Back on Track

September 15, 2016September 15, 2016 / Peter Klopp / 10 Comments

To all my friends and followers I am sending out my apologies for resuming later than promised my blogging activities. As I am relaxing in the sunshine of a glorious late summer day at our favourite Taite Creek campground on our beautiful Arrow Lake, I am typing up the major themes of the Klopp Family blog for the coming fall and winter.

Keeping Company with Blue Herons

Before I delve into that I wish to express my sincere regret front having had the time to read and appreciate our posts during the last couple of weeks. The summer months – normally already very busy with travels, visiting family and friends, and activities away from the computer – turned out to be extremely strenuous and stressful this summer, although the events also brought a lot of joy into our hearts. After our family reunion on Galiano Island, our son Richard, our grandson Mateo, and the two granddaughters Azure and Emeline spent their vacation with us in July and August. Unfortunately, this was also the time of preparation for the removal of our old house to be replaced by a new modular home, which our son Michael ordered for us to be built on the site of the demolished house.

Early Morning Magic at Taite Creek Campground – Photo Credit: Gertrud Klopp

So you know now why I am writing this introductory post at the campsite. For my wife and I are practically homeless for the next couple of weeks and have to make do in our small travel trailer.

For the fall and winter season, I will focus on the following themes:

The Peter and Gertrud Klopp Story (continued)

Revamping and Improving the Family Trees

Fauquier – Nature’s Beauty in the West Kootenays (continued)

Fauquier – Its History (continued)

Aunt Anna – Baroness of Von Waldenfels

Local Enterprises and Cottage Industries

Contributions by Family Members in German

Family Review of Summer 2016

Without home access to the Internet I will publish at the beginning just one or two posts per week. I am looking forward to read again all your posts and am really excited to find out what is going on in your part of the world.

Fauquier’s Natural Splendor in May

May 30, 2016May 30, 2016 / Peter Klopp / 4 Comments

A Photo Essay

Adding Meaning to Thanksgiving

October 11, 2015 / Peter Klopp / 2 Comments

Michael and Angie Helping Gathering Firewood

Chart I – IV

On the Canadian Thanksgiving Weekend our son Michael and daughter-in-law Angie dropped in on a surprise visit. And what a surprise it was! They came to help to get some firewood out of the Taite Creek area. While my foot had healed quite well over the past eight weeks, our family doctor insisted that I should not yet go into the woods picking mushrooms or cutting firewood. So the following photo essay will express our joy and appreciation for what Michael and Angie have done for us.

After Michael’s truck is loaded with logs from a large pine tree, Michael cuts down a larch for my small trailer.

Still having to be careful with my right foot, I cut the fallen tree into small pieces, while Michael carries them to the trailer.

Because there is still room for more logs on the trailer, Michael cuts down another pine tree.

Since the fallen pine tree is blocking the road, Michael cuts the middle section out of the tree.

He expertly accomplishes this task by two undercuts and then proudly presents himself with the chainsaw for the photo above.

Then it is my turn to cut the large section into logs that Michael then carries to the trailer.

Standing behind our trailer, I am looking thankfully at the load of pine and larch firewood.

With a truck full of precious firewood, we are thankful and all smiles. Even Piper, the miniature Australian shepherd, appears to make a happy face.

In the meantime Biene and Angie had been scouring the woods for those elusive pine mushrooms and are showing off their loot.

Now it is time to bring home the treasure to keep us warm this coming winter season.

While I am taking pictures, Michael and Angie are unloading the truck. What a joy in a father’s heart!

After all this hard work, we all sat down for an early Thanksgiving dinner that Biene had so lovingly prepared before our outing into the woods.

Happy Thanksgiving to you all!

Highlights of Summer 2015

September 21, 2015September 22, 2015 / Peter Klopp / 2 Comments

On a Mountain High and then the Accident

Peter on Top of the Power Line Road

On my Yamaha scooter I made several exploratory trips on the nearby forestry roads. The one that grabbed my attention was the Power Line Road so named because it provides access of the BC Hydro crews to the transmission line that carries 500,000 V electricity across the border to the highest bidder in the United States. It is a steep and winding road leading to a ridge from which one can view the Valkyr Range. I heard that the hydro tower on that route has at 2000m the highest altitude in the entire province of BC.

Start of the Power Line Road

My aim was to ride my scooter to a viewpoint, from which I could look down onto the lake and see the mountains to the south. When I checked later on a map with contour lines, I found out that I had climbed a total of 1000 m to reach my destination.

Low Shot of one of the Majestic Power Structures

Low Shot of one of the Majestic BC Hydro Towers

The magnificent scenery can hardly be put into words, and the photos on my post can offer only a glimpse of the beauty that I experienced with all five senses, the amazing colors of the valley and the Arrow Lake below, the rustling of dry grasses in the wind, the scent of the wild flowers, the cool mountain air gently stroking my face, and the bitter-sweet taste of wild black currants growing on the sun bathed slopes.

View from Halfway up the Power Line Road

One can imagine how excited I was coming down from the Valkyr range frequently stopping to take pictures, happily whistling and, yes, even singing a few German scout songs that unexpectedly popped into my head, until quite suddenly at the very bottom of the road two giant trailers blocked the access to the campground.

Peter Making a Self-portrait with View onto the Arrow Lake

Peter in a Self-portrait with View onto the Arrow Lake

Anxious to tell Gertrud about my adventure I attempted to maneuver my scooter past these two monstrous recreational vehicles. Everyone knows that when you are riding on two wheels and bring your speed down to zero, you lose your balance. So to make a long story short, I fell off onto the rocky ground with the foot guard of the scooter falling on my right leg. Without really knowing at first I had broken my fibula bone slightly above the ankle.

