sunshine and creative rejuvenation
Went straight to wine and Stan Getz after a long day. Neilson’s cooking up some carbonara as we speak and I’m so ready to lie horizontal and watch Modern Family after dinner.
Following a full day of rain on yesterday’s favorite European holiday where Charlotte and I did not even attempt to leave the house, the sun peaked through a few times today. We were lucky enough to have two muguet (lily of the valley) deliveries to usher in a spring of good luck. I love looking at the beady little white blossoms sitting in the windowsill.
Neilson returned to racing yesterday after almost 7 weeks off this spring and it’s so nice he’s back to feeling himself. Also means the advent of lots more time apart but the weird part about getting so much extra time together this spring is it felt like stolen time.
We usually reserve having babysitters for going out with friends, but Monday night we had a date night before he left town. It was so refreshing to sit on a terrasse and sip wine and eat a frenzy of tiny, delicious plates and then order three desserts between the two of us. We walked home along the promenade, stuffed with pain perdu and strawberries and I felt like a child out past their bedtime watching the sun set from outside the walls of our apartment. It really is all the little things.
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creative revival
I bought a film online course about the basics of storytelling over the weekend when they were running a special, and it has been fun to watch. Honestly, I have to say lsat week was the renaissance of my creative self. I dug up some embroidery supplies to customize a little baby gift and then all the sudden had my camera out every day to take photos, and later found myself watercoloring baby journals. Charlotte is 7 months old but I can honestly say I haven’t had the urge or energy to be creative since she was born, and I feel a bit like my old self is finally waking up again. I didn’t realize how much I was missing that part of myself but my brain is suddenly looking at street corners differently and seeing inspiration in so many tiny places.
I think it’s all about a shift in perspective.
I have a really hard time creating for the sake of creating. Why is that? It’s hard for me to complete a task for the sole purpose of completing that craft or project or task. Maybe it’s because my profession right now is so fluid. I have a hard time doing something without jumping to some conclusion of what it could become.
I think the glamour of sacrificing my career for love and to live in Europe has kind of worn off and now it’s just our lives. It’s not something I think about every day. These deep conversations definitely come into my head more after watching friends perform and reminiscing. I miss using my body to make art. I miss making art as my physical and emotional outlet.
I’ve been trying to rest into the beauty of this season. Instead of rushing through Charlotte’s messy moments, how can I be more present and make meaningful memories? I might be multi-tasking for the rest of my life but aren’t those sweet moments with her worth it? I joked that my journaling was a first child thing because I have the time to do things like this but maybe its not!
loving lately
listened to this new podcast which made me laugh, about the realities of being married to a pro cyclist.
also kind of in a moorrgs era
watercolor journalling-hear me out it feels like doodling but it’s so fun
very proud of Neilson’s resilience and return to racing! the team shared a little interview with him here
this film 201 course from sara covey and simply by suzy about storytelling that has me pulling out my camera every day
basic tees from uniqlo-we just got a store here in Nice and their basics are the softest and best colors
really into navy blue as a staple right now
morning snuggles and reading board books with Charlotte
until next week! xxf