Jane Spavold Tims's Blog, page 40

my new book of poetry available now!

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Late at night in February 2015, as my husband and I crossed the Patrick Owens Covered Bridge on the Rusagonis Stream, we startled a rabbit in the middle of the span. The rabbit raced through the bridge in front of the truck. I can still see the shadow of his long ears and the scurry of his feet. Since the incident occurred during the February 21, 2015 conjunction of Venus and Mars with the sickle moon, I thought of all the legends about the hare and the moon. This led to the poem “conjunction” and a question about what other plants and animals find shelter in or around our covered bridges in New Brunswick.

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I am please to announce that my resulting book of poems ‘in the shelter of the covered bridge’ is now available. The book includes 21 of my drawings and more than 70 poems. The Foreword is written by my friend Brian Atkinson who wrote New Brunswick’s Covered Bridges (Nimbus, 2010).

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‘in the shelter of the covered bridge’ is now available through my publisher Chapel Street Editions http://www.chapelstreeteditions.com and at upcoming readings. You will soon be able to find it at Westminster Books in Fredericton and Tidewater Books in Sackville.

I hope you enjoy the book and take every opportunity to drive through one of our covered bridges in New Brunswick!

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conjunction – February 21, 2015

Patrick Owens Bridge

Rusagonis River #2

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Venus and Mars

sickle of mid-winter moon

planet and moon light scamper

into crevasses

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headlights of the half-ton enter

overwhelm planet shadow

startle a winter hare

erect on haunches, paw lifted

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frosted by sky-gaze, worshiping

the sliver of moon, dismayed

at desecration, round glare

of the truck’s predatory eyes

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fright to stop a heart

or flight to mobilize

hind-legs straighten

before fore-legs turn

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long ear shadows

quit the length of the bridge

ahead of whiskers, chin velvet

and rabbit wisdom

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From ‘in the shelter of the covered bridge’, Chapel Street Editions, 2017

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Copyright Jane Tims 2017 

Fall Show … space paintings

Tomorrow morning, I will be selling paintings and books at the New Maryland Fall Show (Faith Baptist Church, New Maryland Highway, New Maryland, New Brunswick, 9-2). To accompany my science-fiction books in the Meniscus Series, I have done some little space paintings.

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Oct. 28, 2017 ‘spatter’ 6″ x 8″ $15 Jane Tims

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Oct. 8, 2017 “spacescape” 8″ x 10″ $20 Jane Tims

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Nov. 1, 2017 ‘space’ 8″ x 8″ $20  Jane Tims

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Copyright Jane Tims 2017

 

New Maryland Fall Show – Jane’s books and paintings for sale!!!

Last year I tried selling my books and paintings at a local craft fair. I had so many ‘fears’. I wondered if I would sell anything. I wondered how it would feel, sitting there waiting for someone to be interested in my wares. I wondered if I would have any money when I went home (I saw so many things at the fair I wanted to buy)!

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I was pleasantly surprised. I sold both books and paintings. Sitting, watching the vendors and browsers, was very relaxing. And I loved meeting the other vendors and bought some items I still love!

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This Saturday November 4, 9AM – 2PM, I will be at the New Maryland Fall Show (held at the Faith Baptist Church, 525 New Maryland Highway, New Maryland, New Brunswick). I will be selling copies of my books and some of my paintings.

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my books:

‘in the shelter of the covered bridge’ (Chapel Street Editions, 2017) – my new book of poems about plants and animals living in and around some of the covered bridges in New Brunswick (if the book doesn’t arrive from the printers in time, I will be taking pre-orders)

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‘within easy reach’ (Chapel Street Editions, 2016) – poems about wild edibles and other local foods

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three books in my science-fiction series (CreateSpace, 2017):

Meniscus: Crossing The Churn

Meniscus: South from Sintha

Meniscus: Winter by the Water-climb

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some of my paintings:

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I am getting close to my 500th follower! If you leave a comment on this post (WordPress or Facebook), you will be entered into a draw for a free, postage-paid paperback copy of my new book ‘in the shelter of the covered bridge’! One entry per commenter per post.

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If you live in the New Maryland area of New Brunswick, I hope I will see you on Saturday November 3, 2017 at the New Maryland Fall Show!

at the Faith Baptist Church on the new Maryland Highway, 9 AM to 2 PM.

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Copyright Jane Tims 2017

500th follower contest progress

Since I announced my 500th follower contest, I have 39 entries in the draw to win a paperback, postage-paid copy of my upcoming book ‘in the shelter of the covered bridge’. To enter, just comment on any of my posts since the contest began (Oct. 15, 2017). One entry per post per commentor. If you have commented before, you can enter again by commenting on today’s post. I have only 491 followers, so there is still time to enter the contest!

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To give you something to comment on, just say something about any of the three photos below:

Photo 1: beams and internal architecture of a covered bridge.

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Photo 2: Avid reader enjoying the poems of ‘in the shelter of the covered bridge’.

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Photo 3: A familiar bridge to folks in Sussex area … out of service but a great park/picnic area.

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Thanks for all your support and hope you like the book!