One could hike to this fantastic viewpoint in abt. 2 hours.

One could hike to this fantastic viewpoint in about. 2 hours.

The consequences were altogether unpleasant to say the least: Gertrud’s anger with my stupidity of going into the mountains without wearing more protective clothing, the physical pain I suffered, my frustration over being severely curtailed to a life of inactivity for more than six weeks, and a lot of regret. Fortunately, my spirits were rising in step with the gradual easing of the pain in my right ankle.

Peter on Crutches at the Arrow Lakes Hospital

Peter on Crutches in front the Arrow Lakes Hospital

While I had to spend many hours on the couch with a so-called aircast on my right foot, the thought occurred to me that the accident may have prevented something much worse. Perhaps I would have become too bold, taken greater risks with my scooter on the following days, and driven even farther away from help on some remote mountain road. Then there were these devastating forest fires in the Southern Okanagan with smoke so dense that air quality alert were being issued at the time we had planned for our vacation at Hedley. So while I was languishing on the couch, I had at least the time to reflect, ponder, meditate and pray. And in itself that was a good thing.

Highlights of Summer 2015

September 16, 2015 / Peter Klopp / 3 Comments

Camping at Taite Creek

Gertrud at the Taite Creek Beach

One week after we had returned from Victoria I pulled our little trailer the 10 km distance to our favorite campground at Taite Creek. Over the years word about this oasis at the Arrow Lake had spread all over the land. Outdoor enthusiasts from BC and even from the neighboring province of Alberta were flocking to this little paradise in the sun.

Gertrud with a Piece of Driftwood

Gertrud and I were lucky to have found a vacant site in the middle of the summer. When we started camping, campfire bans were in effect due to the unusually hot and dry weather. What is camping without that romantic ritual of sitting around the campfire in the cool evening air, sipping a glass of wine, and having a good and relaxing time with your neighbors and friends? But Gertrud and I have learned to be content with what we have and not pine for the things we lack. In other words we made do with the given circumstances, enjoyed our daily swims in the refreshing lake, took canoe rides, went on photo excursions, spent some time with our camping friends, and played crib before retiring into our cozy trailer for the night.

Peter Returning from a Canoe Ride

Every other day quite early in the morning I drove home to look after our yard and garden and to get fresh food supplies for our camping needs. On one of those trips I got very lucky. A buck was standing on the side of the road. I immediately stopped the car hoping to capture his majestic image on my digital camera. Alas, the camera was stored away somewhere in the back of the vehicle. I opened the door very quietly and stepped out on the road. The buck did not move. I walked to the back and opened the tail gate. The buck still did not move. I quickly grabbed my camera and aimed it at the buck, who was still standing at the same spot and then as if he wanted to pose for the picture turned his beautiful antlers in my direction. Then to my utter amazement he allowed me to approach him, while I was taking one picture after another. At 20 m he decided that I was a bit too close for comfort and trotted leisurely off into the forest. This encounter with one of the finest specimens in the animal kingdom made my day and I proudly shared his image on Flickr with the rest of the world.

Buck with Antlers Illuminated by the Morning Sun

Father’s Day Camp-Out

June 21, 2015 / Peter Klopp / Leave a comment

Three Days at Taite Creek

Biene took the school bus to Nakusp on Thursday, where the students attended a number of cultural sessions presented by the aboriginal people of the region. Our Ford Escape was therefore available for me to pull our trailer to the local campground at Taite Creek. I was lucky. Our favorite camp site was still vacant. It offers the most beautiful view onto the lake and is located right above the bocce field, which our son Tony had once built for us many years ago.

By setting up the trailer and having all supplies ready for a three-days stay, we had almost gained an additional day of camping. Right after Biene returned from Nakusp, we headed out to the lake. After a delicious chicken dinner I made a campfire. I played the harmonica and was amazed to discover how many of the folk songs and scout melodies I still remembered, while I was playing one tune after another. Later on at the crackling sound of the campfire, we started our outdoor crib competition. Soft popular classical music, a glass or two of red wine for Biene and a bottle of Pale Ale added a romantic touch to the relaxing evening atmosphere.

On the following days, which were mostly sunny and warm, Mother Nature provided for body and soul peace and tranquility at the lakeshore and in the nearby woods. In the shade of a pine tree, Biene immersed herself in the fascinating book ‘Suite Française’, while I took walks to the Taite Creek bridge, strolled along the rocky lakeshore, or ventured into the deep forest. Of course, my camera accompanied me on all my excursions capturing images of flowers, some so small that they would escape notice for most people walking by.

Early in the morning, well before the blazing sun could turn our gaming pleasure into pain, we played a round of bocce. Biene and I are very competitive by nature and often fiercely argue over whose ball is closer to the jack and score the point. However, at the end, we would congratulate each other for having played such an ‘amiable’ game.

On the night before Father’s Day, we sat once more at the campfire. I opened a bottle of Henkell Dry. While we were chatting and sipping champagne, we listened to our favorite music of the 60’s. At the rhythmic beat of a particularly lively hit from our teenage years Biene spontaneously started to dance. When the rain came later on, we looked at the event as a blessing from above for the tinder dry forests all around us. Cheerfully we withdrew into the shelter of our cozy trailer and listened to the music of the raindrops on the trailer roof, while drifting off to sleep.

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The Peter and Gertrud Klopp Family

Reflections on Life, Family and Community

Taite Creek

Back on Track