Archive for the ‘covered bridges’ Category
covered bridges
If you follow this blog, you know how much I love covered bridges. We are so lucky in New Brunswick to have 58 remaining covered bridges, but we lose some almost every year, to vandalism, neglect, fire or flood.
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I have included covered bridges in my art for years. My first covered bridge painting was of an anonymous bridge. My dad asked me to paint a large mural (8′ x 4′) in our rec room at home and this was the result …
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‘a covered bridge in winter’ Jane Spavold (Tims)
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When I first arrived in New Brunswick, many of our local trips involved visits to covered bridges. In 1992, as a project to celebrate Canada’s 125th anniversary, my son, husband and I visited many bridges in southern New Brunswick. Last year, my husband and I found this notation on one of those bridges — our initials!
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During those days, I was busy with work and painting covered bridges was not a priority, but in 2013, I painted one rather uninspired watercolour of the Marven Covered Bridge near Sussex.
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‘Marven Covered Bridge, Kings County’ Jane Tims
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In 2015, as part of a project under artsnb (the New Brunswick’s Arts Board) and a Creations Grant, my husband and I visited 35 covered bridges, mostly in the Saint John River watershed. The results of the project are the poems and art contained in my book ‘in the shelter of the covered bridge‘ (Chapel Street editions, 2017). The cover of the book shows one of the paintings I did of the Malone Covered Bridge.
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‘apple tree, Malone Bridge’ Jane Tims
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One of the drawings for the book captured a covered bridge now lost due to carelessness, the French Village Bridge over the Hammond River.
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In the next months, based on other black and white drawings in the book, I did two more covered bridge paintings for the on-going art auction at Isaac’s Way Restaurant in Fredericton.
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‘thistles at the Malone Bridge’ Jane Tims
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‘chokecherries at the Ellis Bridge’ Jane Tims
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A neighbour of mine saw the Ellis Bridge painting and commissioned me to paint our local Patrick Owens Covered Bridge.
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‘chokecherries at the Patrick Owens Bridge’ Jane Tims
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As time goes on, I will paint other covered bridges. They are so beautiful, each a work of art and engineering. The artist’s challenge is to bring out the individuality of each bridge and illustrate its place in our history and landscape.
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All my best,
Jane Tims
celebration of a covered bridge 2
Last Saturday, about thirty people gathered in the Rusagonis Covered Bridge Park to celebrate our beautiful covered bridge (the Patrick Owens Bridge) with readings and stories.
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We heard from several speakers and readers including:
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Jeff Carr … Jeff is MLA for New Maryland-Sunbury and candidate for the Progressive Conservative Party in the upcoming provincial election. He recalled the loss this year of the Bell Covered Bridge and some of the frustrating circumstances around that loss.
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Linda Cogswell … Linda is a local historian and reminded us of the history of the Patrick Owens Bridge and the celebration a few years ago of its first hundred years! The original cost of the Patrick Owens Bridge in 1908 was $5,439 !
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Rose Burke … Rose’s reading recalled the loss of the Upper Mills Bridge to fire in 1956 and what it was like to live in a border town in the 1950s. Kids would travel freely across the border, back and forth from Baring, Maine to Upper Mills, New Brunswick, to buy ice-cream or play at one-another’s houses!
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Jenica Atwin … Jenica, a long-time resident of Rusagonis and candidate for the NB Green Party in the upcoming provincial election, read a poem about the way covered bridges affect our daily lives.
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Roger Moore … Roger gave a poignant reading of his poems about our recent flooding in the area and recalled eerie battles with rising water and ruined belongings.
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Neil Sampson … Neil read a poem about the Bell Bridge by Fredericton’s Cultural Laureate, Ian LeTourneau. He also read his own humorous poem about attending a covered bridge gathering after a dental appointment (with ‘covered bridges’).
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and me (Jane Tims) … I read from my poetry book ‘in the shelter of the covered bridge’. The book includes several poems about the Patrick Owens Bridge and the wild life encountered there – deer and groundhogs, blue jays and rabbits.
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Ray Boucher, President of the New Brunswick Covered Bridge Conservation Association, was on hand to chat about the goal of protecting our remaining covered bridges and ask people to sign the petition to ask government to take steps to preserve the bridges.
