Every year July and August – those dreaded dog days.
Never have I ever heard anyone say, “I love dog days!” Jada wants no part of them outside. She much prefers to stay inside lying on the cool hardwood floor, her bed, or the couch.
When I was growing up, spending my summers in the country with my grandparents or cousins, I thought dog days meant days so hot the dogs did not want to do anything but laze round in the shade. We were lazy, too. Our clothes and hair were damp, or even wet, with sweat if we had to do anything in the sun. I do not remember being told to keep hydrated, but I do remember drinking a lot of tea.
In Alabama, Dog days are getting hotter and hotter. Today it is 94 degrees Fahrenheit with a heat index of105F (40.5C). I dare say anyone or anything who has to be outside is suffering. I have not tried frying an egg on my concrete but maybe could. I do know I can not walk barefoot on my concrete.
I found this butterfly on one of my zinnias this morning. Likely the heat compromised his wings.
The term dog days goes back much farther than those hot summer July and August days of my youth. In ancient Greek, dog days began when the bright star Sirius, the dog star, rose in the sky. I do not have enough imagination to see a dog in the constellation, but the ancient Greeks did.
Go to DogTime.com for images and explanation of the history of the term. I am going to keep my growing-up-in-Alabama definition, make some tea, and go sit under a shade tree though and sweat.
https://dogtime.com/lifestyle/65835-dog-days-of-summer
If you are interested in Astrology…https://web.pa.msu.edu/people/horvatin/Astronomy_Facts/constellation_pages/canis_major.htm
