Summerland Boat Launch 1
Summerland Boat Launch 2
Summerland Day Use Area 1
Summerland Day Use Area 2
Sleepless after our second daylong endeavor of sorting through the personal effects and estate of my wife’s father, Ivan, prompts the opportunity for night photography in Summerland along Lake Okanagon. Quietly stealing away, I leave my wife to her slumber. With camera, tripod, cold-weather gear and Ivan’s Hyundai Tucson I tour through Summerland for image opportunities.
My drive toward Summerland’s centre begins in finding two RCMP cruisers outside the Summerland Daycare; they are responding to something. Later, I find Christmas decorations are still all aglow on many Summerland homes – houses worthy of becoming part of any city’s Candy Cane Lane; a week beyond New Years’ day people are not wanting to let go of season – Christmas stretches on into 2013. Beyond the Summerland roundabout a church designed by Italian architects reflects style in the currency of the 1920’s in its use of timber and stone – a photograph, here, will be something better in daylight … an image to postpone. Several homes interest me in terms of structure and in how they are perched on vistas that take advantage of mountain heights and view high above Lake Okanagon.
Later, I come back down to the shoreline of Lake Okanagon – there’s an S-curve of a road surrounding one side of a day-use area; the lake itself surrounding the grounds on the other side. Lighting within the park colours snow in gold and reflects across the unfrozen Okanagon Lake. A boat launch reaches out into the lake to that unseen point of embarkation – eerily, with my father-in-law’s passing the image recalls Dylan Thomas verse ‘Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night,’ … “Rage, rage against the dying of the light.”
Listening to Peter Gabriel – ‘Come Talk to Me’, ‘Steam’, ‘Across the River’, ‘Blood of Eden’ and ‘Sledgehammer’; tonight, v-tuner’s tuned to Electronica – Radio One and “Blueless Invidia”.
Quote to Inspire – “A photo is a small voice, at best, but sometimes – just sometimes – one photograph or a group of them can lure our senses into awareness. Much depends upon the viewer; in some, photographs can summon enough emotion to be a catalyst to thought.” – W. Eugene Smith
In My Back Pocket - Photography 
Sounds like a wonderful backdrop. The photos are great. I love snow pics.
British Columbia’s Okanagon – Vernon, Osoyoos, Kelowna and Penticton – is summer holiday playground to many. In Penticton, there’s a channel that connects the Okanagon lake with Skaha lake – you can float on a tire tube for an hour and quaff a few suds along the way, then take a bus back and start all over again (hundreds of people will be doing this). The land is semi-arid, good for vineyards, orchards and cattle. The lake provides an excellent way to unwind and cool down in summer and the area is quite warm (as far as Canadian temperatures go) in winter … last week a mixture of snow, slush and rain with days of good sun.
Snow pictures – I’ve just done a 90 minute tromp around High Level; it’s -23C and in most places snow is thigh deep and walk way paths are shovelled. Snow drifts of snow piled from driveways are five to seven feet in most places. There are great clumps of snow hanging from the eaves of all houses. You might want to have a look at Edmonton’s MiKs Media website for macros on snowflakes – Kasia does great work.
Thank you for looking in. Take care …
Thank you for the extra information! I find it fascinating … a different landscape and everything that goes with it.
The thought that right this minute, its blizzard-ing in London. Right now, I’m sporting a 40+ degree high in the Midwest USA.
Love the first picture. I’ve done many night shifts, walking the bounds of various places. There is something special about being out when no one else is. And taking pictures in your neck of the woods looks great.
Jim
Hey there, Jim:
Walking the bounds of a place, discovering it – me, too. Working in Edmonton in the eighties I did shift work 3 on, 3 off, 3 nights, 4 off; I got into the groove of cycling Edmonton’s bike trails that follow the North Saskatchewan River from Rundle Park to the High Level bridge and back again – 50km day and night depending on my shift. With an upcoming day shift I’d ride from 3:00 to 5:00 a.m., make a solid breakfast and then get into work. Seeing the sunrise from various points of the trek was always rewarding and usually there’d be music from a walkman – Roxy Music’s Avalon recalls the stirring of dawn. Another bound I’m reminded of is climbing to the top of a distillation tower at three in the morning and seeing all of Edmonton at night – glowing, my crew no assigned work in their shift – we cleaned things up and then time to ourselves.
I can recommend British Columbia as a place to photograph and live; Vancouver Island was the location for rehabilitation/convalescence following the first and second world wars. The Okanagon is renowned for its orchards, vineyards and family fun that can be had.
Good memories … 🙂
Take care ….