As the warm weather gives way to the cooler weather of fall, people around town start to pack away their summer toys and get ready for the winter.
For many, it’s a time to start creating things again.
I know I certainly do most of my best work in the winter and I’m not alone. I’ve seen it time and time again posting that state that such and such a group meets, except during the summer.
We’ve all had our summer to be inspired and now it’s time to put that inspiration to work.
Here’s a great example of what I was just talking about.
Now that it’s almost too cold to sit in a boat for hours on end and, more appropriately, some of the lakes around here are starting to freeze, Summerland will be hosting the Okanagan Fly Tying nights.
For those who aren’t familiar with fly tying, it’s an interesting art form.
The goal is to create as accurate a reproduction of an aquatic creature, anything from a mosquito pupae to a crayfish and just about anything else you could want to try and mimic, with the end result being to use it to catch a fish.
Like most things fly fishing related, it’s a beautiful mixture of science and art.
There’s just something amazing about wrapping a bit of wire, some feathers and, maybe, a bead around a tiny little hook and having that look enough like something natural to entice a fish into biting.
These tying nights bring out tiers from up and down the valley, from Kelowna down to Osoyoos with a wide range of experience levels, which is probably one of the best things about these nights: They make an excellent opportunity to learn something new.
If you’ve been curious about tying for a while, or maybe you’re looking to get back into, this is the perfect opportunity to get out there and not only support a local group, but to learn from a great group of people who are always happy to help out someone who’s just getting started.
I can tell you as someone who’d never tied a fly before attending a meeting last year that there’s nothing quite like the joy of catching a fish using something you made yourself.
The first fly tying night is Wednesday, Nov. 25 at the Royal Canadian Legion in Summerland and things kick off at 5:30 p.m.
And, as I have been doing for the last few columns, I’d like remind folks that the Summerland Cultural Task Force is hosting a series of public conversations about culture in Summerland.
They’ve got a busy week coming up, with conversations happening on Nov. 19 (the Environment), Nov. 23 (Festivals and Events) and on Nov. 24 (Sports and Recreation).
If you’ve got something to say about any of these topics, be sure to attend.
You can find locations and times at facebook.com/culturalplantaskforcesummerland.
Douglas Paton is a Summerland writer and musician. If you know of a local arts and culture event, contact him at dgpaton80@gmail.com.