Zazzle Shop & 2016 Wall Calendar Now Available

Buy the new 2016 Scenic Europe calendar here!

I've received a few requests over the last year to do a wall calendar.  Even though we all have online calendars and schedules on our phones, wall calendars still have some appeal.  Scrolling through the year on a phone doesn't have the same satisfaction as flipping the page over every month.  So, I'm happy to announce that my 2016 Scenic Europe calendar is now available!

You can find it on my new Zazzle shop.  The calendar is 14.25"x11" (36.2cm x 28cm) and spiral bound.  Each month features one of my most popular photographs from Austria, Belgium, The Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, Hungary, or Norway.  So, for the price of three 11"x14" prints, you can have 12- and a nice way to stay organized in 2016!  And, there's another reason you may be interested in picking up a copy.  I will be donating a portion of my proceeds from each calendar sale to a very special program.

Even though we make our home in Germany, the U.S. is still where our hearts are.  While it may seem a little archaic, one of the ways we stay connected with home is through the radio.  There's an Armed Forces Network radio broadcast out of Wiesbaden and thankfully its broadcast area reaches all the way over to us.  Through it we stay up to date with what's going on at home in the States.  Also, and this is kind of difficult to explain, there's something really comforting about being able to hear the voices of people from the U.S.  We're very isolated where we live, completely immersed in rural Germany.  To be totally honest, there isn't a day that goes by that we aren't reminded of our status as outsiders.  This little radio station has brought a lot of comfort.  The AFN is, of course, a network for American Armed Forces bases, and the commercials and information relate to service members and their families.  So, these folks have been on my mind quite a bit.  I come from a family of veterans.  My grandfather served in the European theater of World War II, an uncle served in Korea, and my father fought in Vietnam.  Thankfully, they all came home without injuries or illness.  But, many service members are not blessed with that outcome.  Unfortunately, those that sacrifice everything for their country often receive the minimum help and the support they need when they are injured or seriously ill.  The sad reality is the federal government does not prioritize them.  Other organizations step in and try to fill the gap.  One of them is America's Fund.  It is one of the top rated veterans support non-profits out there and it provides help to members from every branch of the military.  This is the organization I've chosen to donate the calendar proceeds to.  I know people have varying opinions on the use of military force, foreign policy, and all that.  However, I don't think that the importance and value of service members and their families is up for debate.  No matter what our political views are, all Americans should all stand squarely behind these incredible people.

When you order you are given the option to choose the starting year (since this is labeled 2016, you'll probably want to leave that alone), the "culture" (which really means language), and the holiday listing.  Since these are sold from the U.S. store the only holiday options are for the States, so select "None" if you live somewhere else (unless you want to observe American holidays).  The calendar is available in Dutch, English, French, German, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish, and Swedish.  In order to retain print quality I've only made the calendar available in the large size.

Back cover.

The calendar isn't the only thing available in my Zazzle shop.  I've been adding a variety of products every few days.  Right now there's a line of products featuring the Schiessentumpel waterfall (phone cases, pillow, stationary, puzzle) and many home and kitchen items with an an Autumn theme (napkins, cups, plates).  There is also another calendar available that is a small single page wall calendar featuring photographs from Germany.  I'm really excited about opening up this shop option.  I know it's difficult to commit to the traditional photographic medium of print and wall art (we only have so much wall space!).  But, with this option you can purchase functional items for your home or office that feature my photographs.  And, just to be clear, the donations to America's Fund will only be coming out of the 2016 Scenic Europe calendar proceeds.

So, head on over to my Zazzle shop and check it out.  I'd really appreciate it!