Archive for the ‘exploring New Brunswick’ Category
eulogy for a covered bridge
This past week, New Brunswick lost another covered bridge: the William Mitton Covered Bridge in Riverview. Ray Boucher, Chairman of the Covered Bridges Conservation Association of New Brunswick, suggested I write a poem. Of the 340 covered bridges in the province in the 1950s, only 58 remain.
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sorrow
William Mitton Bridge
1942 – 2025
“…because I’ve seen it die.”
- Ray Boucher
advocate for covered bridges
in New Brunswick
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crosses the river
for the last time
its reflection brief
in the brown stream
tributary of Turtle Creek
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mud banks carved and sculpted
a waterbird, neck broken, a mangle
rubble of broken beams and boards
weakened burr trusses, punky beams
broken boards, holes for sunlight
to drill through
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initials scratched and scrawled
on greying surfaces, overcome
with lichen, moss and mildew
inscriptions at weddings
graduations, tourists
school photos
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its twenty-three metres
or more, once crossed
an Acadian river
Sainte-Marie-de-Kent
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in myth, the ‘travelling bridge’
floated down the river
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in fact, removed, by a resourceful
farmer, William Mitton
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purchased the bridge
took it down, plank by plank
moved, rebuilt in 1942, to connect
his farm to Coverdale Road, his name
became the name of the bridge
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a place to play
between rafters
thump and climb
chase echoes
a place to relax
watch the river
between gaps
in wall boards
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spring floods
and abutments reel
snow loads break its back
echoes fail beneath snap
and sag of weakened boards
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an excavator, a high hoe
a crane, lifts its rigid neck
takes the Mitton Covered Bridge
apart, one wood fibre
at a time
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All my best
Jane Tims
plants in the city landscape
I live near Fredericton, New Brunswick, known for its green space and its many large trees. Lately I have been noticing how beautiful parts of the city are: most are plantings with lots of human intervention but they add to the beauty of the city as we drive around. Have a look at the photos I took as we went on a special drive today.
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We began our drive on the north side of the city, off Union Street, on Station Road, near the end of the walking bridge. On the steep bank along the street is a stunning wall of flowers, all creeping phlox, in pink, white and purple with a touch of red.
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Our second stop was a bit further along the road (Highway 105), near the end of the Princess Margaret Bridge, almost in front of the Ramada Inn. It is a common sight, a phone pole covered with Virginia creeper, but I think it is a masterpiece of streetscape.
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Afterwards, we crossed the river to the south side and stopped to photograph some very tall cedar trees against the side of a building on Prospect Street.
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Their size and dimensions are amazing.
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The highlight of our drive was a visit to the Agriculture Farm on Lincoln Road. Most years, we drive to see the azaleas in bloom and this year, they did not disappoint. Not far from the azaleas is a row of trees where I had my wedding gown photos taken back in 1980.
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If you live in the Fredericton area, please go and see some of these lovely places. I live in and love the rural area, but our city streetscapes can be joyful.
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All my best!
Jane
new poetry book: ‘mnemonic’ …
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autumn red
We visited our camp yesterday and found a bush of hawthorn, sharp with thorns and red with berries. On the way home, we saw mountain ash, laden with clusters of red berries. And in our driveway are red rose hips and the dark red of the fruit in our crab apple tree. There is a drab side to the fall months, but these bits of colour make me happy.
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All my best,
Jane (a.k.a. Alexandra)
a drive along the river
Two weekends ago, my husband and I took a favourite drive along part of the Saint John River in New Brunswick. The Jemseg Ferry Road is a short loop, beginning at the Scovil side of the ferry at Gagetown and continuing along a meandering road to Lower Jemseg. The area is a cluster of bogans, ponds and meadows where we often see osprey and eagles, ducks and turtles. Once, many years ago, we saw a glossy ibis and I added it to my life list of birds.
