Jane Spavold Tims's Blog, page 58

Songs in the grey woods – northern parula

A friend, a knowledgeable wetland biologist, has been helping me learn some new bird songs. Last week, I identified the song of the Northern Parula. This is a bird I have never seen, though I scan those tree tops with the binoculars until my arms ache. I have heard its song so many times and always wondered what it was. The song is a long whirrrrr, flowed by a short, upward flip.  Whirrrr -flip. Whirrrr- flip. This morning it was the first song of the morning bird chorus!

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It drives me crazy to hear him sing, be able to find the tree he is perched in, but not see him. My painting is how I think he must look, based on descriptions on the net.

The Parula is a blue-grey bird with a yellow throat, and a yellow and white breast. He has a white crescent above and below his eye and two white wing bars. A bright and beautiful bird! He has an association with a lichen I love, Usnea subfloridana, Old Man’s Beard. He uses the lichen to build his hanging nest.

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Usnea subfloridana on the snow – usually found hanging in our maple, spruce and fir trees

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Copyright 2016 Jane Tims

 

update: my book ‘within easy reach’

Now that my book is available, I am lined up for some readings.  It’s the perfect time of year since people in New Brunswick are turning their attention to gathering fiddleheads, to gardening and to their preparations for strawberry season.

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My book is available through my publisher Chapel Street Editions (www.chapelstreeteditions.com), at Westminster Books in Fredericton and at my readings.

Location, date and time of the readings:

Miramichi, Rodd Miramichi Hotel, Writer’s Federation of New Brunswick, WordSpring, book sale and readings May 27, 2016 (Friday) at 7:30.
Woodstock, L.P. Fisher Library, June 2, 2016 (Thursday) at 6:30.
Fredericton, Westminster Books, book launch with fellow poet Edith Miller, June 9, 2016 (Thursday) at 7:00.
Fredericton, York Regional Library, reading, last week in June, to be announced.

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Remember, if you would like to be included in a draw for the painting on the cover of my book, you have until June 7, 2016 to enter.

To get your name in the draw, you have to do three things:

Purchase my book through my publisher’s website  (www.chapelstreeteditions.com)
Leave a comment on any of my Blogs (www.nichepoetryandprose.wordpress.com or www.janetims.com or www.janetimsdotcom.wordpress.com) with the words ‘within easy reach’ somewhere in the comment
Be ready to send me, via email, a scan of your purchase receipt.

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The cover painting ‘brambles’ is done in acrylics, size 10″ by 10″, with gallery edges.

February 29, 2016 ‘brambles’ Jane Tims

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I hope you will love my book, as much as I loved creating the poems and drawings!

~

Copyright 2016 Jane Tims

early schooling – finding the one room schools

I am continuing to find interesting information in the Annual Report of the Schools of New Brunswick 1888 (Fredericton, 1889). This report includes information on the number of one room school houses in the late 1800s. Although the numbers are for all schools, you can see, by comparing the numbers of teachers to the numbers of schools, most schools had only one room.

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Statistics on Schools in Four Counties of New Brunswick as of December 31, 1887

County
Number of Schools
Number of Teachers
Number of Students
Number of Boys
Number of Girls


York
167
178
5558
2811
2746


Sunbury
46
48
1050
553
497


Queens
85
87
2196
1088
1108


Kings
155
161
4552
2303
2249


All Counties
1542
1613
55492
27888
27604

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One of the things I want to do in my new project is visit a number of the schools still standing in four counties in the lower Saint John River watershed (Kings, Queens, Sunbury and York Counties). I’ll also visit some locations where schools once stood but are now gone.

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Finding these schools by driving the roads is a rather inefficient approach. So how do I find the whereabouts of over 400 one room schools? To start, the location of every school in Kings County in 1862 is known from the Walling Map.  For more information on this map, see http://www.rubycusack.com/issue34.html

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I have also found a valuable resource in a book I found for sale at Amazon.com : Diana Moore and Andrea Schwenke. New Brunswick Schools: A Guide to Archival Sources. Acadiensis Press: Fredericton, 1992. The Guide provides information on where to find various sources for early schooling in New Brunswick. I will be consulting some of these:

a scrapbook by Marion Johnston Dunphy who photographed 150 schools from 1974 to 1984 (The One Room Schools of New Brunswick and What Became of Them).
a list of one room schools in Kings County in 1983 prepared by The Kings County Retired Teachers Association
old school records in the Provincial Archives and the Archives of the Saint John Museum
diaries of people who taught school, for example C. Gordon Lawrence (Tracy School, Sunbury County, 1903 – 1962)
various exercise books, workbooks and school registers from the 1800s

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The first of many drawings about days at the one room school. I think I should take a course on drawing people. They look a little bored.

