Posts Tagged ‘autumn’
cornrows
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cornrows
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at the first rustle
of shadow on skin
I wake beside him
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I slide from the bed
flip the latch, climb through
the window, he will
be angry
the thought delights me
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I cross to the cornfield
silken rows of ribbon
higher than my head
an army, khaki-clad
could march here
one row over
and we could all
have solitude
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I shift rows
suddenly
catch a glimpse
of tassels
chevrons
boot heels
click into the next row
ribbons quiver
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takes nine minutes
to find a cornrow
north to south
leads back to the house
I cross the yard
pause on the threshold
I hesitate
a stranger
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the cornstalks whisper
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I raise my fist
hammer on the door
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Published as: ‘cornrows’, Spring 2013, The Antigonish Review 173
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Copyright 2013 Jane Tims
autumn corn
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When I think of the fall, I always think about corn – the rustling of the cornstalks in the fields, shucking corn for a corn-boil, eating corn-on-the-cob. In New Brunswick, the corn has been harvested by now, but I thought I’d try a watercolour.
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On a trip a couple of years ago, we were very impressed by the huge cornfields. I took many photos, including this one …
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At the time, I was doing pencil sketches for my Blog and I did this sketch from the photo …
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This is my watercolour, done a few days ago from the same photo …
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October 28, 2013 ‘September corn’ Jane Tims
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Copyright 2013 Jane Tims
the colour of November #1 (Winterberry red)
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Last week, we went out to our cabin to do some reading and cutting of the ever-growing vegetation. In spite of the mower and the thinning saw and regular prunings, the field seems to grow vegetation behind your back. When you turn around, an alder or a birch tree has filled in a patch you thought was only grass.
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As we planned a new path across the field, we considered each sapling before we cut. To our surprise, we found another bush of Winterberry Holly (Canada Holly, Ilex verticillata (L.) Gray). Many grow down by the lake, but up in the field by our cabin, we know only of one other.
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This time of year their leaves are bronzed and brown and their berries are orange-red. The berries will persist on the leafless branches all through the winter.
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The berries of the Winterberry Holly are so much fun to paint. I started with a layer of red, added orange and then layers of white, yellow and red in turn. I finished with a dot of black and a dot of white on the majority of the berries.
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October 27, 2013 ‘Winterberry red’ Jane Tims
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Copyright 2013 Jane Tims
the colour of October #2 (Tansy yellow)
So many colours! The orange of the big pumpkin on our doorstep. The reds and yellows of the Red Maple leaves in piles under our feet. The bright white of the moon this month. The golden colour of the needles of the Tamarack now falling with every breath of wind.
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The colour that has inspired me this week is the yellow of Tansy (Tansy vulgare L.) still bright along the road in Fredericton. The flowers are like brilliant yellow buttons.
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I couldn’t duplicate the colour with the yellows in my watercolour palette, but after layers of alternating yellow and white, I have realised how wonderful the yellows of nature really are!
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October 27, 2013 ‘Tansy’ Jane Tims
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In a month’s time, the bright yellow heads of the Tansy will be black!
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Copyright 2013 Jane Tims
the colour of October #2 – Red Oak
Our leaves have reached the ‘world on fire’ stage. We took a drive along the St. John River to our cabin yesterday and were immersed in reds, oranges and yellows. I particularly like the Red Oak leaves. They lag behind the Red Maple – some are still green. But a few younger trees show vermillion and orange and purple to rival the maple.
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October 12, 2013 ‘Oak leaves’ Jane Tims
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Copyright 2013 Jane Tims
the colour of October #1- Virginia Creeper
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Our Virginia Creeper comes from a shoot I collected along the banks of the St. John River over 30 years ago. It grows on our power pole. Some years it makes great progress and gets to the top of the pole to grow along the wires. Other years it struggles to gain any hold at all after damaging winds, or if the power company decides it needs cutting back. The last few years it has grown into the neighboring bushes. As a result, my lilacs seem to have mutant leaves and turn scarlet when the other lilacs are a sickly yellow.
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This year the Virginia Creeper leaves are shot with holes from the same insect infestation plaguing them last year.
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October 7, 2013 ‘Virginia Creeper’ Jane Tims
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Copyright 2013 Jane Tims
the color of September #3 – a purple crocus from a brown bulb
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This morning, thinking of the long winter, I planted a dozen crocus bulbs. The package promises large, dark purple blooms in early spring.
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I planted them in small groups, in front of my concrete bench. When they bloom in spring, I will be able to see them from my library window. After a long winter, a glimpse of those brave petals poking above the dry leaves will be so joyful.
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The crocuses we have now are bright purple and yellow. I planted them years ago, when my son was young. They have endured all these years and have even spread to other, distant parts of our property. I think the squirrels must dig them up, rebury them and forget where they have stashed their treasure.
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So, deep within the sienna brown of the bulbs is the makings of those purple petals. Wow!
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Copyright 2013 Jane Tims
the color of September #2 – bunches of radishes
The reward of a recent visit to a local farmer’s vegetable stand – bunches of radishes.
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Painting with red is very rewarding. First, a little color goes a long way – I am still working with the small tube of paint I bought back in early June. Second, red wakes me up the way no other color can.
I did two paintings, one of the bunch of radishes, fresh from the vegetable stand, and one of an individual radish, fresh from the ground, dirt washed away. Hope you like them!
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August 31, 2013 ‘a bunch of radish red’ Jane Tims
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September 1, 2013 ‘radish red’ Jane Tims
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Copyright 2013 Jane Tims
the color of September #1 – squash on the vine
A visit to a friend’s garden and a look at the riot of squash growing in her compost heap has helped me transition from August summer to the pre-autumn days of September. I love the color orange, but I did not know how much fun it would be to try and capture the orange of the squash in watercolor. I hope you like my trio of September squash-on-the-vine paintings.
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August 30, 2013 ‘squash on the vine #1’ Jane Tims
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August 30, 2013 ‘squash on the vine #2’ Jane Tims
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August 31, 2013 ‘squash on the vine #3’ Jane Tims
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Copyright 2013 Jane Tims
a moment of beautiful – November leaves
the space: the November sky
the beautiful: oak leaves, not yet fallen
The oak is one of the last trees to give up its leaves in autumn.
I love the look of oak leaves against the sky. Individually, their deeply lobed pattern is striking. As a group, the leaves make a kind of randomly tatted lace.
These leaves are a frail, ineffective barrier to rain and snow, but to me, they are a statement of defiance against the coming winter.
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password
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my palm
and its splayed fingers
against the glass
defy the cold
demand the secret word
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the way the oaks construct
tattered shelters against
November chill, cling to
their leaves, whisper
misinformation
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Copyright Jane Tims 2012
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