by- Amy Townsend
We all know the saying… but do you know where it actually came from?
I always thought the “dog days of summer” were just those really hot days at the end of summer. The grass is hot and tired, the hose is always running, everything is looking for shade, and maybe there’s a little end-of-summer blues mixed in there too.
Turns out, I was only a little bit wrong..
The name actually comes from Sirius, the Dog Star. Way back in ancient times, its appearance in the summer sky was associated with the hottest days of the year.
You’re welcome for your useless knowledge for the day.
Alrighty, let’s get back to earth… where it’s hotter than grandma’s kitchen and the hummingbirds are fighting over the feeder. The cicadas are singing- LOUDLY. Tomatoes just barely hanging on. The lizards are doing… whatever lizards do. The dogs are looking for the coolest spot they can find. Then there’s Sally, minding his own business not worried about the heat.
And the brown, crunchy grass? Well, that will always come with an Oklahoma summer.
So enjoy these Dog Days while they’re here. It won’t be long before the days are shorter, the evenings are colder, and we’re wishing for just a little bit of summer back. Then next summer we’ll complain that it’s too hot.
It’s just what we do. Photos – Amy Townsend