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Copyright Jane Tims 2016

‘within easy reach’ … a poetry book about wild edibles and local foods

all about my new book:

within easy reach by Jane Spavold Tims

(with a foreword by Freeman Patterson)

Chapel Street Editions, Woodstock

www.chapelstreeteditions.com

May 2016

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includes poems and pencil drawings about

eating local foods and gathering wild edible plants

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poetry about picking berries, gathering herbs and roots, gardening, fishing

local markets, beekeeping and salad greens

explores how easy it is to bring local foods into your diet

and

considers the barriers to eating local and gathering wild foods

explores abandoned gardens

poisonous berries and berries in bottles

includes poems about our history of eating wild foods

and about New Brunswick’s special local foods:

maple syrup and fiddleheads

coastal plants like goosetongue greens and samphire

land-locked salmon 

notes on each plant – characteristics and uses

seventeen pencil drawings

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this book will remind you of your own experiences picking berries

a tribute to every age of our lives – dancing in the school gym and picking berries with arthritic hands

it will recall the habits of your ancestors

a beautiful book – rests open in your hands as you read

a font so easy on the eyes

I hope you will love within easy reach

~

Jane Tims

2016

~

 

songs in the grey woods – ovenbird

He can be a bit monotonous. A bit of a scold. He reminds me of a rusty hinge. He says teacher-teacher-teacher, repeating his song through the woodland. He is the Ovenbird.

~

His scientific name is Seiurus aurocapilla. Seiurus (which I remember as ‘serious’) is from the Greek meaning ‘tail shake’, a reference to the characteristic upward flip of his tail. The name aurocapilla means golden-haired referring to his crest of orangy feathers. The Ovenbird is olive-brown, with a streaked white breast. He has a white ring around his eye, a white throat and a dark line below his cheek. He looks a bit like a thrush, but is a large warbler.

~

His serious nature and his call of ‘teacher, teacher, teacher’ make me think I’ll include a poem about his ways in my project about one room school houses in New Brunswick. This is how my poems usually begin, with a whisper from nature.

~

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Copyright 2016  Jane Tims 

Songs in the grey woods – ovenbird

He can be a bit monotonous. A bit of a scold. He reminds me of a rusty hinge. He says teacher-teacher-teacher, repeating his song through the woodland. He is the Ovenbird.

~

His scientific name is Seiurus aurocapilla. Seiurus (which I remember as ‘serious’) is from the Greek meaning ‘tail shake’, a reference to the characteristic upward flip of his tail. The name aurocapilla means golden-haired referring to his crest of orangy feathers. The Ovenbird is olive-brown, with a streaked white breast. He has a white ring around his eye, a white throat and a dark line below his cheek. He looks a bit like a thrush, but is a large warbler.

~

His serious nature and his call of ‘teacher, teacher, teacher’ make me think I’ll include a poem about his ways in my project about one room school houses in New Brunswick. This is how my poems usually begin, with a whisper from nature.

~

~

Copyright 2016  Jane Tims 

Songs in the grey woods – black-throated green

Our grey woods are noisy this week. White-throated sparrows, nuthatches, ovenbirds and chickadees. Loudest of all is a black-throated green warbler. He says, in his raspy voice, at intervals of about ten seconds: zee-zee-zee-zee- whee-zee, also a more musical dee-dee, dee-dee, doo-dee (the doo a note lower than the dee). He perches near the tops of the tamarack and red maple trees.

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I sat on our deck a long while, and finally caught him as he paused in a red maple. He had a bright yellow head and looked back at me over his white wing stripe before he flew away. I also get an occasional glimpse of him as he flies from tree to tree. His best features are his yellow head, the two white stripes on each wing, and his black throat.

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a view of the tamarack trees and spruce where the black-throated green warbler is singing – the red maple is just starting to leaf-out

~

Copyright Jane Tims 2016

Norman Families Living in Missouri in 1860

In my search for my Great-Grandfather Frank Norman, I became interested in where Norman families were living in Missouri in 1860. Frank was born around 1855, so it is likely his family was still in Missouri for the 1860 Census. Locating all the Normans in Missouri also helped me be certain I have not missed any possible Frank Normans in my search.

