A Knouff Lake holiday thank you, to Beulah

Knouff Lake

Peaceful wilderness retreat

Overlapping generations of family

Clustered together in rustic cabin quarters.

Laughing, eating, singing, napping

Snoring, playing, swinging, snacking

Chatting, fishing, swimming, reading

Dancing, exploring, biking . . . 

 Feeling that this is a good place to be.

Reminiscing around an evening fire;

Sharing small moments - as we prep meals, 

clean up after mice (only once), frolic with the young ones . . . 

Breathing a little deeper, we soak up the peacefulness

of this lakeside hideaway.

We are all so thankful to be here in this place . . .

Jordan from up north, and Ashton, too.

Calendars cleared to spend time with you, 

Dear Grandma/Mom/Gigi.

Your generosity in providing this place,

Nudging us all in the past few years — to carve out more time to be family,

Regardless of busyness, geography or differences; 

Your example of faith and loving kindness

Is, indeed, a living legacy of love.

 We are your grateful family . . . 

— David & Carolyn, Roger, Brayden & Ashton, Jordan & Nate,

Krista, Nathan, Evie & Missy, Hailey, Papa J (James) & Nana K (Karen)

Finding my restful place

     Firewood smoke fuels our minds with memories of childhoods long since past. Five days of living together in the woods has slowed everyone’s pace.

     I love how my family works together to make my experience so relaxful. After such frenzy of wedding activity for Carolyn and me, our time at Knouff Lake was a soothing soundtrack for recovery from life in the fast lane. 

     

     I love hearing voices of family working out details of cabin duties, caring for young ones. 

     

     Each camper brings experiences to share with each another: advice on camping gear, fishing trips, recipes, how to best organize (and reorganize) all the gear we have crammed into these rustic quarters; people enjoying showing love for each other.  

— Dave

Memories . . . 

• Cooking a big breakfast well into the late morning/early afternoon.

• Catching a fish on both of our fishing lines within a minute of each other.

• Playing Skip-Bo with Dave, Roger (Dad), and Jordan while Grandma lay asleep snoring just a few feet away

• Eating all of the great meals with family while sitting around talking and enjoying the view of the lake.

       — Brayden

These are a few of Evie’s favourite things at Knouff Lake:

• Getting to know my extended family better

• Going for my first boat ride with Daddy and Momma (around a little island)

• Snuggling with Papa in the hammock

• Listening to Gigi tell stories about when she was little, like me

• Playing King of the Night with Daddy and cousin Nathan

• Exploring the forest out back with my momma

• Climbing the ladder up to cousin Jordan’s top bunk and having my reading rest there

• Bike riding with Papa and Nana 

• Playing in the water; catching frogs and collecting things for my treasure jar

• Sitting around the campfire ring — sipping warm hot chocolate and nibbling on marshmallows

• Playing Spa with Nana K in her cabin

• Helping make pancakes for breakfast our first morning at the lake

• Going to the store with Gigi for treats 

• Fun times at the kids’ park; playing Catch with Bailey, a camping friend

These are a few of Melissa’s favourite things at Knouff Lake:

• swinging on the kiddie swing at the park and playing peek-a-boo with daddy

• dancing with Nana K 

• kicking the soccer ball at the beach; getting my hands in the rocky sand

• watching Daddy jump off the dock and land with a big splash excitedly wading out to Nana (with help of course), after Daddy’s big jump 

• trying to get my hands on Evie’s frogs

• collecting rocks and trying to remember not to put them in my mouth

• looking for tick tocks and flowers

• saying “Quack!, Quack!” whenever I saw ducks

• getting to know my Gigi better (I love looking at her pretty bling!)

• quiet times with Nana in Mommy and Daddy’s little cabin

• playing at the playground, especially in the Little Tikes house with Sister

• getting away from it all during cozy nursing times with my momma

Fun times at the lake

     The last 15 minutes in the boat fishing with both Brayden and Ashton before Ashton had to head back to UBC summer school, Brayden at the helm; Ashton and I both land a fish; Ashton’s was a 1.25 lb keeper, and boy was it good eating . . . 

     The glow and warmth of the gas fire ring . . . reminiscing of old times, enjoying family stories, and laughter

     Listening to the call of the loon 

     Coordinating family efforts of culinary arts around a common table

     Enjoying the lake view over a great cup of coffee and breakfast, or just enjoying the joint efforts of dish duty

     Some great games of Ladder-ball

     

     Mom finally agreeing to join Brayden and I for a bit of fishing on the lake!

— Roger

Knouff Lake Acrostic

K - kitchen duties shared; a fridge too full of food

N - no service: Wi-Fi-free zone (Roger and Brayden’s 10:30 p.m. return from quick trip to coast delayed; worrisome night for Gigi until morning; forgot we could use pay phone, mere steps away, to call)   
O - only wood-burning stove for heat (reminicsent of our Grandma 
      Lena’s wood stove cooking in New Brunswick)

U - unwanted night crawlers, and outside trips to the bathroom

F - frog-catching: “Do I have to let them go?” cried Evie.

F - family tales massaged around the campfire

L - loons; Carolyn, Evie & Jamie lazing in hammock (not at same time!)

A - “Actually, it wasn’t so bad hanging out together all week!” 

K - knife-wielding — trimming fly lines, whittling swords and walking sticks

E - early morning wake-up calls: loon cries and mist rolling across lake; the intermingled clatter and sweet, smoky fragrance of coffee and wood stove awakenings

     With love and much thanks for a great holiday together Mom,

— Dave, Carolyn, Roger, Brayden, Ashton, Jordan, Nate, Krista, Nathan, Evie, Missy, Hailey, Papa J (James) and Nana K (Karen)

P.S. 
     The most notable quote of the week was overheard from Beulah's granddaughter's husband, Nathan Carter (who, by the way, loves to cook, bake, pickle, brine, stew and brew just about anything).

     "If Grandma's Surprise Muffins were to truly be a surprise, shouldn't there be one muffin not filled with the gooey awesome raspberry jam — rather, why not an oyster?"