Archive for the ‘my exercise plan’ Category
a return to Cornwall and its gates
I am back on my virtual bike trip along the coast of Cornwall. This week I have travelled 9 km from Predannack Wollas to Loe Pool for a total stationary cycling time of 75 minutes.
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I have missed the Cornwall scenes of hedgerows and meadows, stone houses and seaside quays. Mostly I have missed seeing the gates, so it is no surprise my first watercolour for this phase of my journey is the stone pillar to a private gate.
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August 12, 2014 ‘stone post’ Jane Tims
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Copyright 2014 Jane Tims
back to Cornwall
Although I have done some stationary biking since I ended my virtual trip across northern New Brunswick, I want to get back to the regular schedule I followed when I biked virtually in France and Cornwall. So I have decided to hop back on the Street View road and see some more of Cornwall.
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In Phase 7 of my virtual cycling, I finished the southern coast of Cornwall at Landewednack and Lizard. I’ll begin Phase 9 at Predannack Wollas and cycle around the west coast of Cornwall. I’ll look forward to seeing Arthur’s Titagel and Doc Martin’s Port Isaac. Mostly, my knees will benefit from more regular exercise.
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Predannack Wollas to Porthleven
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I have my first four days plotted and I start tomorrow. Just for old time’s sake, here is one of my earlier paintings from southern Cornwall …
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Copyright 2014 Jane Tims
still painting Cornwall gates!
After completing ‘iron gate in Cornwall’ for Isaac’s Way Restaurant’s art auction, I decided to paint a gate just for myself. I liked the small watercolour I did for my first Isaac’s Way auction, so I have painted a version of the scene in acrylics.
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First, the watercolour, 8″ X 10″, unframed …
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January 10, 2014 ‘rainbow gate in Falmouth’ Jane Tims
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And here is the new painting in acrylics, 20″ X 24″ unframed …
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May 22, 2014 ‘rainbow gate in Falmouth #2’ Jane Tims
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Copyright 2014 Jane Tims
an iron gate in Cornwall
Yesterday, I delivered another painting, entitled ‘iron gate in Cornwall’, to Isaac’s Way restaurant, for their upcoming auction. Isaac’s way will be displaying the work of more than 50 artists from May 26, 2014 throughout the summer in their 21st art auction for charity.
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I had intended to display the watercolour ‘gate on Old Church Road’ for the auction (8″ x 10″, unframed). However, Isaac’s Way had space for a larger painting, so I have done another version of the gate in acrylic (24″ x 20″, unframed). I had not worked in acrylic for more than a year, so it was interesting to use the different medium for this new painting.
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Here is the watercolour, ‘gate on Old Church Road’ …
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October 24, 2013 ‘ gate on Old Church Road’ Jane Tims
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and the new painting, in acrylic, ‘iron gate in Cornwall’
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May 13, 2014 ‘iron gate in Cornwall’ Jane Tims
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Although they are of the same place, there are lots of differences, mostly in the colour and shadow …
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Copyright 2014 Jane Tims
another gate in Cornwall
Isaac’s Way restaurant in Fredericton has announced that the 20th Art Auction for Kids-in-Need (sponsoring theatre classes for underprivileged children) has already raised over $6000 from the sale of over 50 pieces of art. The goal for this auction is $8000.
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The art may be seen at http://isaacsway.ca/art/ If you are in the Fredericton area, come to the restaurant in person and make a bid. The auction ends Sunday May 25th at closing time. If you bid on my watercolour ‘gate at Ponsonooth’, remember, I am donating 80% of the proceeds towards Kids-in-Need!
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January 23, 2014 ‘gate in Ponsanooth’ Jane Tims
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In the next art auction, from May 25, 2014 through the summer, I am contributing another of the watercolours from my gates in Cornwall series, called ‘gate on Old Church Road’.
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‘gate on Old Church Road’ Jane Tims
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I hope wherever you are, you will be able to take in some great art shows this summer!
