The Heron Spirals: A Commonplace Book

by Caroline Balderston Parry

From author's website: The Heron Spirals, A Commonplace Book traces both writer/educator Caroline Balderston Parry’s roots and the spiraling routes of spiritual growth through the midlife crisis of widowhood and into new roles. Above all she celebrates the examined life — and herons! Her vivid text details the dance of the seasons and the herons in Mud Lake, an urban wetlands along the Ottawa River, and farther afield. Like the old commonplace books, The Heron Spirals includes many prose, poetry or song quotations and the artist Roderick MacIver ’s gentle watercolours, which richly compliment the whole.

Paperback

First published January 1, 2013

Reviews

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author views her spirituality as a relationship with herons. She takes us though several years of her life, including an unsettled marriage beginning to get back on track, her husband's sudden death, grief, an affair with a friend, moving on. Besides her own thoughts, there are quotes, bits of poetry and music and many lovely watercolors of natural scenes, most featuring herons.

I borrowed this from a tiny free library that has appeared on my route to work. The book is a lovely object, the feel of the cover and pages, the watercolors, and easy to read. I also love the out of doors and herons but her style of spirituality is not mine.