La Vie Est Belle 2015: Inspiration for the Year to Come

A New Year is such a delicious thing. Old years (while full of blessings, joy, and delight) are full of pain, mistakes, past-darkness, and fears. Not that the bad outweighs the good. At this time last year, I was unpublished, unemployed, and wondering what on earth I meant to do for money. Exactly twelve months later, I am well-established as a nanny, have two novels independently published, a novella more or less traditionally published, and a children's book ready to make the rounds. I went to Romania and came back, I traveled to work two summer camps, my best friend and best big brother got married, I had a whirlwind 24-hour jaunt to DC to see my other best friend after 2 1/2 years apart, and I fulfilled a long-held dream of acting as Stylist for a client or two. Another close friend got married, so many became engaged, babies were born everywhere, and God has continued to provide for our needs in miraculous ways.  So while twenty-fourteen was a hugely happy year full of new paths, new accomplishments, new jobs and relationships and lessons and faithfulness, I am also conscious that it was a year of turmoil for many people. I think of the unrest in Russia and Ukraine, Syria, Israel, the riots and mobs over racial matters in our country, the terror of ISIS and the many sadistic crimes it has committed...I think of several people who will not be living 2015 and the empty spaces they leave in the lives of their families and friends. Twenty-fourteen was a BIG year. For me, it was a good year. But I am tired of those twelve-months. Tired in a way I have seldom been tired before. It's funny how finishing with your tail whipped in a marathon and finishing triumphant feel nearly the same: you're still winded and breathless and ready to rest. It's time to bury 2014 in the gentle, winter snow (which has yet to appear) and to look forward with joyful anticipation to the fresh year ahead and all God intends to do in my life for His glory in it.

I have goals marked out for 2015, but enough about that in a different post. For now, I will give you the gift some of the beautiful images that have begun to serve as inspiration for this infant year due any day now. I have let myself wander through Pinterest in my Christmas break, pulling from here and there images that inspire me creatively, stylistically, spiritually, and practically. The funny thing about nearly every one of these pictures is its simplicity. I think I'm craving a rest from the craziness that was 2014. So funny how your subconscious tells on you! One of my main goals for 2015 is "Less of okay, more of excellent," in many many aspects of life. Including the things I allow to crowd my life. The simplifying begins with a series of photos I have given myself time to enjoy:

What is your gift to yourself before 2015 starts?

(you can find these images and more on my "Essentially Rachel" board)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Life is...

Life is....

Cuddles from a baby when you're barely awake...

Coffee in the mornin'....

Trying new recipes for new situations with new people...

Spontaneous bursting-in-to-Broadway with the girls when we're supposed to be cleaning, and lending out my lipstick to Anna and Emily so they can play "Eponine and Cossette." 

Drawing elephants on my hand just because hand-elephants are cute...

Stepping out on the porch in the middle of fixing dinner just to watch the sunset.

Dabbling in paints and paper and brushes...

Wearing lace in my hair...

And putting it up soft and gentle.

Crazy cousins...

And new leather travel journals....

and forgetting which way to hold the tablet when taking a selfie...

Life is beautiful. <3

// box hill //

If you recall before I left Virginia to travel down to Georgia, I mentioned that I was concocting a "Box Hill Plan? Well, that plan was to take a day and go with the lovely Wilson girls up to Colonial Williamsburg. Just daring enough that it was an official trip, just close enough that we could run home again if needed. ;)

Well...we did. It was amazing. 

Ham sandwiches (the best I think I've ever eaten), lemonade (frozen the night before and thawing while we traipsed about!), strawberries, apple pie, and more, all eaten on a blanket under a tree in front of the Insane Asylum...ahem. Yeah. :P (okay. It used to be an insane asylum in Those Days. It's a museum now.) Also, we happened to have chosen a spot that was actually a bus stop, and we were the only shade around so we had a crowd of strangers witnessing our repast! Haha! I fondly christened this plan our "Box Hill Trip" and so of course, being the Austen-lover I am, I roped Morgan into reenacting the Box Hill Scene from Emma while Katie took pictures. :D She got to be Emma since I was the only one of us wearing pants that day. :P 

"I'm sure I'll love anyone you pick out! Only she must have eyes that are just the shade of yours." 