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The park was perfect for the occasion and many folks said we should continue to use the park for community events.
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A big thanks to Jeff Carr and his team of Kim Smith, Pat and Mac Burns, Bernie Phillips and others who prepared some delicious food for everyone.
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The day was hot and breezy and all those hats were needed in the afternoon sun!!!
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All my best!
Jane
celebration of a covered bridge
Do you love covered bridges?
Have you done any writing about the Patrick Owens Bridge or any other covered bridge?
On Saturday August 25, 2018 at 2:00 pm join us at the Rusagonis Covered Bridge Park to celebrate our Bridge.
- We will hear from Jeff Carr, MLA.
- Linda Cogswell will tell us a bit about the history of the bridge.
- I will be reading from my book ‘in the shelter of the covered bridge’ (Chapel Street Editions, 2017) and $10 from every sale of my book will be donated for the upkeep of the Park.
- Rose Burke will read a piece about the Upper Mills Bridge and cross-border travel in former years.
- Ian LeTourneau, Fredericton’s Cultural Laureate, will read his poem about the loss of the Bell Covered Bridge.
- We will also have an ‘open mic’ where you can join others in reading from your own work (about bridges or any other related theme).
We will have cake and lemonade as part of the afternoon. There will also be a BBQ, courtesy of MLA Jeff Carr! Everyone is welcome!
Let me know if you would like to read (in the comments or at timstims@nbnet.nb.ca).
All my best,
Jane
Forty Five River Covered Bridge
On our drive to see New Ireland (Albert County), we took the Collier Mountain Road to the south at Teahan’s Corner to see the Forty Five River Covered Bridge. Exciting to see a covered bridge I had never seen before!
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approach to the Forty Five River Bridge
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Forty Five River is so-named because it took 45 minutes to raft logs from New Ireland down to Alma (Source: http://newirelandnb.ca/communities-the-irish-of-albert-co/ ).
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the Forty Five River, looking south
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Where the covered bridge crosses Forty Mile River there is a steep gorge and the winds were howling when we visited the bridge.
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Although the road is rough traveling, the Forty Five River Bridge is in excellent shape, showing new timbers throughout. It was pleasant to sit on the bench-like side timbers and listen to the wind.
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As with most bridges in New Brunswick, the bridge has a social history, partly engraved in its beams.
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For more information on covered bridges in New Brunswick, click on the Categories tab at the right, under ‘covered bridges‘.
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All my best,
Jane
in the shelter of the covered bridge
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in the shelter of the covered bridge
by Jane Spavold Tims
poetry with illustrations
Chapel Street Editions 2017
poems about plants and animals living in the vicinity of the covered bridge
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73 poems, 35 bridges, 21 illustrations
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From the Preface:
Where I live in rural New Brunswick, driving through a covered bridge is a daily occurrence. The sounds of the tires on the decking, the glimpses of river and sunlight between boards, the fun of seeing a family fishing and the sight of a groundhog carrying her kit across entryway of the bridge — these are touch-stones for my existence.
The inspiration for this book came in 2015, when my husband and I crossed the Patrick Owens Bridge on the Rusagonis Stream and startled a rabbit in the middle of the span. The rabbit raced through the bridge in front of the truck. I can still see the shadow of his long ears and the scurry of his feet. Since the incident occurred during the February 21, 2015 conjunction of Venus and Mars, with the sickle moon just above the planets, I thought of all the legends about the hare and the moon. This led to the poem “conjunction” and a question about what other plants and animals find shelter in or around our covered bridges in New Brunswick.
My husband and I carried out the field work for the book during 2015. We focused on covered bridges in the entire Saint John River Valley, but we also visited bridges in Charlotte and Westmorland Counties. Travelling around the province, visiting covered bridges and paying special attention to the nearby wild life, was an ideal way to spend a spring and summer in New Brunswick. Some bridges were easy to find, others a challenge. Each bridge contributed its own personality, history and component flora and fauna.
The covered bridge is endangered in New Brunswick. In 1900, there were about 400 covered bridges in the province. By 1944, there were only 320. In 1992, when Glen, Michael and I visited some of the bridges for Canada’s 125th birthday, there were 71. In 2017, as I write this, there are only 60 remaining. Vandalism, flood, accident, fire and age claim more bridges every few years.
