Perhaps at first, I chose the city because of its name. For my non-Russian-speaking readers, let me explain that the name of the town of Novi-Sad translates directly as a new garden. So, I thought that a “new garden” symbolized a new beginning. Then we visited Novi-Sad in June of this year and made the final decision to move here, to this charming small town in northern Serbia. The old center of Novi-Sad is predominantly Austrian-Hungarian in architecture, with those lovely small houses and beautiful church spires. It’s cozy, charming, green, and less crowded compared to our hometown of Novosibirsk, a city with about two million citizens.
The prevalence of southern trees here—chestnuts, sycamores, acacias, fig trees and other exotic ones —suggests that the climate is similar to that of southern regions of Russia. This summer turned out to be statistically the hottest in decades. The locals themselves were amazed by such changes. We, arriving here in June, were simply overwhelmed by the stifling heat. However, it’s worth noting that summer in Siberia was unusually hot as well. My sister recently boasted about how she grew watermelons in an open bed, not in a greenhouse.
The coming September opens perhaps the most picturesque and cosy period – my favourite season. And in Siberia I love the golden autumn, which is often cut short by sudden frosts coupled with strong winds that tear off all the beauty from the trees and leave them bare, thus depriving us of the opportunity to admire the autumn colours.
My first autumn here in Novi Sad will be an eye-opener for me, I guess. All the trees are still green now, the grass is starting to come back to life after the rains and break through the thickness of straw, which it turned into during the summer drought. I am anticipating this period of long admiring the yellow-red-orange leaves of the Lindens and Kazuro trees, Sumac and Sycamores. And the birches will remind me of home with their noisy rustling and crumbling seed earrings.
A long long autumn, warm, fragrant with leaves and moisture, inspiring and soothing, the autumn of long walks and talks, long evenings and tea gatherings.
