Today, on this ancient day of history & folklore, there is a tale that must be told. A tale of tradition, greatness, and the struggle to uphold them both. And perhaps that tale is best told through the eyes of just a single character in our story…

Bailey is a common beer maid at the town brewery. She was born & raised amongst the wheat & barley stores in the back of the brewery, and grew up learning to distinguish different varieties of hops from only their aroma; this brewery is and always will be her home.

She is happy here. Her pleasures are simple: listening to the grains ping against the copper vats each morning, running her paws over the smooth wooden surface of the bar that’s been worn down by centuries of visiting beer enthusiasts, feeling empty glasses fill to the brim and grow heavy with cool, foamy craft beer. Truly, Bailey is happy to greet her guests each day, and they enjoy her cheerful service behind the bar.

But times are not always easy at the brewery. Sometimes, whole shipments of hops are lost to thieves. The local brewery has had a successful past, but money has never been tighter, and sometimes Bailey can sense the pressure of an economy that almost feels like it’s evolving past the age-old craft of brewing.

But Bailey knows that a steady determination – and a positive attitude – are the keys to continuing her happy existence in the way she’s always known.

When times are tough, Bailey reminds herself: enjoy the little pleasures in life! Every smiling face that comes through the doors is another opportunity to make a friend, build a relationship, and strengthen the community that upholds the brewery through all the tough times. So she makes sure to greet each visitor with her cheerful smile!

Every morning, Bailey gets dressed in the traditional clothing of her ancestors. She takes comfort in the familiar folds of the dirndl, its cheery white blouse and deep brown apron skirt, and the handmade headscarf that keeps her unruly fur out of her eyes. She herself stitched the red threads into her outfit, to add a bit of color to the surrounding brewery’s rich, deep chestnut tones.

And sometimes, at the end of a hectic day, Bailey loves to enjoy a pint as she unwinds. While her favorite brew has always been the traditional pale ale, occasionally Bailey enjoys a stronger taste of hops from one of the brewery’s IPAs.

Bailey’s counterparts – all of them men – don’t always include her in discussions of the brewery’s direction & future. At times, Bailey wishes she could join in these conversations. She has so many ideas from watching the day-in-day-out hustle & bustle from behind the bar… so many ideas that could improve their service & lessen their often-overwhelming workload. But at other times, she purely wishes to join in for the friendship & camaraderie. It’s not always easy being the sole female bartender.

But Bailey values her solitary time, too. When she’s not behind the bar serving guests, she can think deeply about the world, the brewery, and her place in both.

So despite her everyday worries, Bailey truly loves living at the brewery and tending the bar for its guests! She’s at home here!

 Happy Howl-o-ween! 

Big thanks to Mission Brewery in downtown San Diego, CA! And have a very happy Howl-o-ween, from Bailey (whose real job is to be an intern at Allison Shamrell Pet Photography)! 

This year, I celebrated my birthday in the way that came most naturally to me. I took Bailey to the dog beach.

Okay, to be completely honest, I stopped at the studio to return a few emails first. But THEN we went to the dog beach!

For no particular reason, I decided on going to the Ocean Beach Dog Beach that day. Bailey also loves Fiesta Island, and she’s been to Coronado before, and she’s used to doing more than just running around at Del Mar, but we hadn’t been to Ocean Beach in a while – so off we went.

The dog beach is a wonderful place for Bailey. I say that not only because she has fun; she psychologically relaxes. We’ve gotten into a few negative social situations in the past, unfortunately, when she’s on her leash or in a stressful environment. But the dog beach? It’s a place of happiness. A place where she doesn’t feel stressed, or crowded, or defensive, or like she needs to guard me from other dogs. She’s never gotten into a disagreement with another dog there – never. She just runs around wagging her tail, with a smile on her face, perfectly content for hours. So I know it’s a place that makes her happy, on every level.

Happy – and SANDY! This girl loves to rolls around and pack on the sand as much as she can. All over her body. As often as possible. (Thanks Bailey.)

I love this photo – check out her intensity!!

But of course, a nanosecond later, the goofy face comes back.

What’s on her priority list at the beach? Runningrunningrunning…

She is FAST! Really – I’m not just bragging – I’ve never seen a dog outrun her in an all-out sprint. No mommy goggles here, she’s quick. (Okay, to be fair, I’ve never seen her race against a greyhound… but I’m sure she’d be up to the challenge!)

What’s better than taking your dog to the beach? I mean, really… it’s a happy place, a pretty place, and a total escape from everything else life throws at you. In the time it’d take you to send an email at your office, you could have been throwing the tennis ball for your dog a few times, while they haplessly crash through the oncoming waves to retrieve it for you, meeting dogs on their way back into shore and putting “fetch” on hold while they go for a quick race up and down the beach.

I don’t know about you, but I choose the beach.

Sometimes she slows down. Just sometimes. I like to think she’s being pensive when this happens.

So that was my birthday! Well, that, and my husband took me out wine tasting that night too! So, yep, it was a pretty good one! :)

Thanks, Bailey, for the relaxing mid-day excursion. I hope you convince me to do it more often.