Swiss Wilderness. And Stuff.

Well, I don't have so much to say. But I have some pictures from the past month or so to share.

I like my home workspace. I don't love that my back is to my windows, but other than that, it's the right size, and the look makes me happy. Work at home is nice. :)

 Ahhh, summer. This was actually in Cortona, but I love the light.

 Basel also looks pretty good in the summer. I've been enjoying swimming in the river with Rebekkah in the evenings, and running by the river in the mornings. My running partner left for her fieldwork trip (that's the trouble with running with other PhD students!), so I'm on my own or running or riding my bike with others who I don't always get the chance to run or bike with.

 Sooo pretty, isn't it?

 Work lunch at a colleagues' house. I love having interesting, hard working, funny, hospitable co-workers. And, chandeliers seem to proliferate in my life lately. Two here, two at home...chandeliers everywhere. These are super cool, though.

Everyone has their grumpy spells, and what does Steph do when she's grumpy? She makes stuff! Last night it was banana - zucchini - walnut bread. A couple weeks ago I made curtains. They're not quite done, and since these photos were taken, I added silver curtain clips and rings. Looks better, and opens better.

The 1st of August was the Swiss National Day. I was off in the Canton of Graubuenden with my roommate, right on the Italian border, galavanting through the mountains for four days. 

Or more accurately, I was huffing and puffing as I walked slowly up the mountain, and then holding my breath as I tiptoed even more slowly down the steep, gravely hinterside. 

But alas, I made it out of the Swiss Wilderness alive, even if a little disappointed that I didn't see any of the two (or is it actually only one?) bears that supposedly roam those woods.

I did see several marmots, red deer, and a squirrel. And the wildflowers were amazing. Other than Edelweiss, which is a hardy-looking little plant, I'm always impressed with how delicate the mountain flowers seem. Little dainty forget-me-nots in the prettiest baby blue, against rock and ice. It's stunning, really. That was my first time to the mountains this summer (didn't work out last time). As expected, it was very relaxing. We hiked in the oldest national park in Europe, and it looked a lot like Washington. Gotta say, though...deer evidently are more exciting on a hiking trip if you didn't see them in your backyard every day growing up. Herds of Elk still impress me...those used to wander through our yard every fall, but they're really beautiful animals. And I would have been completely impressed with the bear!

 Oh, and we visited a glacier.

 Sara is undaunted by "Glacier avalanche zones: enter at your own risk" signs.

This glacier has been rapidly receding. As we approached, we passed signs marking where the glacier reached to ever ten years or so over the past century. Representing it that way made it much more real.

And, finally....Basel Tattoo. This was earlier in July.

And that's it for now!