Thursday, or Thereabouts - September 25, 2014

Indian Summer

There was a frost last week, a morning dusted in white.

And now we are basking in Autumn days filled with warm, almost high summer temperatures and brilliant blue skies - Indian Summer.









I stepped outside my front door last evening and into a place of stunning beauty. The last rays of the sun angled high to light up the tree tops. The greens, the golds, the reds and even the browns vibrated with colour.

I took a stroll around the outside of my house this afternoon and even in full light the colours dazzle.
It is the reds though that always take my breath away.

And I am so privileged to live here in the middle of an Indian Summer in full bloom.

"With the golden glow of peaceful contentment

        may I truly appreciate this autumn day."

Edward Hays - Prayers for a Planetary Pilgrim

©2014 April Hoeller

Thursday, or Thereabouts - August 21, 2014

A Great Escape

Sometimes the best thing for me to do, the only thing that I can do to soothe the heartbreak, the turmoil of questions without answers that swirls in my head, the sense of utter helplessness that haunts my soul when world events turn frightful, horrific, and incomprehensible, is seek temporary refuge in images of beauty.

I'm not running away from duties and responsibilities for I have no active role to play in any of the conflicts, epidemics or natural disasters. I have no magic elixir with which to dose the combatants, the casualties, the bereaved. And a kiss will not make it all better.

I give what I can to the NGO's that take no sides but just do what they can to alleviate suffering. Medecins sans Frontieres (MSF) tops my list every time. A few mouse clicks and my donation is done. I feel good about that - for a moment, but then a great wave of helplessness sweeps all that comfort away, a tsunami triggered by conflict in Gaza, the Ukraine, Iraq, Syria, Ebola in Africa, landslides in Japan, and intolerance in Ferguson, Missouri. And that's just the front page of the news this morning. I dare not look any further.

So here I offer you my antidote to the poisonous horror in the news; here I share with you my great escape.
May you find a moment of rest, a sigh of contentment, a smile.

All of the above images were taken at the Royal Botanical Gardens in October of 2011.

©2014 April Hoeller

Monday Moanings - October 28, 2013

The Tower of Doom

I knew it was dangerous. It knew I was placing my entire weekend with all its plans and chores in jeopardy, but temptation had me by the throat. Well, what harm could there possibly be in just looking?

My feet easily ignored all the feeble admonitions to turn the other way and I watched my outstretched hands park the over-sized grocery cart then felt my body turn and move toward an irresistible panorama. Pupils dilated, heart racing, fingers twitching I stood before a tower of Dowdle jigsaw puzzles in Costco.

250, 500, 1000 pieces - what's your pleasure?

A panoply of folk art skylines - Paris, Chicago, Old Montreal, Toronto, Quebec, and more - called out to me, and tucked in here and there a Santa Claus grinned from the front of a sleigh full of toys. I swayed before the luminous tower of doom and two boxes jumped into my hands. "Christmas presents for others," I vowed.

I turned away from the tower of temptation, but alas I cast a glance back over my shoulder. Only for a moment, I swear! Long enough to see the bright orange jack-o-lantern wink at me. I was instantly bewitched by 'All Hallow's Eve'. The box levitated into my cart.

And so here I am on this Monday morning face to face with an over flowing ToDo list. Ah, but there's a twinkle in my eye and a finished puzzle on the dining room table. There is nothing quite so satisfying as the soft click as a puzzle piece finds its place in the whole. There is nothing like bringing order and beauty out of a jumble of cardboard. And the feeling as I press that final piece into place is as close to perfection as it gets.

"All Hallow's Eve" Dowdle Puzzles

It's time to kick off into a new week - I've got some catching up to do.
Enjoy!

text ©2013 April Hoeller

Thursday, or Thereabouts - October 17, 2013

Sophie's Choice

It's been a stunning Autumn so far. Many, many days of sunshine and warm temperatures lure me outside to meander through the forest and revel in the splendour of it all. I confess that I "left undone those things which I ought to have done" and fallen for Autumn's siren call - again, and again, and again. Woe is me.

Every morning all the "oughts" and "shoulds" line up to wag fingers of condemnation at me as they hector, "Today, today you must go to the gym. Today you must work."

Every morning I drink in remorse along with my cappuccino and I resolve to do better, to resist the temptation of the world outside my door, to get to the gym, then get back home to nail my backside to the chair and get to work on my book. But then the great day star rises above the trees, drenching my writing space in light. The world outside sparkles and Autumn quickens her step. I cap my pen, turn from the page for just a moment...




Our faithful canine Sophie stirs at my feet, stands and stretches then rests her chin on my lap. Her mismatched eyes - one blue,one brown - are as seductive as the season, "Let's go for a walk, mummy. Pleeeeeze." And I am undone. Camera and dog treats at the ready, we make good our escape into the forest.

Sophie wanted to go all the way to the stream yesterday, way at the far east end of the trail, a good 3 mile hike round trip. In fact when I tried to take the more usual path, she simply sat down and would not budge until I caved in. There had been quite a lot of rain overnight so the ground was soft and glistening. It was grand. And it was after all, Sophie's choice.

Text & photos ©2013 April Hoeller

Thursday, or Thereabouts - October 3, 2013

Yet another magnificent Autumn day has dawned in southern Ontario. Once again it's too lovely out there to stay indoors glued to a chair, working on the book. The truth is that with more than two weeks of almost uninterrupted loveliness, my writing is pretty much at a standstill. I comfort myself with the knowledge that this sunshine and warmth cannot last and soon we'll all be cocooned indoors with blankies and tea by the fireplace. But for now there are apples to be picked, leaves to be raked, pies to be made and most importantly walks to be taken. See ya out there!



Photo & Text: ©2013 April Hoeller

Thursday, or Thereabouts - July 11, 2013

"Fill your paper with the breathings of your heart."

This William Wordsworth quotation has been bouncing around in my consciousness for a few days now, and I'm happy to report that several more pages of the memoir I'm working on have been filled as a result of that bobber in the midst of the otherwise placid lake of my mindfulness. Yay!

Some days fishing is a good metaphor for my writing process - just throw out a line and see what's biting.Today I'm honing 'catch and release' skills, which in fishing is a fine and admirable practice but in writing nets a very paltry take, unless of course you are my inner critic. My inner critic is having a blast. She can hardly believe her luck on the lake today. All I can hear is her gleeful cackle: "That one's too big. That one's too small. That one's no good. That one bites."

The write fish has got to be out there, somewhere. I check my tackle and recast the line, aiming for the quiet pool just beyond the reeds, just over the rock ledge, that ... perfect ... spot. Ahh but alas, perfection is the inner critic's splash park. No wonder she's having so much fun today!

Time for me to exchange my pen for the camera, for today the breathings of my heart inspire me discover wordless images of beauty and wonder, joy and love. And that's about as perfect as anything gets.

Let's go for a walk in my garden.

Now let's head over to the York Regional Forest - Hollidge Tract

And back home again for a good roll in the grass:

All photos ©April Hoeller 2013