Mourre collection reflects this area

By Michelle Shaw

This slim collection of essays is my first encounter with prairie writer Helen Mourre’s work and I was quickly captivated by her thoughtful and detailed descriptions of a life well lived.

I consciously slowed down as I read through the essays in The Day I Walked on Water (Your Nickel’s Worth Publishing), partly because I didn’t want them to end but also because I wanted to savour each word picture and ponder Mourre’s musings on faith, family and the seasons of life.

The essays are firmly grounded in Saskatchewan - even those that take place elsewhere are still solidly tethered to the province. In each essay, Mourre slows us down to a particular place and time and gives us snapshots of her life through the years.

Many of the essays are centred around Rosetown and the surrounding areas, where the author and her family have lived for many years. There are so many quintessentially Saskatchewan moments such as swimming at Waskesiu Lake, late-night campfires at Outlook park and visits to Pike Lake.

Mourre also explores the interconnectedness of spirituality and writing and considers how her faith has informed her writing. I found her observations fascinating.

This is her first foray into non-fiction and I’m already looking forward to her next. Her previous three books were all short story collections - two of which were finalists in the Saskatchewan Book Awards.

This book is available from www.skbooks.com.

- Sask. Publishers Group