Summer reflections

This is my favorite church in Basel. It's a few blocks from where we live but I pass it almost daily when I bike to town. The flowerbeds are just lovely and always immaculate. In spring the big Magnolia tree was just gorgeous in full bloom here.

Summer is still lingering in the air. The past couple of days we have had nice summer temperatures with about 25 C. Yet you can feel and see a few hints of fall, fall fashion has arrived and is on display in store windows. Department stores are full of back to school items and summer evenings getting a little shorter. 

I had made this list of things I wanted to do for a summer in Basel that looked like this:

Bike around in town and explore. I did this a few times but maybe I had hope to do more of it.

Take a walk or jog along the Rhine. Did do a few walks.

Try out new recipes. Yes, check. Plenty of easy summer food with fresh ingredients.

Take the tram over to France and explore the cheese and bakeries of St. Louis. Still want to do this very much.

Clean the windows. Yes, check. It was a hell of a lot more work than I had anticipated.

Make plans for our Florida trip in the end of December this year. Yes, done. Feels good.You just can't show up in Disney world without having planned ahead.

Learn more about wine. Can check this partially off my list as well. I am really happy about the wine book I bought in Sweden. Also I am exited about the first wine tasting that I will be holding in October. Learning more about wine is a process that goes on for a long time. I feel I have started it at least.

Go to the gym. Yes, been there, done that. Actually I feel I am in better shape than I have ever been and that feels great. You can be in great shape even after your twenties. 

Find the Chocoloco store. Did find it and loved it. They have the best chocolate and also have nice wines. A wonderful shop for your senses.

Practice some German. At least I have done a little of that. I am exited to be starting my classes. About to take my bike and go to class right now.

Play around with Photoshop. Oooops did not do that.

Visit the farmers market in Germany. Still on my list.

Take a cruise a long the Rhine. Still on my list of things I would like to do.

Take a train trip somewhere. We did take the train to Lugano to pick up our new car so I guess that counts.

Make apricot salsa quesadillas. Yes and they sure were yummy!

Plan and have a Mexican summer party for friends. Did not happen. Is it too late? Not sure. At least we are having the Crawfish party tomorrow with Swedish friends.

So there were some things that I did and can happily check off my summer list and then some other things I did not get done. But hey, for me summer is all about relaxing as much as possible and doing the things you want to do. After all summer should be a time of fun and leisure. There are no musts. The rest of the year might be filled with tight schedules and a more strict everyday life so summer should be about feeling free, breaking away from musts and schedules.

Some of my favorite Friday moments have been my visits to the farmers market in Basel. 

I love exploring and going to new places. Creating a new map for myself. I also love hanging out with people that inspire me to be more adventurous and curious about the world. 

Life is beautiful. It's never too early to start or too late to begin. 

Love your self, exercise, rest and relax, eat right (most of the time), smile plenty, enjoy life, care for others, do more of the stuff you love and enjoy. All those days fly by faster than we all imagine.

Have a great weekend!