Leaving One's Beaten Track

Yesterday I went running again. As I have been staying at my Mama's house for some time I was happy to be back on my usual running track. But life can be quite ironic sometimes and I was confronted with a traffic sign telling me the street was closed due to construction work ahead. So I was forced to leave my beaten track and took an unknown one, a small track leading into the forest. I wasn't too happy at first: I tend to feel quite insecure when I'm on an unknown way. There are too many questions in my mind which usually keep me from enjoying the run. Where does the track lead to? Will this track be too long or too short for me? Will it suddenly end and force me to turn around (I can't stand this when I'm running)? Will the track lead me to a degenerated, incestious, cannibalistic tribe deep in the woods? (The usual questions, you see.)
However, this time I was able to enjoy the new way nevertheless! It offered a splendid view over the river loop and provided a surrealistic fairy tale atmosphere which made me even forget that I was running. Plus: it was neither too long nor too short and led me back on my usual track in the end but with the advantage of having had the opportunity to receive new perspectives and to learn that the unknown is not necessarily hostile or insecure.
It is nice to have one's beaten track, to be sure, but it turns out that it is also very advisable to leave it from time to time!
Have fun, good luck, take care!
Sibylle

Not part of the running track (neither the usual nor the new one) but a new track we found during a nice summer evening stroll.

Red June

A wonderful evening in June surrounded by the color red in an Italian restaurant

Even though we're already heading towards the end of July I just have to share my June impressions with you! Curiously, the color red seemed to be a recurring theme during that month: e.g. the dinner in the Italian restaurant with a very red and very delicious rosè wine, the iconic red roses, the red tablecloth and the red peppers in my spaghetti aglio e olio (without the aglio and parmesan to make it stomach and vegan-friendly - not on the photo); the red poppy near the street on my way to work - so beautiful against the luscious complentary green of the meadows; and a lot of red food in general (tomatoes - dryed, in paste form and fresh, peppers, and berries).

July has faded the luscious colors of June a little - suddenly summer is THERE: Saturday is expected to hit the 40ºC limit. Still I try to enjoy the hot temperatures - I complained too much about the cold and long winter. And the hot temperatures in combination with our family fest revived some nice childhood memories which were epitomized when my sister Marina and I ran through the water jets of the lawn sprinkler. As the red was the dominant color of June, July was probably light blue - the color of the mainly unclouded sky (or when it was clouded the clouds were of a light blue color as well).

I wonder what color will be dominant in August. Maybe the faded yellow of the corn,  oats, and wheat fields near my Mama's house where I'm staying at the moment (my apartment is again too hot for poor fluffy Leopold)? We'll see. I'll let you know!

Have fun, good luck, take care!
Sibylle