Archive for December 2016
results of the Christmas sale
On this past Saturday, I had the fun of being a vendor at Sandra’s Market Fredericton. This was the first experience of its kind for me, although I have attended such sales for years.
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Overall, I had a great time! The venue at the Delta was beautiful, not crowded, and set-up was easy. The other vendors were pleasant and very interesting to talk to. A couple of good friends stopped by and there were lots of shoppers. I took a book to read, but watching the people at the sale was too much fun to miss. I sold five books and three paintings, including the painting ‘teaberries’, seen below.
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I think the best part of the sale was talking to the various shoppers about their experiences picking berries and gathering wild plants. A couple of people mentioned battling the squirrels for hazelnuts. Many of the older shoppers said their berry picking days were over due to ailments. A few people were interested in identifying edible mushrooms.
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December 8, 2016 ‘teaberries’ Jane Tims (acrylic) 8″ x 8″ $30 (SOLD)
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Wintergreen
Gaultheria procumbens
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first gathering in spring
thick leaves as leather crush
weep wintergreen
oil infuses pale tea
milk to swell aroma
sugar and midnight sparks
sweet steam meets breath
aspirin makes undelicate
my heart
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The leaves of Eastern teaberry or American wintergreen contain oil of wintergreen; the chemical in this oil is methyl salicylate, known for its anti-inflammatory properties and closely related to aspirin. Methyl salicylate will build up an electrical charge when dried with sugar and rubbed. In Quebec, the plant is known as la petit thé du bois (little tea of the woods). Flowers are waxy, nodding, bell-shaped and white.
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Copyright Jane Tims 2016
cover art for book
In the past two months I have been working regularly on a science-fiction romance for eventual publication with Amazon. I have now completed the cover art for the book, based on my earlier black-and-white drawing. Below are the drawing, the possible layout for the book cover, and the painting. My photograph is terrible but this will give you an idea of the eventual look of the book.
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December 13, 2016 ‘parting the ferns’ Jane Tims (acrylic) 18″ x 24″
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Copyright Jane Tims 2016
raspberries in winter
On December 11, 2016 (from 10 AM to 4 PM), I will be at the Delta Hotel (Fredericton, New Brunswick) at Sandra’s Christmas Market Fredericton to sell my paintings and books. If you are in the Fredericton area, please pay me a visit!
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I have a new painting for sale at the event. December 8, 2016 ‘raspberries’ is painted in acrylics, 7″ x 5″, gallery edges, unframed. It reminds me of picking raspberries on a summer day.
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December 8, 2016 ‘raspberries’ Jane Tims (acrylic) 7″ x 5″ $25
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mended by raspberries
for Mary
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drove all the way to Flume Ridge
to pick those berries, large as thimbles
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red as blood after we’d pricked
our fingers on needled vines
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crossed the covered bridge to nowhere
the through road blocked, the way broken
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the covered bridge at our backs
the roar of the flume in our ears
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the tipple of honey bees
lightheaded in the berry canes
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This poem appears in my book, within easy reach, Chapel Street Editions, 2016.
Copyright Jane Tims 2016