Archive for the ‘the landscape of home’ Category
linden – linden wing #2
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linden wing #2
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thin green pale
I hoist my, turn my
tapered, paper sail
to wind-tasks, two
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first I nudge my mast
of flowers, rudder
to the breeze, my pollen-folk
hitch a ride with the bees
each captured grain a triumph
each launch a score
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later, I loose my mooring
detach, hoist spinnaker and main
samara of linden
and passenger seeds
sail away
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Copyright 2015 Jane Tims
linden – linden wing #1
the mature linden is heart-shaped like its leaf … this time of year it is filled with flowers, each cluster held on a stem in a long, leaf-like bract
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linden wing #1
Tilia cordata
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green, veined tongue
apex and base
alien, unlike leaf, unlike tree
winged though planted
grounded yet ready to fly
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tiny tree on a bract landscape
wind walks through
shudders still shadow
percussion, tousles unlikely flower
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olive feather of linnet
tongue and an idea is spoken
cluster of notes
sprinkled on air
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bitterness flows from basswood
taste bud to taste bud
trail of robin song
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near the center of the photo, you can see the pale green bracts, each holding a stem of several small flowers
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Copyright 2015 Jane Tims
linden – linden in shade
almost 20 years old, our linden refuses to grow in all the shade we have provided … the linden is the low ‘tree’ with the heart-shaped leaves
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It sprawls by the garage, our linden. Its leaves are heart-shaped, and its small yellow-green flowers are held in leafy bracts. Hardly a tree, about four feet tall, but twenty years old, surely beyond sapling stage. An adult linden is fifty feet tall, heart-shaped in sillouette, a shape-clone of its leaf.
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We dug the linden as a seedling in 1997. Not a happy year. We were attending a funeral in a series of funerals. We decided to remove ourselves from the crowd, salvage some living thing from the day. We dug sprouting horse chestnuts and young linden saplings, growing snug in the grass.
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If I had planted my seedlings in sun, they would have flourished and today we would have two lovely trees. But, because our yard is a crowded place, only the shade-tolerant survive. My horse chestnut seedling died from lack of sun. And our linden sprawls by our garage, stunted and misshapen. Wanting light, it may never grow to a full-sized tree.
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Copyright 2015 Jane Tims
sounds in my space
How would you describe the space where you spend most of your time? Is it cold or warm? Spacious or cramped? Colorful or monochromatic?
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What does your space sound like? Is it noisy or quiet? Do you play music in the background, or do you prefer the white noise of everyday life?
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In my home, where I spend most of my time, the sounds are so familiar, I hardly hear them anymore. As I sit here, if I listen carefully, I can hear:
- the ticking of the clock
- the hum of the computer
- the purring of the refrigerator
- a car passing by on the road outside
- chickadees at the feeder just beyond the window
- the rumble of the well water pump in the basement
- two branches in our big maple, rubbing together in the slightest wind
- the creaking of floor boards – the house is almost 35 years old and the living room floorboards squeak
- our cat Zoë, galloping from room to room upstairs – how can 7 pounds of cat sound like a herd of elephants?
- the sound of our string of livestock bells, a remnant of Christmas not yet put away, as someone opens the outside door
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What sounds do you hear, in the space where you are?
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Copyright 2015 Jane Tims
Arthur – caution: men working in trees
A milestone of our 2014 summer was certainly Hurricane Arthur (July 5). For an account of our encounter with Hurricane Arthur, see: https://nichepoetryandprose.wordpress.com/2014/07/14/arthur-during-the-storm/ and https://nichepoetryandprose.wordpress.com/2014/07/16/arthur-after-the-storm/ .
For six days after the storm we were without electricity and learned to live a different life, deciding how to allocate the power from our small generator and bringing water in from diverse places. The biggest long-term result of the storm, however, was the damage done to our big red maple.
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The maple is at our front entry way. It has grown from a small sapling – my husband could circle it with thumb and forefinger when we built the house 35 years ago – to a huge tree. It is our best producer at maple syrup time and spreads a carpet of red leaves in a perfect circle in our driveway. Best of all, it has a ‘voice’. When I arrive home or leave, it ‘squeaks’ to me, the result of two branches rubbing together in the slightest breeze.
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After the storm, we congratulated ourselves on how few of our trees were damaged. Then I looked out of the den window and saw – the winds had not spared the red maple – one of the big branches had a wide split in the wood.
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At first, my husband thought he could take the big limb down himself. But after removing some of the smaller branches, it was obvious that trying to cut the branch ourselves would be dangerous. The tree is close to the house and power lines and there was no easy way to safely control the fall of the branch.
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We decided to turn to the experts and called Treecologic, since they are fully insured. They also have a trained arborist and an excellent reputation. Their Vision statement is ‘promoting a safe & healthy urban forest’, so they were the tree removal company for me! For more information on the company, see http://www.treecologic.ca/.
Since there have been so many people in the Fredericton area with downed trees because of Arthur, we knew it might be some time before Treecologic could help us. We spent August through October keeping vehicles away from the risk zone under the tree. On Halloween night, we put up ‘Caution’ tape to keep the spooks from danger. And every day I tiptoed to our front door, convinced I would hear a crack as the branch came down on my head!
Then, as promised, Treecologic arrived, ladder, chain saws, climbing ropes and all. They worked for almost three hours, taking down a big white pine tree planted too close to the house and trimming branches from some of our other maples.
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Then the arborist fixed a line in the highest branches of the red maple, put on his climbing belt and hoisted himself into the tree.
