Photo: Ricoh GRD
I am challenged by the complexity of solving neat problems, and get a lot of satisfaction out of it, but some days, I love to do really simple things.
Like tying flies.
I used to be a commercial fly tyer. In part, that's how I put myself through graduate school. I recall one Montana winter, a particularly cold one with temperatures outside diving to 40 degrees F below zero - and that was without the wind chill. We lived in a 395 square foot apartment, but we had heat!
Stephanie and I would tie flies together, she would bead hooks, I'd tie on one of my soft hackle patterns, she would finish and seal.
We tied 550 dozen flies that winter.
Once I graduated, I also retired from commercial fly tying. It was the earliest retirement ever.
I also didn't tie another fly for at least five years!
But now, with Chase learning to tie, I'm loving it again. It gives me a chance to teach, him a chance to learn, and the both of us to engage in a really simple pleasure.
I will be working on a project at GruntWorks next week, where I'm sure that feeling the simplicity of tying a fly will be missed in lieu of the complexity of outfitting Marine rifle brigades with lightweight gear!
Big Thumbs up for your service. Lighter = Faster = Safer....and chances are better the troops can make it home to tie flies of their own.
Posted by: Jim | November 02, 2009 at 09:24 AM