Dog Days

July 3 through August 11 (approximately) are the “dog days of summer.” But, why are these hottest, most humid days, related to our canine friends? Perhaps, it’s because of the rising of Sirius, the Dog Star. At least, this is what some of the ancients  believed. These sticky days of summer affected them too. This is later than August 11 but I think we could say these days are still dog days–hot!

In this part of the world, summers are always hot or very hot. Winters are cold or very cold. The earth turns, seasons change and when cooler days get here, we are thankful! Many of us are looking forward to fall. My complaint with fall is that it’s too brief.

Dog days have their upside too–special things to combat those hot, sticky days. Eating watermelons is one of those juicy ways to cool off. And, ice cream! What would summer be without the sweet, cool joy of an ice cream cone?

When I was a child, summer meant barefoot days with dust squishing up between my toes, a trip to the creek for a swim, riding in the back of a pick-up and feeling the wind blowing against my face. I remember sitting in the shade of a tree and saying, “Feel that? That was a cool breeze.” When days are  hot, anything that offered a bit of relief was appreciated.

Soon, these Dog Days of summer will be past and a new season will be inching toward us. That’s the way it has always been and, hopefully, the way it will continue.