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To do this, I searched the 1860 US Census for the name Norman and located each family on an 1856 map of Missouri. Each black dot represents one or more households living at that location in 1860. I have included the table of households at the end of this post, in case this information would help other Norman families in their genealogy searches. I have double-checked the information but please be aware, there may be households missing or incorrect. My next genealogy project is to map the Norman families in Missouri in 1870.

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In 1860, there were 92 households in Missouri with people having the surname Norman. Some of these were families, some with more than one generation in the household, some with as many as eight children. Some were young men or women living or working as servants or laborers with other families. Some were young children, living with foster families.

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Four of Norman families had sons named Francis. As I have explained in earlier posts, I have eliminated three of these as possible candidates for my Great-Grandfather.  I think my ancestor  was Francis M. Norman, son of Moses and Betsy Norman, living in Hooker, Laclede County.

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Copyright 2016 Jane Tims

 

Norman Families in Missouri in 1860 in order of County (from US Census)

Household Number (for my own reference)
Male (usually husband but also father or son)
Age
Female (usually wife but also mother or daughter)
Age
Number Other Normans in House-hold

(* son Francis)
Township
County
Family name if living with another family













14
Jas
37
Margaret
35
4
Jefferson
Andrew



34
Lewis
47
Martha
26
4
Liberty
Barry



35
Joseph
35
Mahala
33
7
Liberty
Barry



47
Joel
39
Mary Ann
26
3
Shoal Creek
Barry



73
George
68
Rachel
68

Liberty
Barry



24


Mary
31
3
Cedar
Boone



74
Jas T.
32



Cedar
Boone
Senor


65


Charlotte
60

Center
Buchanan
Smith


29
William
43
Eliz
27
4
Williamsburg
Callaway



8
Jas
22
Eliz N.
24

Wakenda
Carroll



54
C.P.
26
Josephine
18
2
Dolan
Cass



12


Louisa
15

Jackson
Clark
McMillan


31
Charles
9



St. Francisville
Clark
Wayland


75
Jos
23



Moniteau
Cooper
Jones


53
Samuel
34
America
38
4
Benton
Dallas



25
Joseph
36
Phoebe
32
4
Jefferson
Davies



66


Elizabeth
60

Jefferson
Davies
Downs


30
William
9



Clay
Dunklin
Smith


76
John
40
Angeline
20

Union
Dunklin



9
James
14


1* (F.)
Boone
Franklin
Brauley


44
William A.
36
Mary A.
30
4* (Wm.F.)
Wilson
Greene



57
James C.
42
Sarah
30
2
Pond Creek
Greene



77
Robert P.
25
Mary L.
19

Wilson
Greene



61
Aaron (Vanarman)
39
Sarah
34
4
Center
Knox



38
Moses
65
Lucinda
35
8
Hooker
Laclede



39
Moses
29
Betsy
30
2 * (Francis M.)
Hooker
Laclede



60
William
14



Buck Prairie
Lawrence
Grammar


78
J.B.
30
Unknown
25
1
Twnshp 57
Linn



18
B.F.
27
Malinda
24
4
Chillicothe
Livingston



79
Elias
30
Lefy
20
1
Chillicothe
Livingston



13
B.
46
Caroline
45
7
Warren
Marion



80
Giles
27



Ohio
Mississippi
Knowles


20
A.R.
32
C.A.
29
2
Twnshp 44
Moniteau



21
John
34
Rosanna
29
5* (S.F.)
Twnshp 44
Moniteau



22
Alfred
60
Ann
56
3
Twnshp 44
Moniteau



63


Ann
56

Twnshp 44
Moniteau



81
George
21



Twnshp 44
Moniteau



82
Jacob F.
24



Twnshp 44
Moniteau



10
Thomas
14
C.C.
16

Jefferson
Monroe
Scobee


11
Handkerson
30
Nannie
36
3
Jefferson
Monroe



68


Clarissa
45

Marion
Monroe
Irons


27
Allen
40
Catherine
30
5
Danville
Montgomery



28
Barry
35
Dulcina
34
4
Danville
Montgomery



64


Susan
69

Danville
