Month: March 2023

Natural Splendour of the Arrow Lakes

/ Peter Klopp / 19 Comments

Wednesday’s Photo

A Toxic Beauty

Knapweed is not very popular. It is an invasive plant imported with the first pioneers from Europe. It does not have natural enemies in North America and is toxic. As the poison spreads from its roots, grasses whither, and ranchers hate it. Yet, the purplish flowers are beautiful, and the seedheads impress with their intricate forms.

Knapweed Seedhead

With this post, I started a new theme for my blog. Just as people often rearrange the furniture to give their homes a new look, I occasionally tinker with the settings and even make a few changes with the help of the optional CCS code in WordPress. The other day, I was looking for an older post and could not find it because my former theme did not come with a search function. So that was the other reason that prompted me to make the changes. Comments are very welcome.

Walter Panknin (1898 – 1977) and His Family Ch07 Part 14

/ Peter Klopp / 4 Comments

Early Boating Adventures

Papa Panknin and his wife, Elisabeth (1900 -1974), have been outdoor enthusiasts for as long as I can trace back their vacation activities. Bodies of water, be it the Baltic Sea, lakes, or the mighty rivers of Germany, had always exerted a magical attraction. So it is unsurprising to learn that their love of the great outdoors led them to camping trips, which often included boating adventures in their folding kayaks. Three events, spread over three decades, stand out as highlights for the Panknin family.

Boating on the Danube 1939

Established in 1907, the German boat manufacturing company Klepper is still building folding kayaks. Papa owned one of these floating marvels and took his wife and stepdaughter Elsbeth on an adventurous journey on the Danube from Passau to Vienna in 1939. Then the horrible World War II broke out and ended their idyllic lifestyle. 

Saaldorf, Thuringia, Papa and his Family at the River Saale 1951

When content with the most primitive and essential camping gear, you can still enjoy nature at a very low cost. While living in the former German Democratic Republic under the control of the Soviet Union, my father-in-law and his family pulled a tent, camping utensils, and folding boat out of storage. They set up camp at the lovely meadows at the Saaldorf campground in Thuringia, near Gotha, Biene’s birthplace.

Natural Splendour of the Arrow Lakes

/ Peter Klopp / 14 Comments

Wednesday’s Photos

Cheerful Colours Dispelling the Winter Blues

When the sky is gray and the mood is blue, our hearts and minds get a healthy boost at every bit of colour we discover walking over snow and ice. That happens every time the heavy cloud cover is rolled back, although just for a short moment, and the sun lights up the landscape from a blue sky. The rosehips, all dressed in red coats, are particularly pleasing to the winter-worn-out eyes Enjoy.