Slice of Life: The dog days of summer

The summer of 2023 for me will always be the summer of change. Shifting family roles as generational changes occurred, creating new relationships with other family members based on a new place they achieved in the hierarchy of life. And a new appreciation for the generational threads that hold families together. So, as I considered topics for my column this month, I found I was torn.

Opening my new property assessment provided ample thoughts to fill my 900 words with. Preparing to co-host an informational afternoon in September about what a Convention of States is was another tempting topic for me. And spending a few weekends at various fundraising and community events was also tempting to write about. So many different people step up to share their time, talents and sense of adventure to bring services, joy and laughter to others. But what I found my thoughts turning to over and over again is what I finally chose to sit down and share with you about.

The dog days of summer. The dog days, I always thought of as being the long, hot, long, dry days of summer. Yes, I said long twice. The days when even a dog won’t rise to chase its tail. The days when the air is still, and you need to climb a good tree to catch a simple summer breeze. The days when a child begins to think of returning to school and even teachers may begin to miss the structure of classroom time and schedules. The days when one has a moment to sit and contemplate the universe, or at least how much energy it will take to walk to the freezer for some ice cream, because in Sanders County there is no ice cream truck idling around the corner. Days when the river calls, and your body and soul respond. For me, these are the dog days of summer because this is how they arrived in my childhood.

But surprisingly, no. Yes, these can be some of the results, but the dog days of summer actually refer to the rising of the star system Sirius. The Romans referred to Sirius as the dog star. When Sirius appeared in the sky around July 3 until around August 11, the Romans called these the “days of the dog star” which eventually was shortened to the “dog days” and became the “dog days of summer,” according to ABC7news.com.

A brief read through Wikipedia agrees with the origin of the dog days of summer but goes on to mention how hot these days are, usually the hottest days of the year. The time frame for these days is connected by Hellenistic astrology to drought (yes), sudden thunderstorms (we see these too), and heat. Some also confer the lethargic efforts of people to this astrological phenomenon, but I’m not quite sold on that. Nor am I sold on the occurrence of mad dogs and bad luck some claim occurs during these days.

What I am sold on is that the dog days of summer provide a wonderful contrast to the winter storms that we all know are coming our way. To the snowdrifts and the icy roads. To the days when we wear multiple layers and love the heat of wood stoves. I often say that I love these hot days because I need to heat up my body core for the winter ahead. And people laugh, but my goodness, I am serious!

Friday, August 11, will be the last dog day of summer for those who follow the Farmer’s Almanac calendar. Sirius will fade away and the dog days will pass for the year 2023. Many who follow the folklore of astrology quote the following as a sign of what one might expect in the year ahead:

“Dog days bright and clear indicate a happy year; But when accompanied by rain, for better times our hopes are vain.”

We should all rest easy knowing July 3, 2023, was dry with temperatures in the 70s.

As we watch the summer of 2023 come to a close, I wish you all lovely long and relaxing dog days. May you find time to cloud watch, pick berries, read a good book and make lovely memories with those you love.

Shalom.

Chelle is a recovering social worker who currently works as a licensed massage therapist at Cherry Creek Myotherapy. She moved to Montana with her husband David and two pups, Lucas and Turner, where they seek “the quiet life” amid new adventures.