(Don't I make a charming rake? ;)

Frank: "You must say one thing very clever, two things moderately clever, or three things very dull indeed."

Miss Bates: "Three things very dull indeed? Why, that'll just do for me. I'm sure to say three things very dull as soon as ever I open my mouth."

Emma: "Oh--but there is a difficulty--you must limit yourself. Only three at once."

After mastering that part of the scene I decided to try Mr. Knightley. My sweater-vest was perfect for pulling into a high-collar and cravat...I tried desperately to keep a straight face...

"Badly done, Emma. Badly done indeed!"

Breaking...

Breaking...

Entirely broken into hysteric giggles.

Ahhh...it was a lovely day. <3

sail away

Daniel got back from iGovern East on Saturday night. Abigail Taylor hurried up Sunday afternoon to see -us- him. ;) I had heard about the OpSail and Harbor Fest going on in Norfolk, and so I convinced Daniel and Abigail to take Sarah and I to the shores of the Elizabeth River to see all the tall-ships and sailing ships. It was a sight I will not soon forget. I was so glad that Sarah had her camera on her this time! She took many great pictures, some of which I've showed you below. :) I nearly lost my head with the sensation of travel and foreign-ness and novelty that came with standing in the presence of 51 ships from all the four corners of the earth.

Crazy-writer-girl ;)

I was taking research notes for Scuppernong Days--one of my new projects--and it was such a blessing to be able to see all these ships and get so much hands-on inspiration. :)

But of course I could not keep entirely to historical research. I did a great deal of people-watching, which is one of my most favorite things to do in public.

♫"I'm just people-watching, watching the people watching me!" ♫

I watched them.

I watched them...

I watched him...

And many others. :) I also amused myself by rating the ships on their courtesy, cleanliness, etc. The Mexican naval-training ship won for courtesy. They had immaculately-uniformed sailors positioned at the bottom of the steps down into the ship to help the ladies. :) I held my notebook in my right hand and grasped the rope-line in the other. "Let me help you!" one of the little, smiling middies said. I smiled and shook my head, being rather too laden with notebook and rope-line to hold onto his hand.
His face fell and he looked very sad indeed. "Please let me help you!" So, because of his pleading (or his charming insistence ;) I let go of the line, switched the notebook to the other hand, and let him escort me onto the deck. :D

Deep water...!

Chillin' in the hammocks. These things were way too comfortable. I'm thinking of resigning my bed and becoming a nightly sailor-ess. ;)

Rope knots!

"Course-sail, topsail, top-gallant sail, royal sail, sky-sail. " (from the bottom-up)

The love-birds & co.

Sarah & I

Ze beach-bum.

We only visited 7 of the 51 ships along the shore, but the ones we visited were beautiful! I must admit that I had strong thoughts of booking passage to some far-off country just so I could enjoy the ships a little longer--the breeze blowing on the castle, the billowing sails, the lines of taught rigging....it was amazing, and I know I shall never forget it. As it is, I wrote 7 pages about it in a letter to a friend, so I'm afraid it will become posterity. ;) My favorite ship as far as courtesy goes, was the Mexican ship. They won in that category. The Gloria from Columbia won as far as over-all-favorite ship, counting in sailors, look, flag (gigantic awesomeness) and music. :D The Indonesian ship was my least favorite. There was something very sinister and creepy about it, carved all over--as it was--with heavy flowers in dark wood.

I had a lovely lovely time and if ever I get a chance to go sailing, I might just brave seasickness to go! :) (we topped off the afternoon with steak fajitas as Plaza Azteca. Oh yeah! ;)