renewal
Here we are in chill January. Days of snow and freezing rain, bitter cold and flooding and loss. Days when we don’t get enough sun to fill our requirement for Vitamin D. Days when summer seems so far away.
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As a retired person, my days are neither hectic nor sorrowful. My hours are filled with writing, painting, drawing, time on social media and an occasional meeting. I can go outside any time I want to get my dose of sunshine (if available). My stresses are few.
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Once life was not so easy. I worked long days and often came home tired and in a bad mood. But my husband and son made my days wonderful. I found this poem in my files, a testament to the way our families can inject hope into a slogging day! I wrote the poem in 2010, a couple of years before I retired.
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Renewal is possible
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I am entirely new today
some aspect of morning
has cast just-born skin
on me
the song sung by the kettle
the taste of the tea
the forecast of snow
the way you said goodbye
more like the promise of hello
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most days lately
have tears at all the edges
too much to do
too little time
late nights
mugs of coffee, half-gulped
clocks and messages despised
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through the day
I have waited for
old disappointments
to discover my face
but my noon coffee
has a hint of chocolate
and all my emails
are smile-embedded
and one of them from you
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my husband getting pussy willows for me …
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Copyright Jane Tims 2018
Authors Coffee House – a reading and book signing by Ian LeTourneau!
I hope you can join us for the Authors Coffee House on January 26 (Friday) at noon in Nasonworth (see poster) to hear readings from Ian LeTourneau, well-known poet and Cultural Laureate for the City of Fredericton. Ian will read from his books Terminal Moraine and Core Sample. You can also enjoy a hot lunch of soup , rolls, and dessert.
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More than a year ago our church, Holy Trinity Anglican Church in Nasonworth New Brunswick, began the Authors Coffee House as a way of reaching out to the community. Once every two months we have gathered to meet new people in the community and celebrate the work of a local author. So far we have heard from Roger Moore, Shari Andrews, Nick Guitard, John Leroux and Jane Tims (me). The Authors Coffee House includes a reading from the featured author, a chance to buy a signed book and a free will and/or author donation to a local charity. Charities benefiting from this event have included Grace House for Women, Fredericton Food Bank, Fredericton Community Foundation, Fredericton Hospice and the Uganda Outreach project of Holy Trinity Anglican Church.
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Nicholas Guitard speaks to an attentive audience about New Brunswick’s waterfalls (Authors Coffee House, May, 2017)
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Ian Letourneau is our guest author for January, 2018.
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Ian LeTourneau, reading his poetry
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Ian is Poetry Editor of The Fiddlehead ( a renowned literary magazine), the Cultural Laureate for the City of Fredericton, Chair of Word Feast – Fredericton’s Literary Festival, and an avid supporter of the writing community in Fredericton. He is also a wonderful poet with three books of poetry: Core Sample (Frog Hollow Press, 2017), Terminal Moraine (Thistledown Press, 2008) and Defining Range (Gaspereau Press, 2006). I know Ian as a great teacher, having taken a course from him at the Maritime Writers Workshop. I also love his poetry – it sparkles with images from the natural world. His beautiful poem Murmuration: Starlings on the St. John River is on display beside the walking path along the St. John River in Fredericton.
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image from mutualresponsibility.org
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If you live in the Fredericton area, I hope you will come to the next Authors Coffee House, January 26, 2018 at noon at Holy Trinity Anglican Church in Nasonworth. Hear Ian read, buy a signed copy of one of his books, contribute to Ian’s chosen charity the Friends of the Fredericton Public Library and enjoy a hot lunch (soup, rolls, coffee or tea and dessert). I hope I will see you there!
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Copyright Jane Tims 2018
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
Malone Covered Bridge – new painting
Just before Christmas, my painting of the Ellis Bridge over the North Becaguimec River sold. Since I want to keep a painting in the space, I have been working on a new covered bridge painting. For subject matter, I chose the Malone Covered Bridge near Goshen, the same covered bridge in the painting on the front cover of my book.
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The Malone Bridge is in an isolated area and was one of the favorite bridges we visited in 2015. One of the sketches in my book ‘in the shelter of the covered bridge’ is of the Malone Bridge and I used this sketch as the basis for my new painting.
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The painting ‘thistles at Malone Bridge’ is 24 inches wide by 20 inches high, done in acrylics, gallery edges.
Malone Bridge, on the isolated Goshen Road near Upper Goshen in Kings County, was built in 1911. The remnants of the Malone homestead, established 1820, are located near the bridge. At this point the Kennebecasis is a narrow, clear stream. The two brooks that seem to come together at the bridge are actually two braids of the same river.
… (from ‘in the shelter of the covered bridge’, Chapel Street Editions, 2017).
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‘thistles at Malone Bridge’, 24″ x 20″, acrylic, December 27, 2017, by Jane Tims
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The painting will be at Isaac’s Way Restaurant in Fredericton, New Brunswick until January 28, as part of their 31st Art Auction. Silent-auction-type bids are taken until January 28, 2018, or you can purchase the painting for its full price of $320. The art is viewed by everyone enjoying a meal at the restaurant and 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.
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Copyright Jane Tims 2017
decorating for Christmas #6
In our house, everyone celebrates Christmas, even the mouse who lives under the stair. Here he is, beside his mouse hole, with his well-lit Christmas tree and wreath. He has a big gift to open on Christmas day! Heads up, the lines on the wall at the top of the photo are made by our cat!
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Merry Christmas to you too!
decorating for Christmas #5
I have quite a few nativity scenes. My favorite is my set of figures by ™Avon. I collected them more than 30 years ago and it was this set we used when my son was little. We used it to tell the story of the Nativity, starting with an empty manger, putting the angels with the shepherds to announce Jesus’ birth, moving the wise men ever closer to the stable.
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I actually have three ‘little drummer boys’ for the set; two of these belonged to my mom. I bought one drummer boy each for my mom and my mother-in-law, and gave one to Mom in 1992. Then I forgot I had given her the first, so she got another from me in 1993. I know the years because Mom labelled her belongings with the giver and year. My mother-in-law never did get a drummer boy figure!
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the three drummer boys: one of mine and two of Mom’s 1992 and 1993 (left to right)
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boxes for the drummer boys, carefully labelled by Mom
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One of my favorite parts of the Nativity scene is the white satin cloth with golden stars that make a backdrop to the figurines, reminiscent of the star-studded sky in Bethlehem.
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Merry Christmas from the drummer boys …
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Copyright Jane Tims 2017
decorating for Christmas #4
Decorating in our house involves some cleaning and maintenance since I do not keep up with housework through the year. One of the things I do for Christmas is shine our basket of glass floats.
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Glass floats were once used to keep the edges of fishing nets buoyant and you can buy new floats as well as antiques. They are beautiful and come in many festive colours. I consider them a Christmas decoration because of their beauty, because they remind me of stained glass and because my Mom and Dad gave me at least one of the green glass floats in my collection. I used to keep them on top of the piano, but I have copied my niece who keeps hers in a basket by her wood stove. When I visited my niece a few years ago, I drew her collection of floats and wrote a poem about them.
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glass floats
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the fog’s still glow
penetrates glass
and air incorporated
an age ago
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weightless, flamboyant
on salt water
swell
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glass inflation
tethered by hemp
on an ocean
whipped to froth
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Copyright Jane Tims 2017
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