Summer days
Summer mood set in this week. The days got hot and my apartment and I switched into summer mode.
Summers in Basel are not as easy as those in New York or other places where air conditioning is as much a part of summer as ice cream and swimming pools. In my case, with an attic apartment that is generously windowed but sparsely shaded, summer always means heat. Fortunately, last year I discovered reflective films and fly screens, which reduce the heat radiation through the windows to a minimum. The downside is, they darken the apartment accordingly. For this reason, I always wait until it’s really necessary before I install them, because I love the views and the bright light in the apartment. At the beginning of the week, however, I was finally ready to mount everything because the temperatures were at the height of summer and the sun was beating down on the roof all day. Of course, it still gets warm, but just enough to be bearable. And that also has its nice sides. I like these days when you can sit under the parasol on the balcony wearing nothing but shorts and let the day fade away. Read a book, have a cool drink and eat. And the food is just as light as the summer feeling. Gazpacho, salads, fresh vegetables…
The beginning of a summer’s day
Drifting away by the summer mood
The daily rhythm changes and I do my active and sporting routines early in the morning. When there’s still a light breeze through the open windows that smells of fresh coffee and hay. So I’ve always been out jogging or doing my workout around sunrise. The peaceful morning mood, especially in nature, is simply a beautiful moment and I look forward to getting up and going outside every day.
![20240716-42x42-web Matthias Maier | Allalin](https://matthiasmaier.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/20240716-42x42-web.jpg)
Alpine Landscape – Allalin | transfer, acryllics and ink on paper | 42cm x 42cm • 16.5″ x 16.5″
Pleasure and work
In addition to all the dolce vita feelings that summer days bring, work was also on the agenda. I’ve finished redesigning a website that I’ve had on my list for a while and the painting of mount Allalin that I started last week has also been completed. It’s nice when work is finished at the end of a week and you can be satisfied with what you’ve achieved.
Mural language
Cooling down
Summer days don’t last long this year with its somewhat unusual, unstable and wet weather and this week was no exception. The sunny days were replaced by more rainy though somewhat more bearable weather towards the end of the week. Which was fine. On a walk through the neighborhood on Sunday, I took a few more interesting photos that capture the mood of the familiar surroundings during these mid July days.
Neighborhood eyecatcher