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Copyright Jane Tims 2017

Free ebook … science fiction

Today Oct 25, 2017 get your free copy (Kindle edition) of the third book in the Meniscus Series … Meniscus: Winter by the Water-climb. Follow the continuing story of Odymn and the Slain as they cope with the survivors of a spaceship crash. The book is part of a series but the story is stand-alone. A good way to see if you’d like to read the other books in the series!

To get your free copy of Meniscus: Winter by the Water-climb, click here.

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Copyright Jane Tims 2017

winter reading

Today in New Brunswick, it’s just a little colder than yesterday. Leaves are falling from the trees and there are lots of bare branches against the blue sky. Yesterday I switched our thermostats to auto mode. And yesterday we stopped at a roadside stand to buy a small store of pickles and jams for winter eating.

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My pile of winter reading is also growing. I am looking forward to days by the fire reading many of our New Brunswick authors.

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I can add to your winter reading pile in a couple of ways:

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A chance to win a copy (paperback, postage-paid) of my upcoming book ‘in the shelter of the covered bridge’ (Chapel Street Editions). This book includes 73 of my poems about plants and animals living in the vicinity of 35 of our covered bridges in New Brunswick.  The book also includes 21 of my drawings of bridges and wild life. To enter for the draw, just leave a comment on any of my blog posts at http://www.nichepoetryandprose.wordpress.com or the Facebook posting. one entry per person per post.

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Get a free copy of the Kindle version of the third book in my science fiction Meniscus Series from October 22 to October 25, 2017. ‘Meniscus: Winter by the Waterclimb’ will tell you everything you need to know about how to survive winter on an alien planet!!! Although the book is part of a series, it is also ‘stand-alone’. To get a free copy of the ebook, just click here.

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Enjoy your day!

Jane

new book about covered bridges in New Brunswick – coming soon!

In New Brunswick, we love our covered bridges. They are part of our history … a walk inside a covered bridge gives you access to  one of the best ‘written’ pages you will ever read, the carved and scribbled notations of a century of passers-by.

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My new book ‘in the shelter of the covered bridge’ (published by Chapel Street Editions) is a tribute to the value of our covered bridges as part of our landscape and ecology.  In the book are 73 of my poems about plants and animals living in the vicinity of the covered bridge.  Many of the poems are about the ways humans use the spaces inside the covered bridge.

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‘in the shelter of the covered bridge’ includes poems about 35 different covered bridges, most crossing the St. John River or its many tributaries. There are also poems about a few bridges in Charlotte and Westmorland Counties.

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My book is also illustrated with 21 of my drawings of covered bridges and the animals and plants that live there. The cover illustration is from my painting ‘apple tree, Malone Bridge.’

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I hope you will buy a copy of my book! I will keep you posted on the publication date and availability!

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If you would like to win a paperback, postage-paid copy of ‘in the shelter of the covered bridge’ enter the draw by leaving a comment here on any post of my blog from now until I get my 500th follower, sometime within the next few weeks or days.  You can also enter by leaving a comment on any posting of my blog on my Facebook page. One entry per commenter per post.

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Copyright Jane Tims 2017

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Lunch at the cabin

Spending a day at our cabin is so much fun. And lunch there is simple and delicious … something about fresh air, I think. 

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Our lunches range from very simple (cheese and a nut/raisin mix) to soup and salad ( we have a hot plate to cook on). 

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Our lunches overlook our woods and in winter, we have a glimpse of the lake. 

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Leave me comment on the blog, and I’ll enter your name in a draw for a postage-paid paperback copy of my new book in the shelter of the covered bridge! If you comment on more than one post, I’ll enter your name for each comment (one entry per post).

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Copyright Jane Tims 2017

steeples soaring to sky

Last month, on our way home from Ontario, we drove through the Province of Quebec. In our attempt to escape the traffic on the main highways, we took some side trips. The Quebec countryside is charming, but my favourite views are of the magnificent old churches in every village and town. For this post, I will take you on a brief sky-facing journey of the steeples of some of those churches.

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Don’t forget about my 500th follower contest. Just write a comment to this post to be entered into a draw for a paperback copy of my new book ‘in the shelter of the covered bridge’.

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Copyright Jane Tims 2017  

alternative energy

On our recent trip to Ontario, we were intrigued to see how much use is made of alternative energy sources.

Especially in the windy area of Lake Huron, there were many wind turbines.  Watching the blades turn is quite mesmerizing. We saw at least one protest sign about wind energy in a farm-yard, so we know there is some resistance to wind power or the way it is managed.

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Solar power is also being used throughout southern Ontario. Many farms had large solar panels and we saw one extensive installation with hundreds of solar panels. These panels are mechanized so they “follow the sun”!

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I know there are economic, environmental, and social issues with use of wind and solar energy, but my thoughts are these:

wind turbines and solar panels alter the look of the landscape, but so do houses and other buildings

diversification seems to me to be a secure approach to ensuring energy for the future

if our society demands energy, there are consequences — we should be willing to use wind and sun as sources and work out any problems

careful evaluation of the environmental and social costs should be part of decision-making

I am so proud of human innovation when it comes to solving our problems!

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Copyright Jane Tims 2017