Alaska

O thou that tellest good tidings to Zion, get thee up into the high mountain;
O thou that tellest good tidings to Jerusalem, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God!

Wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas!
With love and appreciation , Betsy [...]

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In case you’ve just joined us, we’re doing a series of Christmas cards, matching Pete’s photography with favorite music. Probably the most universally beloved is the masterwork, Handel’s Messiah, the story behind which is as fascinating as its performances are enthralling.
This photo was taken east of Denali, from a vantage point that could convince [...]

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Perusing freelance gigs on Craigslist while on vacation in Alaska – $0
Responding to ad requesting photo of Thermoking truck in “exotic” setting – $0
Noticing Thermoking truck idling next to us at a scenic rest area – $0
Taking off at high speed to get ahead of the truck on the downhill grade to Fairbanks – $0
Watching [...]

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Part 3 Stories of Women in Alaska
For eighty years, a stark tragedy went incorrectly told and mostly forgotten, until it was uncovered by Jennifer Niven.  The story’s heroine, Ada Blackjack, was part of a secretive Arctic expedition.  Her companions, four adventure-hungry and impressionable young men, had been beguiled by the promises of a charismatic explorer, [...]

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I despair on the morning of our departure when we are cleared for takeoff.  We are leaving Alaska and I have not seen Denali with my own eyes.  Uncharacteristically, I am in a window seat, a consequence of the first class cabin arrangement.  As I look out above the clouds, I am stunned.  Now The [...]

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Anchorage has a green belt, mudflats, trail system and abundant opportunities for wildlife viewing.  So, why, on our last full day in Alaska do we choose to spend most of it on a boardwalk close by a major highway?  Because that’s where the birds and spawning salmon are.
When we enter the parking lot for Potter [...]

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Part 2 – Stories of Women in Alaska
A feisty schoolteacher making waves at the turn of the century in frontier Alaska sounded like the perfect subject for the next read. Hannah Breece came to Alaska in 1904, assigned by the U.S. Department of Education to establish schools for Native and Russian children.  Her timely view [...]

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We are back in Seward at the J-Dock with minutes to spare. Optimists, we are hauling our big new cooler along in the event we get our limit. Our excursion partners are two friends traveling together from the West Coast, one of whom self-describes as being on the trip of a lifetime.  We can relate.
The [...]

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We aren’t on deadline to make Seward, but even so it seems we have made a 2-1/2 hour drive south from Anchorage much longer by stopping to drink in view after view of glacial mountains.  The road into town slows just past Bear Creek and Moose Pass, with houses on small tracts behind screens of [...]

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