Hello August!

The swifts have returned to Africa, but August has arrived. And with it, another week of summer.

The week started with three hot summer days. Days that I began with an early morning run. Right after sunrise, before the temperatures got too hot for it. After the hesitant summer weather of the past few months, I’m enjoying these hot days. Even if you spend a lot of them in darkened rooms, from which you only emerge when the sun is low in the sky and a breeze provides some relief. I like the subdued light in the rooms and the gentle flow of air from the fans that provide some refreshment.

Inspiration in the summer heat

Due to a funeral, I was forced to expose myself to the sun on Tuesday in the midday heat and with appropriately respectable clothing. As the subsequent funeral coffee was held at Vitra in Weil am Rhein and to lift my spirits a little, I took a short walk through the campus. The architecture and especially the large garden designed by Piet Andoulf are a place of inspiration for me and always provide a sense of good energy.

Happy birthday Switzerland

Wednesday was all about August 1st, even though it wasn’t until Thursday. Basel traditionally celebrates on the eve of the Swiss National Day along the banks of the Rhine and the city is decorated with national flags. After several years in which either the celebration was canceled due to the pandemic or I was in New York, this year it was finally time to enjoy the atmosphere again. An approaching thunderstorm and light rain just before the fireworks at 11pm cooled things down, but didn’t detract much from the whole experience.

The second phase of summer

Thanks to the public holiday, August got off to a quiet and relaxed start. In Switzerland, all the stores are always closed when it’s a public holiday or Sunday. The sky over the city was also empty. The swifts leave the city every year in the last days of July to head back to Africa, where they stay until next May. For me, this is always the first sign that summer is changing and will soon turn into late summer. Unfortunately, it is doing the same this year, even though it started so late. The colorful blossoms on the flowers have turned into brown seed heads on the stems. No less artistic and beautiful, but very different. The fields have been harvested, the meadows are brown. There is something melancholy about it.

From brown to blue

But the sunny weather was also ideal for making cyanotypes. I made a few of them this week. It’s always fascinating to go through the process, from yellow-brown paper that turns grayish in the sun and then deep blue in the water.

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