The Practice Sessions: Rachel Shenk of La Bonne Vie

Observation and intention

Hello beautiful human,

The title of Rachel Shenk’s Substack, La Bonne Vie, was enough to recommend her to me and I quickly pushed the “follow” button. Within days, I had increased to a subscription, eager to learn what I could from this woman: a baker, cheesemonger and an artist who clearly values and lives a slow, good life. I was already enjoying her words…and then over the holidays I received this loveliness in the mail!

Clearly this is an artist and thinker whose voice and ideas I want to amplify and share. When I asked her if she’d share a little of herself and her practice with all of us here at An Inviting Space, her response was immediate and enthusiastic. I’m delighted and grateful.

My name is Rachel Shenk. From my birth and childhood in Belgium, with detours to Spain and Scotland, through my years as an artisan baker in a small midwestern U.S. town, there are stories to tell, small details to observe. I write a weekly column, La Bonne Vie, that covers varied topics, sometimes with a recipe. My cultural upbringing wends its way through my writing.

I’m also currently a cheesemonger at our local farmers’ market where I continue to sell bread and pastries.

I’m a traveler (I go back to the “old country” twice a year), a lifelong reader, a block printer. And I’m always up for cooking a delicious meal and sharing it with friends.

The Five Questions for the Practice Sessions

What are your current fascinations?

My current fascinations are ones I have had for a long time.

My love of baking continues even after my retirement from the bakery I owned and ran. Working with my hands keeps me grounded. I’m still fascinated by how yeast works to make the bread rise, how simple ingredients can turn into exquisite baked goods.

I started writing almost 20 years ago for my local newspaper. I’m now also on Substack and continue to enjoy the written word. I’m fascinated by words: how they sound, how they look on the page, what they convey to others. That makes me a lifelong reader as well.

For many years, I was fascinated by block printing. Inspired by an artist that I met through my mother, and after receiving a starter tool kit from my partner, I started making block prints. I’ve been at it long enough that I now consider myself an artist in the medium. The whole process of drawing, carving and printing continues to fascinate me.

My parents created in me a fascination for new places, new information and new ideas. I love to travel and discover hidden places or find beauty in the everyday life of other countries.

What does a “delicious day” consist of, for you?

From sunrise to sundown, a delicious day means that I will be intentional in the way that I live. That includes taking the time to notice the small details of an ordinary day. The soft color in the sky or the way the sun shines on the top of the grasses, the smell in the air, the sounds around me, the joy of making and eating good food or drawing and printing my block prints. It’s a day that involves all of my senses.

For a long time now, my delicious day would not be complete without a daily walk in our county park. With its woods, river and prairie, it offers me a place to breathe and recreate, observe animals in their habitat and follow the flow of the seasons in a detailed way.

How do you take care of yourself?

I listen to my body. I practice yoga. I go for daily walks and renew myself in nature.

I know my boundaries. I’ve learned to be true to myself. I know what I want.

I regularly take time away from my day-to-day for renewal.

We are the stories we tell. I’m curious if, at this point, you sense yourself moving into any new stories, or if there are stories you feel you’re recovering?

In the last year, one of my newer stories is making peace with my cultural background. Only recently did I realize that who I am is based upon my Belgian roots rather than how I was parented. Learning that, in some ways, I will always be an outsider here in the U.S where I live has been an eye opening experience. I’ve brought a lot of good change to my community without realizing that it was coming from my cultural background. This is an ongoing story that I write about every now and then.

Let’s include a gratitude you’d like to share with us…a person, or a place, or something you’d like to express gratitude for who has helped you arrive at this moment.

My gratitude continually goes out to the customers who made my bakery a community place, to the readers who gave my column a longstanding spot in the paper, to those who’ve purchased my art.

And to my partner who has supported me through all my big ideas.

And I’m grateful for the small things: the call of a woodpecker, the warmth of my wood stove, the tiny ray of sunshine peeking through a dark gray sky, the smooth ball of dough under my hands, the scent of frying onions in the pan, the buttery flavor of a croissant for breakfast.

There is an unending list of little things I’m grateful for, if I just take the time to notice.

As a “lifelong reader,” Rachel shared some of her current favorite titles with us. You can find them at Baker’s Dozen Books.

Find Rachel’s practice shared below, “The Practice of Observation and Intention.”