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Copyright 2014 Jane Tims
preserving coastal marsh (day 24 and 25)
The last few days of my virtual biking have reminded me of the need to preserve coastal areas, including barrier beaches and coastal salt marsh. Day 24 and 25 of my virtual travels took me along Youghall Beach near Bathurst. This barrier beach has been almost entirely developed with seasonal and year-round residences.
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map showing distance travelled (map from Google Maps)
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8-24 March 24, 2014 35 minutes (south of Youghall Beach to Youghall)
8-25 March 25, 2014 30 minutes ( Youghall to south of Youghall)
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aerial view of Peters River salt marsh (right) and Youghall Beach (left) (image from Street View)
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Peters River salt marsh (image from Street View)
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One of the reasons to protect barrier beaches from development is the close association with coastal marshes and their sensitive wild life. For example, the coastal marshes in the Bathurst area, including the coastal salt marshes of the Peters River near Youghall Beach, are home to the Maritime Ringlet Butterfly. The Maritime Ringlet (Coenonympha nipisiquit McDunnough) is a small butterfly with a wing-span of four centimeters. It is buff-and-rusty-coloured, with a dark eyespot.
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This butterfly is endangered, because it faces extinction. It is ‘endemic’ to the salt marshes of the Baie-des-Chaleurs – this is the only place in the world where this butterfly lives. The butterfly can only live in the salt marsh – the Maritime Ringlet caterpillar lives on salt marsh grasses (Spartina patens) and the adult uses Sea Lavender (Limonium nashii) as its nectar source.
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Government and conservation groups in New Brunswick have worked together to educate homeowners about protecting the Maritime Ringlet Butterfly. They list practical steps people can take to ensure the habitat of this endangered butterfly is protected. These include: not filling in the marsh, not burning marsh grasses, not using vehicles in the marsh, not picking marsh wildflowers such as Sea Lavender, and not going into the marsh. For more information on the Maritime Ringlet Butterfly and its protection, see http://www.bathurstsustainabledevelopment.com/userfiles/file/HSP%20Final%20MR%20ENGLISH%20brochure.pdf
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March 27, 2014 ‘Maritime Ringlet Butterfly’ Jane Tims
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Copyright 2014 Jane Tims
between the salt marsh and the sea (day 21, 22 and 23)
My virtual biking in early March took me along the last length of coast before Bathurst. This is an area of coastal salt marsh and barrier beach. It is also an area where a lot of coastal development has occurred. My bike ride revived many memories of days when I worked on the provincial coastal policy.
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distance travelled (map from Google Earth)
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8-21 March 1, 2014 40 minutes (Petit-Rocher-Sud to east of Nigadoo)
8-22 March 4, 2014 30 minutes (east of Nigadoo to Beresford)
8-23 March 8, 2014 30 minutes (Beresford to south of Yougall Beach)
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The prominent landscape feature in the area is a huge coastal salt marsh and a barrier beach. I certainly understand why people would want to live near to the sea. However, the development of the barrier beach can harm the beach environment, puts the health of the ecologically important salt marsh at risk, and sometimes creates a safety issue for the homes and cottages along the beach (people who live along the beach are at risk of coastal erosion, storm surge and walls of ice that build up along this coast).
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aerial view showing Beresford barrier beach, the coastal salt marsh behind it and the waters of the Baie-des-Chaleurs (map from Google Earth)
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The community of Beresford has preserved a portion of the beach and marsh, creating the Passerelle, a long boardwalk to enable people to appreciate the marsh and the bird life there. The Passerelle can also be seen in the upper left corner of the aerial view above (a white, curved structure crossing a corner of the marsh pond).
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a view of the Passerelle boardwalk on the Beresford Marsh (image from Street View)
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Once private land is developed, either for seasonal or year-round residential use, the only way to protect the beach and salt marsh is to encourage homeowners along the barrier beach to live as gently as possible.
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Copyright 2014 Jane Tims
fencing us in (day 19 and 20)
When I first moved to New Brunswick, rail fences could be seen almost everywhere in rural areas. The design was simple – stacks of very long cedar logs in a zigzag without posts at the junction. The logs were piled from 3 to 4 high and were very weathered. These fences used cedar in the construction because of its natural ability to withstand rot.
