nichepoetryandprose

Niche space can actually be measured.  Biologists and others apply a technique called ‘niche width analysis’ to determine the characteristics of a niche.  This analysis defines aspects of ‘niche’ such as climate, food use, temperature, moisture, and so on. 

One of the characteristics of my niche is – I love collections.  My favorite collection is my handful of jointed rulers.  I might not be able to measure every aspect of my ‘niche width’ with my collection of rulers, but I can measure any aspect of its linear distance!

My collection of jointed rulers was given to me by my Dad.  He and Mom loved to go to country auctions and they often bought items for me and my sister and brothers.  Dad gave me my first jointed ruler for Christmas and then, over the years, added to my collection, one ruler at a time.  The rulers were especially meaningful because my Dad was a wonderful carpenter and came from a long line of carpenters:

• my great-great-great grandfather, ‘killed-by-lightning’ William
• my great-great grandfather, ‘shipwrecked’ William (see my post ‘Briar Island Rock #1, #2 and #3′ of December 2, 2011 under the category ‘family history’)
• my great-grandfather, ‘kneeled-on-his-beard-and-couldn’t-rise’ Esau
• my grandfather Robert
• my Dad
• my brothers and sister and me (my husband and I built our own house). 

I keep my rulers in a box made of conventional rulers, and I love to take them out and look at them.

Jointed rulers have existed for a long time.  They are listed in the 1813 book The Circle of the Mechanical Arts by Thomas Martin (London). 

a Plate from Martin, 1813, showing a jointed 'rule' (item # 38)

Jointed rulers are not used very often by carpenters of today since the tape-measure is so much easier to store.  However, plumbers still use folding rulers because they can measure twisting pipes.

Most of my jointed rulers are made of wood with joints of brass.  They can be folded away quite compactly when not in use, and unfolded when they are needed.  Unfolded, they have a spidery quality.    One of my favorites has a leveling glass built in…

They are precisely made and have the combined beauty of varnished or painted wood, painted numbers, shiny metal and ‘mechanism’.

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Great Blue Heron and reflection

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on water, bent legs unite two images

of heron, brass connections

varnished wood

~

jointed rulers unfold, legs

disconnect, images detach

concentric circles swell 

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distance and diameter measured

between droplets

and trailing toes

~ 

©  Jane Tims  2011