Fauquier – Nature’s Paradise

Natural Splendour of the Arrow Lakes

/ Peter Klopp / 15 Comments

Wednesday’s Photos

Sculptures of a Bygone Era

The readers who have been following me for some time will know from my posts that the Arrow Lakes are actually the mighty Columbia River that was dammed into a giant reservoir in the late 1960s. To make room for the project, many orchards and farms were destroyed. Entire forests were cut down. People lost their homes and had to move to higher grounds. Many left the area and never returned. As a result of this upheaval, tree stumps were submerged and only surface when the lake level is down in the dry summer months. I consider these leftovers as an opportunity to capture their stark beauty. Yesterday we took the canoe for a short trip north of the Needles Ferry landing where I found these beauties on the beach. My wife’s hat added that little bit of extra that the photographer in me is always in search of. Enjoy.

Natural Splendour of the Arrow Lakes

/ Peter Klopp / 13 Comments

Wednesday’s Photos

Thistle Seed head

While camping on the Needle’s side of the Lower Arrow Lake, I observed the transformation of a thistle from a purple flower into a seed head. Most people do not find the final stages of any flower very attractive. Perhaps the image of decay and death troubles them, as they are overlooking the new beginning of life in the presence of myriads of seeds. While a dandelion seed resembles a tiny parachute, the thistle seed looks more like a feathery ball that can travel large distances before it lands on the ground. The wind strongly blew when I took the picture. But the single seed on the upper right was well anchored by a spider’s web string. Enjoy.

Natural Splendour of the Arrow Lakes

/ Peter Klopp / 22 Comments

Wednesday’s Photos

My Friend The Prairie Dog

My wife and I have been camping for about a week at Arrow Lake, where we found relief from the unbearable heat at home. Forest fires are burning again. But we are fortunate this year. None of the BC forest fires are very close to us and do not endanger our little community. While relaxing in the cool breeze, I notice a gopher (prairie dog) cautiously approaching me. As it peered over a log and looked at me for a long time, I quickly got my camera out. Instead of running away it came closer and closer. Obviously, it recognized me as the friendly human from the previous year. After a few minutes, it was posing for a portrait less than a metre away. Enjoy.

Natural Splendour of the Arrow Lake

/ Peter Klopp / 11 Comments

Wednesday’s Photos

At the Birdbath

With temperatures soaring and the dry spell continuing, birds of all descriptions seek relief at the birdbath in our yard. Recently, I captured a lark sparrow sitting at the rim and drinking from the basin with a solar-powered fountain.

Natural Splendour of the Arrow Lakes

/ Peter Klopp / 11 Comments

Wednesday’s Photos

Wildflowers in our Huckleberry Patch

On Monday, I invited my wife to look for huckleberries (wild blueberries) in a place at 900 m, where we used to find lots of these delicious berries in the past. Because of the wet and cold spring, we found only a few, barely covering the bottom of our pails. So our focus shifted to photographing the wildflowers that grew in great profusion. Daisies, Indian paintbrushes, tiger lilies, and many others dotted the unusually lush landscape for this time of the year. I captured my wife pointing the camera at some nearby paintbrushes.