7 that gets up to somewhere around 200mph (she's like a Lexus or RollsRoyce of experimental planes). Steve even installed custom heated seats ... pretty much a prerequisite for his cold-blooded wife.

We plan to visit Montana, Colorado, California and wherever else there's a little airport with long lost family to visit that is within our flight range!

That's it for now from our little corner of the world. We're expecting a "major winter storm" according to the very dramatic weather reporters on the news. It should be here in about an hour and 15 minutes! If we really do get the big 12 inches they keep threatening us with ... I should be posting some spectacular photographs. We just don't do winter here well. This morning was a whoppin 13 degrees. Just not normal for here.