Dog Days of Summer

While midsummer is not here yet it soon will be. The dog days of summer are the "hottest, most sultry days of summer. It is a time in which the weather is very hot or stagnant or marked by a dull lack of progress. The name dog days comes from the dog star by the name of Sirius. This term dates back to the ancient Greeks and Romans A brown dog was often sacrificed during the dog days to appease Sirius.

Dog days are not universal. In the southern hemisphere they do not occur. Sirius is seen much of the year there. The northern hemisphere does not see the dog star most of the year starting in early July. Dog days in ancient times saw Sirius rise and set with the sun.

Dog days last around 40 days but may vary. The Old Farmer's Almanac says they run from July 3 through August 11 while the Common Book of Prayers (1552) says July 6 to August 17. One myth says that during dog days dogs go mad for no reason, hunting dogs wont hung, fish wont bite, sores and wounds dont heal, snakes go blind and strike at anything that comes near.

Happy Dog Days of Summer To you... Take a rest and relax.... Soon after it will be Harvest season