LeBleu Pack: Taking the Next Step

Well I took the plunge and started a photography page on Facebook. I had been asked by a few people if I had a website and some photography suppliers give a better price on items once you can prove to them that you sell your photographs. So instead of a website I now have a page called Denise Lebleu Images on FB. Notice the small b in LeBleu? Facebook did not allow me to make that a capital as they say it's not proper. I can put in a request to change the name to the proper spelling but I have to go through hoops to do so, maybe one day. I have added all kinds of pictures so far to the page, northern & southern ones.

This is the cover shot for my FB page

The owner of the Arctic Closet here in Cambridge Bay, Vicki Aitaok, has agreed to sell the remaining of my Cambridge Bay calendars in her shop. I am very excited about this as she gets many visitors into her igloo shaped store, it carries many traditional carving, artwork, sewing and also trendy items.

This is the cover for the 2014 Cambridge Bay, Nunavut calendar

Santa came early for me this year with a new Nikon lens. I had been eyeing up the Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8 AF-S ultra-ultra wide angle lenses and the more I read about it the more I was liking it. Much to my surprise it arrived last Friday in the mail. I did go out on Saturday afternoon to shoot a couple of pics but we had extreme wind chills of -51'c so myself and the camera didn't last long. I am in love with this lens, it is fast and very sharp and I can't wait to get out there to shoot more pics with it. Unfortunately, there is not too much to shoot at this time of year as the lighting is very low and everything is covered in snow but I did drive out to Freshwater Creek to shoot the bridge and onto the ice, below are some of the pictures that I took.

Freshwater Creek Bridge

Same bridge, just the other side

These Komatiks or traditional sleds were sitting on the ice

waiting for the hunter to hook them up and head out on the land

The Martin Bergman

Closer view of a Komatik with a box built on it

A fishing boat along the shore of Cambridge Bay

Last Thursday I was interviewed by one of Nunavut's newspapers, Nunatsiaq News in regards to the dog obedience classes that I had been offering for the past 6 Saturdays. The interview was good but some of the feedback was negative. It is hard for some people to accept change and I think this is why some responded the way they did. I am so very proud of my students and their owners and we had a small 'graduation' last Saturday after class. Below are pictures of them after class, Traci and her dog Neeko did not attend the final class as she was ill so she is missing from the pictures. Joan was weathered in Iqaluit so she wasn't there but Bernie and Al brought her dogs as well as their own.

The youngest, Averi and her dog Junior

Tamara, her daughter and Plue

The brave ones: Bernie & Al with Nukka, Ned, Kayuq, and Rosie

Anne with her family celebrating Jinx

Our littlest one, Gracie and her guardian Dawn

The lady that helped me get a venue: principle extraordinaire Cathie and her Seeka

Becky with her dog Harley and Cathie's dog Seeka

Ruth and Callie - the intense boxer

To celebrate their achievement I made up some certificates and some homemade pumpkin balls treats for the dogs. I attached the recipe for the treats onto the bag and topped it off with a bow. I wanted to honour this group as it was Cambridge Bay's first ever dog obedience classes and maybe even Nunavut. I hope that everyone is just as proud as I am for a job well done! Not sure if I would do this again, it depends on whether or not they want to continue, and if they do I'm all in!

Certificates & treats for graduation

Hannah is having a tough time with these temperatures this year, it's a given that the pointer do not like it much due to their lack of fat and fur. Craig had to throw on his boots one day to rescue Hannah as she froze on the spot and couldn't move. He carried her inside and I wrapped a warm blanket around her. She made me teary eyed today as everyone had to have a bath for their trip to Manitoba and Hannah for the first time laid in the bath tub. Looks like those old hind legs can't stand for any length of time. It's sad to see them grow old and you always wish they would live as long as you. I leave you tonight with a couple of pics of Hannah and this quote:

“A person can learn a lot from a dog, even a loopy one like ours. Marley taught me about living each day with unbridled exuberance and joy, about seizing the moment and following your heart. He taught me to appreciate the simple things-a walk in the woods, a fresh snowfall, a nap in a shaft of winter sunlight. And as he grew old and achy, he taught me about optimism in the face of adversity. Mostly, he taught me about friendship and selflessness and, above all else, unwavering loyalty.”

~ John Grogan, Marley and Me: Life and Love With the World's Worst Dog