In between leaving Altenburg 1E and arriving at Redmond Rd., we needed a place to live. Because it is the holiday season, the hotels were full. The B&B up the road was booked but she told me to call Lena Köpke at Köpke Hof in Vagan, and so I did. I was a tad skeptical but then I looked at the website and I was intrigued. So, I called Lena, who speaks about as much English as I do Deutsche, but we muddled on through and I paid her visit. Boy, was I impressed! This place is simply awesome. Now, I have driven past this wonderland 100 times and never knew it existed.Lena and her husband Peter run a dairy farm, plus lambs, chicken. a spare horse or 2 , an ass ( everyone needs one of them) and a miniature pony. Add a couple of ducks quacking around and you have a “dude” farm ready for business. Lena has a large “Holiday House” that offers anything from a single room to a 2 bedroom apartment with living room and a full kitchen. There’s a couple of tent sites and a couple of travel trailer sites. She has a huge indoor recreation area that had young people practicing German slap dancing 2 days ago ago accompanied by accordion music. And the place is “neat as a pin and clean as a whistle,” or so the sayings go.
The bottom of this building is Peter’s workshop and 3 garage bays for tractors. The top is a rental unit for a family.
Lena and Peter’s house. The wood work inside is stunning and typical of Bavarian farm houses. They had 5 adult children and 5 Grand kids. Lena has a vegetable garden and lots of flowers.
Our apartment is across the driveway and upstairs. 1 bedroom, living room, bath and full kitchen for $ 54.00/ night!
The balcony and some guy I picked up.
Came complete with a stray cat. Hahaha! Bandit loves her new temporary digs!
The Stonehenge seating area. The Köpke’s have left much of their yard go to wildflower to support the bee population.
The Dairy Barn viewed from the road.
In Bavaria, pit silos are used to store grass to feed the cattle. Because of the large amounts of both rain and sun, grass grows abundantly. It was getting dark when I shot this one.
Here’s another perspective during the day.
There is a playground area for the kids. Yes, the lawn tractor is real but not functioning. A dream of every 5 y/o!
Last Tuesday, it was “red sky at night, sailors delight.” To me it was quiet, peaceful and serene.
Wednesday morning dawned clear and bright. I walked for an hour through the back roads and down this tree lined lane. Me and everyone else in the neighborhood and about 20 dogs! Loved every minute!
This tripod decor is fairly typical for Bavaria, though what is displayed is up to the discretion of the owner. Lena’s choice is representative of her life. Oh…BTW, this week we have observed Lena wearing street clothes, manure coated coveralls and wearing a beautiful Dirndl today for Church. A well rounded and very grounded woman.
This cow is looking at Dan and saying, ” Look buddy, I am 9 months pregnant and about to pop this pup. If I were you, I’d just get out of my way.”
“Please leave me alone, NOW!”
Yes…veal is a part of life here and in the USA. Yes, they are adorable, but I make it a point not to judge another culture. And yes, they are very well cared for.
Das “Kuh” wash!
MOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Ya! Happy “Kuh” wash.
And then there are the flowers. We have so much rain here in Bavaria that all things blooming, bloom well and great and big and endless! It is now the time of the Iris and they are lovely!
Oh! And it is Poppy time too! Thank you Lena and Peter for making our last few days in Bavaria so incredible wonderful!
Thanks so much for stopping by today. This will be my last posting from Bavaria….well maybe:-) The next couple of days will be bizarrely busy as we finalize our plans to leave Germany and return to Republic, Washington. But, I will be keeping in touch as our move continues and I look forward to telling stories of our adventures on the ranch with Kettle Ridge Alpacas and Sparky’s adventures as a retired man! Oh yeppers…..this is gonna be good. LOL!
I hope that wherever your journey leads you today you know that when one door closes a whole set of barn doors open and the journey continues! J-O-U-R-N-E-Y O-N!
Hugs and much love from me,
Karen, TJG
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