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As the years go by, these fences have gradually disappeared from the landscape. Part of this is because the fences eventually deteriorate. Also, people salvage the rails for landscaping and other projects.
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distance travelled (map from Google Earth)
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8-19 February 25, 2014 30 minutes (Petit-Rocher-Nord to Petit-Rocher)
8-20 February 27, 2014 30 minutes (Petit-Rocher to Petit-Rocher-Sud)
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Although I haven’t seen the zigzag style of rail fence on my virtual bike trip along the northern New Brunswick coast, I have seen other rail fence designs. These fences are also built of cedar, but the rails are supported at the junctions by short lengths of cedar …
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rail fence near Nash Creek (image from Street View)
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or on a sort of ladder, consisting of two posts and cross-members …
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rail fence near Pointe Verte (image from Street View)
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When I was younger, sitting on a fence like any of these was on my list of favorite things to do. Today, our property is fenced with a zigzag style cedar rail fence, built by my husband who is proud to say not a nail is used in the construction …
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zigzag rail fence round our property
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I wonder if there are nails used in this rail fence …
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March 5, 2014 ‘rail fence’ Jane Tims
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Copyright 2014 Jane Tims
flags all flying (day 17 and 18)
During my virtual travelling along the north shore of New Brunswick I often see flags flying, representing the esteem of people for their country and their heritage …
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distance travelled (map from Google Earth)
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8-17 February 21, 2014 30 minutes (Belledune to Devereau)
8-18 February 25, 2014 35 minutes (Devereau to Petit-Rocher-Nord)
(I also took a quick sidetrip on the highway south to Madran – the beauty of travelling virtually)
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All along the coast of northern New Brunswick, people are proud to display their flags. As I ‘cycle’ along the road I see three flag designs …
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The red and white Canadian flag with its maple leaf …
a Canadian flag near Campbellton (image from Street View)
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the New Brunswick flag (based on the province’s Coat of Arms and depicting a red lion and a ship) …
the yellow, red and blue New Brunswick flag showing the ship from the Coat of Arms (image from Street View)
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and the Acadian flag …
the blue, white and red Acadian flag showing its gold star (image from Street View)
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The Acadians are the descendants of French colonists of the 17th century who settled in Acadia (the Maritime Provinces, parts of Quebec and Maine). Today, over 1/3 of New Brunswickers are Acadian and New Brunswick is officially bilingual (French and English).
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The Acadian flag represents Acadians all over the world. The flag is blue, white and red, like the flag of France. On the blue field is a gold star, the Stella Maris (Star of the Sea). The star represents the Virgin Mary, patron saint of the Acadians.
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Along the north shore of New Brunswick, the colours of the Acadian flag are represented on various objects, including telephone poles in some communities …
a painted telephone pole in Madran (image from Street View)
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on lobster traps …
colours of the Acadian flag on a lobster trap (image from Street View)
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and on rocks …
February 25, 2014 ‘roche Acadienne’ Jane Tims
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The Acadian flag and its representations remind me how proud I am to live in a province that includes the rich culture and history of the Acadian people.
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Copyright 2014 Jane Tims
yet another Cornwall gate
As you may have seen on my ‘accomplishments’ page, I have sold the painting ‘rainbow gate in Falmouth’. It was on display as part of an art auction at Isaac’s Way Restaurant in Fredericton.
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The art at auction at Isaac’s Way helps local children’s charities, in this case providing opportunities for summer theatre. Once I have sold a painting, I can replace the painting with another and now ‘gate in Ponsanooth’ is up for auction! You can see the painting at https://nichepoetryandprose.wordpress.com/2014/01/24/another-cornwall-gate/ .
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I am continuing to paint in my Cornwall gates series. This past weekend, I painted another gate from Ponsanooth entitled ‘enter’. Gates are meaningful to me, as metaphors for change and as representative of possibility. And the various building materials, stone, cement, wood and metal, are very enjoyable to paint …
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February 22, 2014 ‘enter’ Jane Tims
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Copyright 2014 Jane Tims
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