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… In 2018, there are 58 covered bridges remaining …
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Book available from Chapel Street Editions
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dry wind
French Village Bridge
Hammond River #2
the bridge leans, upriver
wind enters, a beer can
rolls on the deck
white butterflies obey
the valley breeze
navigate the scent of wild roses
avoid the dogs
cooling off in the river
the beach folk, sunning themselves
bracts of Yellow Rattle
and Silene, inflated bladders
dry as old boards
aspens tremble
a song sparrow stutters
a loose shingle rattles in wind
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drawing of the French Village Bridge 2015: ‘enter’
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About the Author
Jane Spavold Tims is a botanist, writer and artist living in rural New Brunswick, Canada. She has published two books of poetry, within easy reach (2106) and in the shelter of the covered bridge (2017), both with Chapel Street Editions, Woodstock. Her first four books in the Meniscus series, Meniscus: Crossing The Churn, Meniscus: One Point Five – Forty Missing Days, Meniscus: South from Sintha and Meniscus: Winter by the Water-climb, were published with CreateSpace in 2017 and 2018 under the name Alexandra Tims. In 2016 she won the Alfred G. Bailey Prize in the Writers’ Federation of New Brunswick Writing Competition for her manuscript of poems about bird calls. She is interested in identifying plants, bird-watching, science fiction and the conservation of built heritage. Her websites feature her drawings, paintings and poetry.
www.janetimsdotcom.wordpress.com
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both books available from Chapel Street Editions
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writing with a sense of place
On Thursday this week (March 1,2018) at 7 PM I will be joined by three other authors to celebrate “Writing with a Sense of Place“. The readings are part of an art exhibit at the R.P. Bell Library, Mount Allison University, featuring the book cover and book design work of thirteen graphic artists from New Brunswick working in conjunction with eight regional publishers. My books covers for ‘within easy reach’ (Chapel Street Editions, 2016) and ‘in the shelter of the covered bridge’ (Chapel Street Editions, 2017) have been included in the exhibit. I will be reading poems from in the shelter of the covered bridge and talking a little about the role these bridges play in our landscape.
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Press Release
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The New Brunswick Book Design Exhibit will open at the R.P. Bell Library, Mount Allison University, Sackville, NB on March 1st and run through April 19th. The Exhibit showcases the book cover and book design work of thirteen graphic artists from New Brunswick working in conjunction with eight regional publishers.
The Exhibit will open the evening of Thursday, March 1st at 7 pm with a program of readings by NB writers Beth Powning, Allan Cooper, Peter J. Clair, and Jane Tims, all of whom have books included in the display. The theme of the program will be “Writing with a Sense of Place.”
The New Brunswick Book Design Exhibit consists of sixty-three enlarged book cover images mounted on panels for wall display and twenty-nine books for table display. The book cover images illustrate a wide range of design approaches. The books on display provide an engagement with the design and graphic features of high quality printing and fine bookmaking.
A second program of readings will be held on Saturday, March 17th from 10 to 12 p.m. with authors of books for children that are also included in the Exhibit.
The Exhibit will be set up in the main entrance of the R.P. Bell Library and can be viewed during library hours: 8:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. The Bell Library is located at 49 York Street on the campus of Mount Allison University. The Exhibit and its programs are open to the public without charge.
The New Brunswick Book Design Exhibit was created Brendan and Keith Helmuth for Word Feast 2017, a St. John River Valley literary festival based in Fredericton. The Exhibit was first on display at the Andrew and Laura McCain Gallery in Florenceville-Bristol and then at Connell House in Woodstock. In September it moved to the Fredericton Public Library. The Exhibit has since been enlarged to include additional examples of NB book cover design.
The Exhibit has been created with the cooperation of Goose Lane Editions, The Fiddlehead, Gaspereau Press, The Anchorage Press, Rabbittown Press, Monster House Publishing, and Chocolate River Publishing. Financial support for the production and display of the Exhibit has been provide by the Royal Bank of Canada, the NB Department of Culture, Heritage and Tourism and Chapel Street Editions.
