more blueberries!
Tomorrow, Saturday October 22, 2016, I am giving a reading of my book ‘within easy reach’ and a short talk about eating local foods, especially wild plants. The reading will be for a regional meeting of local chapters of the New Brunswick Women’s Institute. Their theme this year is ‘pulses’ and the nutritional benefits of eating beans, lentils, chickpeas and split peas – foods harvested dry – affordable, protein-packed and delicious!
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I will be reading poems from my book, taking the Institute members on a tour of local foods – from the forest floor to the field, to the garden and the farmers market, as well as foods grown inside the home kitchen.
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I will also have a door prize for my reading, a painting of wild blueberries. ‘Sweet Hurts’ is 5″ X 7″ with gallery edges, done in acrylics using Ultramarine Blue, Cadmium Yellow, Cadmium Red, Titanium White, Paynes Grey and Burnt Sienna. The name ‘Sweet Hurts’ comes from an alternative name for the Low Sweet Blueberry.
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Looking forward to this reading, my fourth this month!
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Copyright Jane Tims 2016
apples, apples, apples – preparing for public readings
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I associate fall with picking apples and enjoying all those apple-related treats – apple cider, apple squares, apple jelly and, of course, the apples themselves.
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As part of my celebrating of fall and apple picking, I will be giving four public readings of my book over the next couple of weeks. Since my book ‘within easy reach’ is about eating local foods, my readings will focus on my memories of the apple harvest and trips to local orchards.
The readings are:
- I make a selection of the poems I will read. For the first two readings, I’ll select poems about apple picking – this is the time when New Brunswickers visit local orchards to get the best fall apples! I mark my book with post-it tabs so I can find each passage easily.
- I make a few notes about how I want to preface each poem. I put the notes on other post-it tabs right on the page. Some poets don’t like to preface their reading – I like to say something about each poem since I like to prepare the listener.
- I practice my readings aloud, including my preface comments. Practicing helps me time the presentation and work out phrasing and emphasis.
- I do some promotion for each of the readings – posting on my blog, on Facebook and Twitter. For the Authors Coffee Hour I also have a poster to put in a couple of local places.
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I love to read in public. Sometimes I worry a bit about audience response and the possibility I may stumble on delivery. But, if I am well prepared, I can relax, take three deep breaths and enjoy reading my words aloud.
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yard work – the grape harvest
We had a frost on October 4 and today, I harvested my grapes. You will imagine tubs of ripe fruit, hands stained purple and a row of grape jelly jars on the counter.
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my grapes, wandering about in the birch tree
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But my grape harvest is a bit small. However after ten years, this is the first ‘harvest’ from this vine so I am quite proud! No jelly though. I ate the lot of them, sitting in the yard, admiring the autumn leaves. They were juicy, sweet and delicious.
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the entire harvest!
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Copyright 2016 Jane Tims
a moment of beautiful – autumn leaves
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Like stained glass against the sky!
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Copyright Jane Tims 2016
yard work – winter wood
Another beautiful fall day. Today I helped my husband cut up the last of two birch trees he had felled earlier in September. Then I piled the wood in our new wood rack. Give it a chance to dry and it will be ready for splitting and burning next winter.
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Copyright Jane Tims 2016
in the shelter of the covered bridge – Malone Bridge
As I prepare for my fall book and art sale, I have tried to bring some of my pencil drawings into acrylic-world.
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One of my favorite covered bridge drawings depicts a tree of green apples against the backdrop of the Malone Covered Bridge near Goshen in Kings County, New Brunswick. The Malone Bridge crosses the Kennebecasis River where it is hardly more than a stream.
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From this drawing, I have done ‘apple tree, Malone Bridge’. I think this is my personal favorite of all the paintings I have done. The painting is acrylic, 18″ X 18″, gallery edges, using Paynes Grey, Ultramarine Blue, Cadmium Yellow, Titanium White and Burnt Sienna.
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September 24, 2016 ‘apple tree, Malone Bridge’ Jane Tims
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Copyright 2016 Jane Tims
mustard electric
More painting going on. Trying to capture some of our dramatic New Brunswick landscape.
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This summer we drove through the rural countryside near Millville and loved the brilliant yellow mustard fields.
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This painting is called ‘mustard electric’, 24″ by 20″, acrylic, gallery edges, painted with Hansa yellow, Ultramarine blue, Titanium white. When I had it in the living room, it was impossible to ignore, its blast of yellow lingering in the peripheral vision!
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September 10, 2016 ‘mustard electric’ near Millville, N.B. Jane Tims
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Copyright Jane Tims 2016
blueberry red
The Isaac’s Way Summer Art Auction #27 in Fredericton, New Brunswick has ended! And my painting ‘morning sky’ has sold for the full price of $260. I am so pleased since the charity is to provide for MUSIC lessons for kids-in-need.
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My painting in the next Art Auction (runs September 25 to late January, 2017) is perfect for fall. It is entitled ‘blueberry red’ and depicts a blueberry field near Stewarton, New Brunswick in late autumn when the blueberry leaves turn a brilliant red. The painting is 24″ wide by 20″ high, acrylic with gallery edges. I am donating 50% of the proceeds from my painting to the charity. I hope you like it!
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September 10, 2016 ‘blueberry red’ Jane Tims
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Copyright 2016 Jane Tims
changing communities
Last week we went for a drive to the Cornhill Nursery in Kings County to buy a new cherry tree for our yard. Afterwards we took a drive to visit some of the old communities in the area. One of these communities, Whites Mountain, was a rural farming community with 17 families in 1866 (New Brunswick Provincial Archives). By 1898 the community had one post office, one church and 100 people. Today the community consists of a few farms and residences, perched on a steep hillside overlooking the hilly landscape of northern Kings County.
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On the road descending Whites Mountain, Kings County, overlooking the broad Kennebecasis Valley (September 2016)
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One of the most interesting sights on our drive may also be evidence of the farmsteads formerly in the area. Although Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia (L.) Planch.) is native to North America, in this area it is usually associated with human habitation. In the thick woods north of the community, we found Virginia Creeper in profusion, covering the surface of the trees.
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Although there is only forest here now, perhaps the ancestors of these vines covered barns and other buildings in the area.
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Copyright 2016 Jane Tims
morning sky
We are approaching the end of the Isaac’s Way Summer Art Auction #27 in Fredericton, New Brunswick. The Art Auction is raising funds for MUSIC lessons for kids-in-need. The last day for bidding on or buying a painting is Sunday evening September 25th, 2016 at closing time.
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My painting in this Art Auction is of a brilliant sunrise behind our grey woods. The painting, entitled ‘morning sky’, is 24″ wide by 20″ high, acrylic with gallery edges. I am donating 50% of the proceeds from my painting to the charity.
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‘morning sky’ Jane Tims
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If you live in the Fredericton area, stop by and have a look at the art works available (and try some of the restaurant’s great food). Over 50 artists have contributed their work! You can also see the art available in the auction at http://isaacsway.ca/
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Copyright Jane Tims 2016
