But life creates different challenges and at this time when the economy hasn’t been at its peak I’ve rediscovered other ways to make a living. So photography been a bit on sabbatical while I continue to create my eBay business. It’s actually been quite a lot of fun, but it hasn’t given me a lot of extra time to blog. And it wasn’t quite so sure that the stories would actually be all that exciting, but they probably would be.

And I’ve gotten into racing again. Racing? Yes, as in running. I’ve been a runner for 32 years and I know most of you know that from
some of my past posts. I really got back into racing 10 K and some 5K races. So those stories as well could be interesting. To make it more interesting I run everything in my Vibrams. All my mileage and my races.

So while photography is a bit on hold, or sabbatical as I like to say, I been doing a lot of other cool things. At some point I’ll put it all together and start traveling again, run a race wherever I go, hike and run wherever a
I am and discover new and out of the way places to photograph. All this while finding places along the way to buy inventory for my eBay store. By the way, I sell mostly vintage items that are really cool, like cowboy boots and really cool women’s handbags.

Rollins Savannah Nature Preserve - Near Grayslake, IL

As always, whenever I photograph or do just about any kind of driving for any kind of reason, I enjoy finding and exploring new places through running or hiking. The internet and all the technology out here has provided a great way to explore “ahead of time”. Through websites such as mapmyrun, everytrail, Garmin and more a person can find runs and hikes in places that they are traveling to.

Today was such the case for me. I found this run when exploring areas between Lake Geneva and North Chicago. Right smack between all the Free way, toll way, traffic and road rage lies this amazing wetland savannah. Two loops trace almost 6 miles around the beautiful sanctuary which soon will be populated with nesting birds and the birds of summer.

Another neat find though was that I had been here before. Driving along Highway 120 I remembered the heron rookery not far from where I was. I turned down that road to see that there are actually at least half a dozen herons already claiming nests in the trees. They must be the “early birds” …  in not too much time there will be many more scoping out their  territory, and repairing winter’s destruction of the nests.

Though today sure did seem like winter still had her hand in the “tear down” mode. The winds howled and slapped my ears as I ran in the savannah. Unsheltered from any kind of shelter in the flat and open wetland the winds felt their freedom in three directions. Pardoning us from their onslaught for one brief moment, the winds played to our backsides – pushing us forward. Forward, forward … Springing ahead!

Everything happened as visualized, except for the ice in the bottom of my boots. I couldn’t get my boots on! My bare feet & toes were so so cold but I could move them. I attempted to get my boots on once by putting my liners onto my feet first (Baffin boots are like a wet suit and they have a liner, letting the cold creek water in to warm it against your skin) and then putting my foot into the boot. It wouldn’t work as the liners were too stiff with ice … I had to take them off and sit back down, tried to huddle back into the pretzel like cocoon position I held all night, but I couldn’t recreate it. I don’t have any idea how I did it and / or how I stayed in such a contorted position for so long. … so I knew it was time to move. About 24 hours ago from now is when I first “woke up”, .. meaning I took off the head warmer that I had placed over my face, ears and eyes to breath into and keep that part of my body warm. I never slept .. I heard birds and thought there was no way .. birds start to sing in the morning! The time had gone fast .. by letting go of needing to know what time it was or how cold it would get I no attachments to those things. Honestly, it is so important to not attach to those labels of time and temperature. It would have kept my focus from being on surviving in each moment and put it back onto what I had no control over, which mentally wouldn’t have done any good. About one year and one hour from right now: Once I got the boots on, in the second attempt ( I manipulated the liners to crush the ice in them and then shoved them painstakingly into the boots) I hobbled around with my frozen feet in my frozen boots. I couldn’t feel my feet and I had to cross the creek a number of times but I “knew” that the water would once again warm to my feet and that my feet should get warmer once I moved about. From where I was I could see a slight hint of what might be a trail on the other side of the creek and as I hobbled to try to get a better angle. I got onto a big rock next to the creek and saw where I most likely missed the mark. There was a huge rock jutting out on the other side, which hid the trail as I came back the day before. I kept crossing the creek, seeing a trail on the other side (which is exactly where I stayed the night). Continuing left as I crossed the creek in the wrong spot, the trail ended so I’d get confused and go the other way until the trail dead ended at the creek where I’d cross and continued the circle 3 times or so, not being able to figure out where I had missed. As it got darker I got more panicked and screamed out for help as well .. nothing .. Had I stayed panicked I may have kept attempting to find the trail, crossing the creek over and over in the dark ( I thought about finding my way this way) and I certainly would not have made it (the creek was fast and high and not being able to see where my feet were would have been a death sentence). .. Anyway, the story is on the blog so I won’t keep recanting it here … The sun didn’t come up and over the canyon until late so it was about 11 am when I finally crossed the creek and found the trail. I was about a mile from the trail head … The snow on the trail was solid ice having melted the day before and then freezing overnight. I ran into no one until the end. At the very last creek crossing I saw a woman, her daughter and a dog. The young girl must have been high school age. she and the dog crossed the creek the opposite direction from me. The lady, having waved the girl off as she headed out to hike, spoke to me. She asked me if I’d help her to walk back to the trail head, which was about 1/4 of a mile away. She explained that she is legally blind so I took her arm and we walked and talked. I told her what had happened and somehow just now am seeing the symbolism of “I was blind but now I see” …

