Research states that the "dog days" of summer originated by a period of misfortune when people were plagued by drought and both animals and humans slowly went crazy. I must say that this sounds a bit extreme; however, as I write this in my office I am watching various birds swoop in and out of my sprinkler that’s waving back and forth across my front flower beds. Squirrels are scampering in the shallow puddles and two yellow butterflies keep lighting on my window ledge by droplets of moisture. I would not say they are acting crazy, but certainly lapping up the tiny oasis in my yard.
According to the Farmer's Almanac ‘Dog Days’ are from July 3 to August 11. Mother Nature must have missed this memo because our drought is still alive and well. It is suggested that this term refers to the hot sultry days that are not fit for a dog. One article pointed to the reference of Sirius, the brightest star visible from any part of Earth. This star is part of the constellation Canis Major, the Greater Dog. At this time of year, it is aligned with the sun in a way the Roman's believed put off its own heat adding to that of the Sun.
In this day and time, we know all of this is simply a myth and the tilt of our planet is the reasoning for hotter and likely dryer days at this time of year. But do we? Or is this heat slowly driving us crazy? It is tough to watch a yard shrivel up and turn brown during what’s normally the greenest part of our year. One neighbor reported a possum and two racoons arguing over their dog's water bowl.
Not only is it record breaking hot but dry to the bone. In times like this we all say to ourselves, "I will never complain about rain again." We are even kind of hoping for a mild tropical depression to settle in for a few days creating a rain event to plump back up our foliage and cool down the atmosphere.
My husband has never been one to get into decorating for the holidays, but the other day he was waiting on a pizza and strolled around a store where he found Halloween decorations. He brought home a skeleton chicken to surprise the grandchildren who have chickens. A few days later he brought home a skeleton sitting on a commode singing a song for the grandson who is potty training. Then he brought home a huge skeleton wolf with glowing red eyes that howls. He has also brought home a hanging phantom and planned out how he is going to set up the front yard for Halloween.
We are so tired of watching the weather as even the weathermen and women seem hesitant to deliver the bad news. One week after another of triple digits. A lingering high clamping down on the center part of the country. A Gulf heating up which we know suggests building more than a depression but a full-on storm. At the rate we are going, my husband's decorations are going to look like a real-life setting.
As I was complaining to him about this build up of Halloween designs piling up in the grandkids playroom when it was only August, a large truck pulled up in the yard with squealing brakes. A tall box was delivered by our front door just out of reach of the sprinkler. It was a new Christmas tree I ordered. An eight-foot pencil Christmas tree I had decided I would put in a new place this year as I planned out how I was going to decorate.
Maybe we are both wishing this month away by focusing on that other Earth shift where we tilt away from the scorching heat. The grass will still die, but it will be cool while it is happening.
Maybe there is some truth to this "dog day" legend. Maybe Sirius is up there laughing with Mother Nature and Father Time as we scramble about. As I write this, I actually hear thunder. Will it be the teaser it was yesterday or a prayed for storm or is that dog star knocking around some furniture? Anyone up for a rain dance?