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On our drive, we were amazed at the blooms of swamp (or giant) sunflower along the river banks. This sunflower has yellow petals (not dark towards the base), lanceolate (long narrow) leaves, alternate leaves, and a magenta stem. Helianthus giganteus, a relative of the cultivated sunflower, is not native but an escape. Crowds of the flowers followed the road and framed almost every view of the river.
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The sun was setting as we drove along and the yellow flowers were all facing the west. This tilting of the flower head to follow the sun is known as heliotropism.
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As you can see from the colour in the trees in the photos, we have only a short time to enjoy these beautiful fall flowers. We drove the same road just yesterday and most of the flower were already gone.
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All my best,
Jane (a.k.a. Alexandra)
A botanical life list first
Today, we drove to St. Stephen from our home near Fredericton (New Brunswick). We traveled some back roads, getting some great glimpses of the St, Croix River. The St. Croix is an international waterway, so when we look across the river, we see the United States.
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Along one stream in the drainage, we found a beyond-bright red flower I knew right away but have never seen except in photos.
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The cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis) was one of the first flowers I read about when I moved to New Brunswick, but this is the first time I have seen it in bloom.
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The red colour is so bright against the darker colours of the water and leaves. The plant is pollinated by hummingbirds.
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In New Brunswick, the cardinal flower grows in wet areas, along shores and on rocky islands in streams.
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The plant is about a half-metre or more in height and bears its flowers in terminal spikes. The flower has three spreading lower petals and two upper petals; all are united into a tube at the base. The stem is erect with pointed elliptical leaves.
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Like birders, most botanists keep track of the plants they know and have seen in the field. I am delighted to add this to my list of known plants!
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Have a great day! Stay cool!
Jane
drawings of waterfalls
For me, a waterfall is the most beautiful expression of water on the landscape. The feeling of water droplets on your face, the sound of splashing water, the sight of sunlight on fast-moving water. I have tried to capture these in my collection of waterfall poems a glimpse of water fall. The book includes forty-four poems and twenty-three pencil drawings of waterfalls and other water scenes.
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We have many beautiful waterfalls here in New Brunswick. Over the years I have visited quite a few. In New Brunswick, we are lucky to have two great resources for lovers of waterfalls: a great guide by Nicholas Guitard (Waterfalls of New Brunswick: A Guide, now in its Second Edition, Goose Lane Publications), and a very active Facebook Group – Waterfalls of New Brunswick.
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My poetry book about waterfalls, ‘a glimpse of water fall,’ is now available from Westminster Books in Fredericton and from Amazon (click here). Enjoy!
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All my best,
Jane
hiding in the leaves!
On our return from our cabin last week, I saw something dark among the leaves of an old birch tree. I put the truck in reverse, in time to see two turkey vultures take off. Their red featherless heads and white beaks were in full view. A third vulture was in the tree and we managed one camera shot before he spread his wings and flew after his companions. The photo shows his glossy feathers, his red head and his huge nostril. But his white beak is hidden behind a leaf!
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Thirty years ago, turkey vultures were a rarity in New Brunswick, but today they are common and even overwinter here. They are exclusively carrion-eaters and play a role in our food chain and nutrient cycle.
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All my best
Jane
Next Authors Coffee House
Every two months, we hold an Authors Coffee House at our church– a non-denominational outreach activity for the community.
Invited authors read from their work, sell their books, answer questions about the writing process and enjoy one-another’s company.
The next event will be Thursday, November 26 at 2 PM. Our author is Neil Sampson, winner of the 2018 Bailey Poetry Prize (Writers’ Federation of New Brunswick) for his manuscript “Apples on the Nashwaak.” His book will appeal to anyone with a bit of Irish in their heart! Hope to see you there!
Neil’s book is available for purchase at Chapel Street Editions (click here).
in an orchard
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orchard
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between apples, twigs and leaves
stems and branches
are glimpses
of sky
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sapphire and cerulean
panes of leaded
transparent
glass
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molten in motions of wind
edges in
malleable
light
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fragile as blades of bent grass
stiffened by frozen
morning
dew
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Copyright 2019 Jane Tims
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All my best,
Jane
nichepoetryandprose 