Dog Days of Summer

We are still in the "Dog Days" of summer. The hot "Dog Days of Summer" are the same time each year from July 3rd to August 11th. "Dog days" is commonly referenced during the period of extreme heat when dogs lay around and are inactive and panting. Of course, there's much more to it than that.  Sirius, the brightest star in the sky at night, is referred to as the "Dog Star". The pre-dawn rising of Sirius (which means "scorching" in Ancient Greek) is believed to contribute to extreme weather in the summer.

Personally, when I think of Dog Days of summer I think of snakes. I saw a black rat snake in our field, and had a dream about a copperhead snake last night, so Dog Days of summer have been on my mind. I might add that I love and respect snakes. They have a purpose and play an important role in the natural world. When I was young I was told that during the Dog Days snakes shed their skin and are more prevalent, and may even strike more often because they temporarily lose sight. That they go blind is a myth, however, but a snake's vision is temporarily impaired when it shed its skin. There is much more interesting history online, and in books, on why we call this time of year the "Dog Days" of summer. It's a subject worth checking out. And just a reminder as the heat continues to "scorch" many areas, keep your dogs and other pets cool, and provide them with plenty of water to drink. Here in Marianna, it is supposed to be 90 degrees today!