Living in Alaska - Life in the Last Frontier

The past week or so has been so busy for me. I’ve had to write myself lists, and then go down them -checking off items as I complete them. I feel like I’m suffering from some sort of Attention Deficit Disorder (I refuse to blame it on “old age”!) because I get started on a task, and then I get distracted, and find myself doing something else. This just leads to partially completed projects and tasks, and feeling even more unfocused.  But tomorrow is the day I plan to pare down that list… as long as I don’t get sidetracked.

It hasn’t been all work and no play though. I’ve been taking the time, while out running errands, to stop and enjoy the winter scenery - snapping photos along the way.  It’s been forever since I posted photos, as I’ve been so preoccupied with the calendar, and just haven’t taken the time to share. I’m going to play “catch up” in this entry.

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Last Sunday, my friend Lisa and I went to see the movie “The Secret Life of Bees” with Dakota Fanning & Queen Latifah. The movie is based on the novel by Sue Monk Kidd. I haven’t read the book, and didn’t know what the movie was going to be about, so I went into it merely hoping to be entertained. It was a heartwarming movie for the most part, but there were several scenes which made us both get teary eyed.

After the movie, we stopped to have lunch (enchiladas - yum), before driving over to Pioneer Park to see the “Spooky Train” in action. The Spooky Train is a better known as Engine #1.

Engine #1 was the FIRST steam Locomotive in the Alaskan Interior, arriving in the Tanana Valley more than 100 years ago (July 4, 1905). On July 17, 1905, local dignitaries drove the golden spike, linking the first trackage of the Railroad, between Chena and Fairbanks. Engine #1 was retired in the mid 1920s. “Friends of the Tanana Valley Railroad” began restoring it in 1992 and had the little Loco back together, under Steam, in 1999, 100 years after it was first constructed and delivered to coal mines in the Yukon Territory, near Dawson. Today it can be found in the Museum as well as occasionally puffing around the track at Pioneer Park.

They were giving free train rides to children (and their parents) who came to Pioneer Park in costume. While we hoped to see some cute little ones all dressed up for Halloween, we also knew that since it was so cold, the costumes would be hidden by parkas and winter coats.  So, despite the fact that there are no “cute kid” photos, I did take a couple photos of the train.

I felt it was only fitting to convert the following two photos to black & white:

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I am humbled by the overwhelming response I have received for my Alaska Calendar. I had no idea it would be so enthusiastically received by so many of you. There are no words to adequately express my sincere appreciation and gratitude.

I will be placing the order tomorrow morning, so today is the cut-off for reserving one.  I have sent out emails with information about shipping and payment to everyone who has expressed an interest.  If you didn’t receive that email, please let me know - as I’m trying to organize names and mailing addresses, so I don’t miss anyone.

I will send out an email when the calendars ship.

Over the past few years, I have been asked by readers of my journal if I had a calendar available for purchase.  Up until now, I never took the time to put one together, as the research I had done in regards to printing a calendar always left me feeling less than enthusiastic.  It seems that if you’re not in a position to make a bulk order (500+) calendars, there’s no way to offer a calendar for the $5 prices you see in large department stores.

Using an online printing company - who I’ve used in the past to print my photos - I am able to purchase enough calendars to offer them to my readers for $20 each. This $20 includes S&H to anywhere in the US (extra shipping costs for outside the US).

The calendar includes landscapes, wildlife, skyscapes, etc. It’s a 12-month calendar - full size (11×17) and spiral bound. (The full-size photo at the top of each month is 8.5×11)

I need to place my order by 10/27.  I will only be making one bulk order and one order only, as it won’t be cost effective for me to make several smaller orders.

Here is what the calendar will look like:
Cover photo of Denali (Mt McKinley) says “Alaska Through My Eyes, The Photography of Susan L Stevenson”

Here are the inside pages:

Please email me privately at susan@susanstevenson.com if you are interested in ordering a calendar(s). I will respond to your email with more information in regards to your order. I expect to have the calendars printed and ready for shipment by the end of November - in time for the holidays.

Thank you!