for more about a year ago today (http://kristenwestlake.net/Topics/adventure/survival-lost-in-the-oak-creek-canyon-az/) .. actually right now, as I write, I would be 20 minutes from realizing I needed to really  stay put for the night. I was still trying to cross the creek and feeling panicked, desperately wishing that my iphone was not close to dead and that it would get a GPS signal to help me with directions as I was totally disoriented. .. In 15 more minutes I would start to try to look for the inevitable place to hunker down for the night but it would be dark so I would trip over a big log .. I’d somehow make my way back to a small grouping of three trees and feel to find some kind of leaves and pine underneath. In 14 minutes from exactly now  I’d sit there, after gathering the findings of leaves to pad beneath my rear .. I’d look at my Iphone  at exactly 7pm, with 8 % battery, and I’d turn it off knowing I had to keep that amount alive for hope the next morning or in case I needed to write a note on the notepad to let people know what happened and why .. in case I was to be found rather than survive … four minutes from now I’d lay down and start to feel the chilling cold of the wind and begin to panic until at some point the calm set in .. and I was so glad later that I didn’t know about the other woman who not more than a month before me perished when she panicked …

I thank you God again … and I hope and pray to inspire and be of service to others in this life I have been so gifted to live.

I was driving a few days ago through the country, not far from my home when this barn and silo combination caught my attention. The barn was left with just a face – no sides to house any animals or to stash any alfalfa bales or straw. The light was heavy in the clouds behind the barn and bright in a front layer .. almost as white as the snow. I decided to work a multiple exposure on the scenic. I normally work abstracts from long and/or multiple exposures but today my idea was to create a composition utilizing masks with multiples to work with Nature’s light ..

This barn and silo image is available for purchase.

This scenic was made utilizing in camera multiple exposure technique. 4 exposures in camera created this image.

Bond Falls, Michigan - - Ring in the New Year - - **print SPECIAL!!** expires February 1, 2011 Buy two photo luster prints and get your third print (same size) for just a DOLLAR!! Buy three photo luster prints and get two luster prints (same size) for just a DOLLAR each!! Buy five photo luster prints and get five luster prints (same size) for just a DOLLAR each!!

Buy two photo luster prints and get your third print (same size) for just a DOLLAR!!
Buy three photo luster prints and get two luster prints (same size) for just a DOLLAR each!!
Buy five photo luster prints and get five luster prints (same size) for just a DOLLAR each!!

Start shopping and saving!

Mark your Calendars for Three Special Pre-Holiday Events in December. Meet the artist and get unique photo gifts at Promotional Prices Just for the Holidays!

Special Holiday Events for December!

December 11, Saturday: 1 – 4 pm Lake Geneva, WI

335 Wrigley Drive
Lake Geneva, WI 53147-2034
(262) 248-2100

Bella Vista Suites Lakeside Luxury Shopping Boutique Sat. 12/11 from 1-4 p.m. Look forward to seeing you there. Testimonial: What unique gifts your photos will make for Bella Vista’s shoppers!

