The dog days of summer are the hottest, most sultry days of summer, usually from early July to the beginning of September. Why are they called the Dog Days of Summer? According to Wikiedia -The Dog Days originally were the days when Sirius rose just before or at the same time as sunrise (heliacal rising), which is no longer true, owing to precession of the equinoxes. The Romans sacrificed a brown dog at the beginning of the Dog Days to appease the rage of Sirius, believing that the star was the cause of the hot, sultry weather.
In Ancient Rome, the Dog Days extended from July 24 through August 24 (or, alternatively July 23-August 23).
According to The Book of Common Prayer (1552), the "Dog Daies" begin on July 6 and end on August 17.
The Old Farmer's Almanac lists the traditional timing of the Dog Days as the 40 days beginning July 3 and ending August 11, coinciding with the ancient heliacal (at sunrise) rising of the Dog Star, Sirius. These are the days of the year when rainfall is at its lowest levels.
That is certainly holding true this year. It's been horribly hot and humid. I'd sure like to give my airconditioners a rest. Not to mention, I don't even want to see my electric bill. It rained for a bit and now it feels like a sauna.
Hang in there, winter is coming and we'll be complaining about that. Give me spring all year round.
5 comments:
I actually prefer winter. Summer is too hot and Spring and fall are hell on my allergies. Plus, the bugs are hibernating. You can dress for the cold. Even if you went naked you can't get cool in summer.
My mother believed in the Dog Days of Summer. She always said nothing would heal during that time of the year!!
I also wish winter would get here!!
It sounds like a hunky Sirius fantasy romance novel, somehow, and the Dog Days are calling our hunky hero, Sirius in. I think it was the word sultry...
Interesting.
I think here in Corfu we have a pack of dogs summer. It is stifling and humidity unbearable. I pray for rain.
I just want cooler temps. I hate winter. I hate having to bundle up just to take the dogs out. I actually like Spring best.
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