is august summer anymore?

I never considered myself to be old, especially considering the grand picture of things. Lately, though, i have been noticing that i am witnessing a transformation that feels as if its excelerating at a rather startling rate. Its August, at least for another five days. Its also 16 degrees outside, and feels more like a crisp and rainy autumn day than it does a sweltering summer one.

The Sarajevo Film Festival seems to be my new measure. This year is the twelfth year of the festival. I think i have been visiting the festival since 1997. Although i prefer the regional competition and the documentary program called 'panorama', there is just something charming about sitting in an open air theatre to watch a good film with 2,500 other people. If my memory serves me, the festival - always at this time of August, sees nippy nights and ritual thunder and rain storms. This year is no exception, with quite a few cool and windy evenings and several rainouts. My hot memories of almost every August of my life are fading.

Sarajevo is tucked in a small valley and surrounded by 2,000m plus mountains in three directions, so just a day or two of cloud cover can drop the temperature 15-20 degrees Celcius. Its now become normal for cold and hard rains to fall for the festival, as if summer has been hijacked by July, and sometimes even June. The BBC just reported on early Springs...but i've yet to hear about early autumn, or is that just automatically assumed the early springs bring early autumns?

Regradless, it seems in my short lifetime that weather patterns are changing. And for a thirty something, it somehow concerns me how aware i am of the changes and how rapid they seem to be approaching. It would be comforting to know that I am exaggerating...or even just imaging these things. But my gut tells me otherwise. I no longer put my light jumpers away for the summer. They are an active part of my wardrobe.

I guess we'll be seeing more rainy festivals in sarajevo as august slowly leaves the throne as summer centerpiece...and steadily joins ranks with the changing of the leaves.