Everyone  is Welcome! I will be featured at the Bella Vista Suites. Come on in to shop and enjoy a great experience with many local vendors. Find great Holiday gifts! Come chat with me .. I’d love to meet you! I will be showcasing many of my canvas images and a huge array of 8×10 and 16×20 inch photo luster prints. All are specially priced on this day live at Bella Vista Suites.

I will feature an online promo as well for those of you who can’t make it or live out of state. Here’s the live and online special:
December 11 ONLY! :
8×10 inch prints resale normally for $45 each. On December 11, all 8 x 10 photo luster prints will be one for $20, 3 for $40, 5 for $60, and 10 for $100.

16 x 20 inch prints resale normally for $95. On December 11 all 16×20 inch photo luster prints will be one for $60, 3 for $120, 5 for $180, and 10 for $300. HUGE Savings!
check out my website for the savings on December 11th!
http://www.kristenwestlake.org/

December 12, Sunday: 2 – 4 pm. Cable, WI

Cable Nature Lodge

20100 County Highway M, Cable, WI(715) 794-2062

Cable Nature Lodge & the Kristen Westlake Fine Art Gallery at the Rookery - December 12 enjoy a relaxing holiday shopping stroll down the more scenic and sane “Road Less Traveled” to the spectacular shops of Cable.

Rookery Pub (featuring the fine art photography of Kristen Westlake)

Wrap up your day at the Rookery Pub from 4 to 6 with a glass of wine, complimentary hors d’oeuvres, and door prize drawings from the participating retailers. Then stay for dinner if you’d like.

Photographer Kristen Westlake will be on hand at the Rookery from 2 to 4 that afternoon to share the stories behind her various images on display at this, her exclusive northern Wisconsin gallery, in a “walk about” talk. While many of you have enjoyed Kristen’s images while you dine, come and hear the entertaining stories behind the photos from the girl behind the camera.

December 18, Saturday: 1 – 4 pm. Lake Geneva, WI

JMarc Graphics Gallery – 235 Broad Street, Lake Geneva, WI 53147-1809(262) 248-9030 ‎

Come and meet the artist and take advantage of my moving out sale! After the new year all of my large canvas prints will no longer be available or on display at JMarc Graphics Gallery. While we have enjoyed a wonderful working relationship for many years we have respectfully decided to go our separate ways.

No worries about viewing my work: As always, you can purchase online and my work will be expanding into other venues and sources.

On December 18 from 1 – 4pm  come and take advantage of a three hour only sale of my existing canvas pieces. An Exclusive One Time Only Sale –  I will be accepting offers on all of my 30 or so canvas pieces currently at JMarc Graphics Gallery. So, come make me an offer that day!

Also available will be a large selection of photo luster prints in 8 x 10 for $45 each and 16 x 20 inch sizes for $95 each. Sized ready for framing!

A Lovely Compilation of wintery images seem to be appropriate with the recent turn in sub freezing weather. No snow yet here in Southern Wisconsin but I find myself looking forward to it …  My feet will welcome that first fresh white powder with near naked feet. Running through it is as innocently blissful as the virgin snow.

After experiencing the land and the mood of the land through my senses my camera and lenses play with the scene.  .. below are some of the magical moments of winter photography. .. and there is more if you click on that link!

Details Male Cardinal in the snow.

Farm in the snow storm

Pheasant

Details It was a chilling sub-zero degree morning. Those days provide some of the best “frothy” sunrises, appearing almost mystical. However, the challenge is in keeping one’s fingers warm while working with frigid tripods and gear … composing while keeping composure!	Details Snowy Creek in Kishwauketoe Conservancy, Williams Bay, WI.	Details Winter Peace
Details Snow and Ice Patterns on Lake Geneva. I love abstract patterns of snow, sand and the desert canyons. These particular patterns captured me as I captured it.	Details Fall at Levis Mounds	Details The same place as the previous picture at Levis Mounds, winter this time. I adore how a scene changes not only season to season, but with the time of day, the weather … the mood of the land!
Details Copper Falls, Mellin, WI. Though the waterfalls are the highlight at this magical place, this scene always leaves me breathless	Carvers Rock State Park, WI This is a stitched panorama image.  The bend in this creek is particularly beautiful with freshly fallen snow.	Kishwauketoe Creek during a snow storm I love being the first to plant my footprints into fresh snow … breathing in the crisp new day through all of my senses is lyrical and a dance to my soul to create by.