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My book in the shelter of the covered bridge explores the part the covered bridge plays in our New Brunswick landscape, both for plants and animals who live there and for the humans who leave their marks within. I am so proud to be part of the exhibit and the readings. I hope you will be able to attend.
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Jane Tims 2018
Reading – Odd Sundays – and a special book offer
On Sunday February 18 at 2:00 PM I will be one of two featured readers at Odd Sundays in Fredericton. Wayne Curtis, well-known New Brunswick author, is also featured!
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Moores Mills Bridge near Sussex, north entrance, 2015
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I will be reading from my new poetry book ‘in the shelter of the covered bridge’ (Chapel Street Editions, 2017). If you love covered bridges, you will enjoy my poems. Each one was written after a visit to a particular covered bridge and the poems feature the plants and animals (and humans) who look to the covered bridge for shelter. Some love stories among the lot, since we will be near to Valentine’s Day! The book features my poems and my pencil drawings of some of the plants and animals I encountered.
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carving inside Moores Mills Bridge near Sussex
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As a special deal associated with this event, you can get a copy of the book (which sells for $28) for $25, postage included. Just email me at timstims@nbnet.nb.ca and we will arrange for payment and delivery. This offer last from today February 16, 2018 until February 28, 2018.
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I hope if you are in the Fredericton area, you will come to hear me read. The event is at Corked on Regent Street in downtown Fredericton. Come and enjoy a beverage and the readings. You may win a book in the draw or decide to read your own work in the open mic segment of the program.
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Moores Mills Bridge near Sussex, south entrance, 2015
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Remember to email me and get your own copy of ‘in the shelter of the covered bridge’. Nice gift for someone who loves covered bridges.
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Copyright 2018 Jane Tims
Malone Covered Bridge – Isaac’s Way Art Auction
One of my favorite covered bridges is the Malone Bridge (Kennebecasis #23) near Upper Goshen in Kings County, New Brunswick.
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The painting ‘thistles at Malone Bridge’ is 24 inches wide by 20 inches high, done in acrylics, gallery edges.
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My painting ‘thistles at the Malone Bridge’ is part of Isaac’s Way Restaurant’s 31st Art Auction. The Auction closes January 28, 2018 – silent-auction-type bids are taken until then, or you can buy the painting anytime up to the close of the auction for its full price of $320. 50% of the proceeds from my sale are donated to ART lessons for kids-in-need. If you love covered bridges and would like some original art for your home, drop by and have a look at my work or call Isaac’s Way at 506-474-7222.
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Copyright Jane Tims 2018
Bell Bridge
Over the past weekend, we were inundated by heavy rains and a sudden rise in temperature. The resulting meltwater and rainwater combined to cause flooding in much of the province. There has been lots of damage to homes and roads and other infrastructure.
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One of the casualties is the Bell Covered Bridge, also known as South Oromocto River #3. Although its ultimate fate is unknown, the damage will be assessed and perhaps we will lose yet another of the 59 covered bridges remaining in the province. I am not alone in hoping this bridge can be repaired or preserved in some way as a reminder of our history and the importance of these bridges to our communities and our heritage.
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Copyright Jane Tims 2018
for covered bridge enthusiasts
I am looking forward to the New Year 2018 and to the first of my 2018 book readings!
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On January 6, 2018 I will be at the Sussex Public Library to read from my book ‘in the shelter of the covered bridge’ and sign copies. I will be joined by a well-known covered bridge enthusiast Ray Boucher. Ray is the author of ‘A Photo Tour of the Covered Bridges of New Brunswick’ (Kissing Bridge Publications, 2014) and his 2018 calendar featuring photos of some of New Brunswick’s covered bridges. Books and calendars will all be for sale.
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We will be telling about our various visits to some of the province’s covered bridges and I will read poems from my book, focussing on covered bridges in the Sussex area.
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Those who come to the reading (no purchase needed) will be able to enter a draw to win one of my paintings. ‘black, blackberries’ is 12″ by 9″, acrylic, gallery edges.
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‘black, blackberries’, Jane Tims, Oct.1, 2017, acrylic, gallery edges, 12″ by 9″
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Hope you can attend. We will try to warm you with covered bridge stories.
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Copyright Jane Tims 2017
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