Montgomery
Whitesides/Armstrong


45
Samuel
7



New Madrid
New Madrid
Fluty


83
William
28



New Madrid
New Madrid
White


26
Oliver
26
Arraminta
18
2
Nodaway
Nodaway



5
Thomas N.
40
Julia A.
25
5
Oak Grove
Oregon



6
Benjamin
52
Hester
39
1
Oak Grove
Oregon



23
M.G.
30
Mary A.
29
3
Piney
Oregon



7
John B.
17
Chlany
32
4
Clarkesville
Pike



84
William
45
Eliza
32
4
Pettis
Platte



40
Thomas J.
49
Lucina
43
8
Johnson
Polk



41
G.W.
43
Eliza
36
6
Johnson
Polk



19
L.M.
29
Susannah
26
3
York
Putnam



85
Henry
32



Spencer
Ralls



1
Samuel
22



Fabius
Schuyler



2


Hannah
53
3
Fabius
Schuyler



3
A.
36
Mary
28
4
Fabius
Schuyler



86
James
29
Anna
19

Fabius
Schuyler



87
Minor
26
Ellen
18
1
Liberty
Schuyler



49
John
30
Mary
30
4
Mount Pleasant
Scotland



59
Hankerson
59
Eliz
50
1
Harrison
Scotland



15
Charles W.
37
Ally
72
4
Moreland
Scott



16
John
50
Diana
36
5
Moreland
Scott



48
Louis
43
Permelia
43
3
Kelso
Scott



58
Washington
23
Bennetta
42
2
Kelso
Scott



69


Bethia
43
1
Rickland
Scott
Archer


70
James
50



Kelso
Scott



71
Henry
35
Eliza
30
3
Jackson
Shelby



88
James
26



Tiger
Shelby
Graham


33
John
42
Mary
30
1
St. Louis
St. Louis



56
Robert
20



St. Louis
St. Louis



72
Dan
45



St. Louis
St. Louis



89
Betson
63



St. Louis
St. Louis



90
John
30



St. Louis
St. Louis



91
William
30
Anna
30
1
St. Louis
St. Louis



36
W.W.
53
Belinda
40
6
Castor
Stoddard



37
William F.
37
Sarah
28
6
Castor
Stoddard



42
Eli
32
Eliz
34
6
Liberty
Stoddard



43
Elija
32
Elizabeth
32
3
Liberty
Stoddard



92
Mathew J.
30
Christian
22
3
Castor
Stoddard



46
Thomas
7
Mary
8

North Salem
Sullivan
Harris


50
Joseph
34
Virginia
34
5
West Locust
Sullivan



51
George
35
Alcinda
35
8
West Locust
Sullivan



52
Stephen
54
Frances
60
3
West Locust
Sullivan



55
James
22
Mary
18

Ozark
Texas



32
John
38
Deborah
38
6
Ozark
Webster



67


Martha
49

Marshfield
Webster



62
Peter
25



Jackson
Westport
Thoes

 

fiddlehead season in New Brunswick

This time of year in New Brunswick, the fields and riversides are turning green. The leaves of the alders are the size of a mouse’s ear and that means fishing in the streams. The small leaves of the red maples are like green stars against a blue sky. And bouquets of fiddlehead ferns are unfolding in the wet meadows and along the shores.

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Fiddleheads, the young coiled leaf fronds of the Ostrich fern (Matteuccia Struthiopteris (L.) Tod.), are a local delicacy in New Brunswick. Steamed, with a pat of butter, they are the perfect vegetable for a spring meal. Fiddleheads are one of the edible wild plants featured in my book ‘within easy reach’ (Chapel Street Editions). I will be launching my book at 7 pm on June 9, 2016 at Westminster Books in Fredericton. If you live in the Fredericton area, I would be so happy to see you there!

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For more information on the fiddlehead, see https://janetims.com/2012/05/19/making-friends-with-the-ferns-2/

Fiddleheads along the Saint John River in the Grand Lake Meadows

 

a drawing of a covered bridge

Another drawing for my manuscript ‘in the shelter of the covered bridge’: Hammond River #2 French Village Covered Bridge

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Cow vetch and Timothy at the entry to the covered bridge:

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Who were ‘B’ and ‘E’?  Who was ‘Roger’?

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Hammond River #2 – packed in green

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Copyright 2016 Jane Tims