During the day, there is a sultry sun, under which both children and adults dream of hiding in the shade. All roads lead to a river, a lake, or at least to a pool at a dacha. Anyone who has not swum in the Dnieper or eaten corn on the beach near Odessa does not know the real Ukrainian summer!

The heat seems to disrupt the rhythm, making time soft and stretched out. The streets of provincial towns freeze in a midday slumber, and grandmothers water the beds and cook cherry jam. Summer is when you wake up with the first rays of light, have breakfast with tomatoes from the garden and feel that everything is just beginning.

In the evenings — favorite gatherings in the yard, with a guitar, with a glass of homemade wine. Mosquitoes are an obligatory part of the landscape, and the heat is a reason to go out onto the balcony in a nightgown and dream about something of your own.

Summer in Ukraine is loud markets, trips to the Carpathians or to the sea, the aroma of fresh bread and long conversations under the stars. This is the season of freedom, when you just live — slowly, with pleasure, with love.

And what is your favorite memory of the hot Ukrainian summer? 🌻