Fauquier BC

Natural Splendour of the Arrow Lakes

/ Peter Klopp / 15 Comments

Wednesday’s Photos

The Joy of Raised Garden Beds

About a month ago, I took you on a tour around our yard where flowers played a dominant role and the garden was a little add-on section of my post. Today I present to you the raised garden beds which generated quite a bit of interest. As a retired school teacher, I enjoy the simplicity and reduced work load when growing our vegetables and strawberries in the raised beds. The boxes are very simple to construct from rough cedar boards. I used plastic sheets to cover the ground so I won’t have any problems with weeds. I got the black earth from a nearby garden centre. Bush beans, lettuce, carrots, and strawberries are our favourite fruits and vegetables. Enjoy.

Natural Splendour of the Arrow Lakes

/ Peter Klopp / 32 Comments

Wednesday’s Photos

Life Cycle of the Dandelion

My wife and I celebrated our 55th wedding anniversary all by ourselves. Covid was the culprit that forced us not to invite anybody for this festive occasion. So we took a walk at our local golf course with no particular plan for taking pictures. I was surprised to see the dandelion flower at all three stages: budding, flowering and ready to cast its seeds into the air. I know dandelions are not very popular with many people as they consider them weeds and judge them to be ugly in their yards when they go into seeds. Nevertheless, I found them fascinating and here they are. Enjoy.

Natural Splendour of the Arrow Lakes

/ Peter Klopp / 16 Comments

Wednesday’s Photos

Birds in our Yard

For some posts, I do not have to go very far. The photos that I am putting on display today have been captured just a few metres from our backdoor. Word spread quickly among our feathery friends that there are delicious and nutritious sunflower seeds in bird feeders and also on the ground left behind by messy eaters. Some birds like the chickadees make their presence known with the cheerful chirping all year round. Others like the grosbeaks are just travelling through on their long flight to more northern regions. Some are mere summer guests. Prominent among them are the aggressive but adorable hummingbirds. If you stand under their feeder they swoop down on you like dive bombers only to veer off at a right angle at the last second. Enjoy.

Natural Splendour of the Arrow Lakes

/ Peter Klopp / 19 Comments

Wednesday’s Photos

One Minute Walk around our Yard

A few days ago, I made this video from a few photos that I took while walking around the yard. Due to a long period of very cool weather, nature was way behind compared to other areas in North America. Now Nature was playing catch-up. Mild temperatures and plenty of sunshine greatly assisted in getting the flowers and fruit trees to show off their splendour. Enjoy.

Natural Splendour of the Arrow Lakes

/ Peter Klopp / 22 Comments

Wednesday’s Photos

The Ice-Free Pond

Last week I showed a lone cattail at a frozen pond. Two days ago, we visited the pond again and found that all the ice had melted with daytime temperatures climbing way above freezing. A pair of mallard ducks had already returned from their winter quarters and settled nicely in their seasonal residence. It is an ideal place for the ducks with plenty of water to frolik in and clumps of tall grasses and reeds to hide from predators. For me, it was hard to get a good view to capture them with my camera. A brief walk across the road is our favourite viewpoint. Dark clouds made the BC Hydro powerline and the lake below look more dramatic. Enjoy.

Natural Splendour of the Arrow Lakes

/ Peter Klopp / 23 Comments

Wednesday’s Photos

Of Cattails, Tree Stumps, and Canada Geese

The week before the Easter weekend was chilly but sunny. Early in the morning we traveled 10 km south of Fauquier, drove past a pond that was still frozen. We briefly stopped to capture a few of the cattails which after a long winter were getting ready to spread their fluffy seed heads. When we arrived at the lake, a number of beautifully sculpted tree stumps attracted our attention. When the lake level is low, they make their appearance. More than fifty years ago all trees at the lakeshore had been cut down to prepare for the building of the Keenleyside Dam near Castlegar. You may also like the arrival of more Canada geese.