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Every move he made was calculated for safety and for the health of the maple. Working his way through the tree, using a very sharp pruning saw, he gradually removed the smallest branches, including some which were scraping against our roof.
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At first I felt alarmed to see a man in our very tall tree, but after realising how carefully he worked, I began to enjoy watching the process. To be an arborist, I now know, requires an understanding of the tree’s biology and health, but also dexterity, strength, flexibility and fearlessness.
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At the last, he tackled the split branch, first removing remote branches, then finishing with the chainsaw from a ladder. Great work, Treecologic !
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Our tree will take a while to recover from it’s adventure with the hurricane. Losing almost a third of its canopy will mean a couple of years of rest before another pruning. No tapping for maple sap for the next few springs! Meanwhile, the pruning has given us lots of hard wood for next year’s wood stove and, once they dry out, lots of kindling and twigs for my campfires! Some will go into our wood chipper to add to the soft surface for our trails.
And, in case you were wondering, the tree still has its ‘voice’ since the branches that rub together remain!
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Copyright 2014 Jane Tims
Arthur – after the storm
Over a week after Tropical Storm Arthur, I am thinking about the new pattern of life we adopted during our six days without electricity. Without our usual electric lights, stove, refrigerator, computer and television, we adjusted our days.
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First there were candles. I have lots of candles, but three pillars in the living room sent enough light into the main part of the house for navigation. We also had our small flashlights. They lit the darker rooms and made us safe on the stairs.
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The next ‘necessity’ was gasoline for the truck and for our small generator (2000 watt). Although we began the storm with very little gasoline (we were not well prepared), we waited a couple of days to fill up, to avoid the long lineups for gas at the few stations open after the storm. Since most all of Fredericton was without power for the first two days, so open gas stations, fast food places and grocery stores were hard to find!
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Once we had our generator working, we had a hot meal at supper time each evening, on our small electric hotplate. By the end of the six days, we were using our generator for fans to keep the house cool and to watch DVDs on our television.
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Water, of course, is always a concern. We had lots of water on hand, about 22 4-liter jugs I keep for emergencies. We were able to buy drinking water and ice for our cooler, although these items were flying from the shelves!!! By the end of our adventure, we had filled our jugs a couple of times, once at my son’s home (in the city, they had no power, but they did have water), and once from the Oromocto Fire Department who were so kind to us.
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On Day 6, workers from NB Power and Hydro-Quebec, and a tree trimming crew from Maine arrived to remove the trees from the downed lines on our road. They worked all day to re-establish power to about 500 customers who depended on this particular line. We were so grateful to them, knowing they had worked since the storm hit. We were just one group among many waiting for power. On Sunday, July 13, there were still 5000 customers without power in Fredericton. By the time of this post, NB Power says most power will be restored. It is certainly the longest power outage we have ever experienced in this province.
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three candles
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three candles
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between ruby glass
and hard wood floor
a slide of light and three
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extinguished candles
smoke lifts from smoulder
each mote a particle
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of spectral light, mosaic
shard, image
reassembled in three
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dimensions
shepherd, hawthorn
lamb
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© Jane Tims 2011
Arthur – during the storm
front yard during Arthur
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trees in hurricane rain
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Arthur
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woods are a green ocean
swell, each oak a breaker, and pines
crash on the shore, withdraw, branches
lift and fall, lift and settle
maples gyrate, invert their leaves, backlit
waves, spray from every
blade, winds tug at petiole, green
debris on the deck, fallen stars
on the lawn, the wind a rumble, every
branch a knife, each trunk a bow, bent
beyond the stretch of fibre, trees heave
branches lash, in the woods a crack
pummels the growl of a chainsaw in
the neighbor’s yard
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bunches of leaves on the deck
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a crack in the branch of our maple
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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
rural relics (day 10 to 12)
On my virtual bike trip along the north coast of New Brunswick, I am seeing many aspects of rural New Brunswick that are almost relics in our modern world.
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distance travelled (map from Google Earth)
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8-11 January 31, 2014 45 minutes 3.0 km (Eel River Bar to Charlo)
8-12 January 28, 2014 30 minutes 7.0 km (Charlo to Blackland)
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relic:
- object that is interesting because of its age or association
- surviving custom, belief or object from a past age
(Oxford dictionary)
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One of these relics is the rural mailbox. Amid controversy, the single mailbox at the end of a driveway is gradually being replaced, so there are very few end-of-drive mailboxes along the route I am travelling.
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We had a mailbox for many years and it was always fun going to the end of the drive to get our mail. Once when I was at my grandfather’s farm for a vacation, my Aunt Anna sent me a parcel so I would have the fun of getting a box in the mail. I remember well reaching up to get the parcel and I remember what was inside – a snow globe!
getting a parcel at my grandfather’s mailbox
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About ten years ago, we were shifted to a community mail box. We have a key and an assigned box. It is still fun to get the mail, but less convenient …
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mailboxes near New Mills (image from Street View)
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Another relic of a more self-sufficient way of life is the remnant apple orchard. In some cases, the apples are still used by thrifty families, but often the fallen fruit is left for the deer …
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orchard near Blackland (image from Street View)
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I also see derelict barns and sheds along the road, abandoned as people give up farming and a more rural way of life …
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February 11. 2014 ‘old shed near Charlo’ Jane Tims
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Do you encounter remnant bits of our past in your travels? Do they bring back memories?
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Copyright 2014 Jane Tims
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