Sunday 3 July 2022

Dog Says of Summer

 Happy Sunday !!  It's cool and rainy here today, a pleasant change from the heat we had and most welcome by my flowers!  Our rain barrels were getting very empty and this should help.  We debated whether to walk or not. I'm so glad we opted to go because the air was so fresh and so few people were out walking that we  both had more energy than usual (and managed to extend our walk ).  We rewarded ourselves upon returning.  We had the last of some date squares from the freezer ( I'm sure they were in there a month or more).  Being that old they absolutely needed to be topped with ice cream.

I read this bit earlier and you might be interested, if not just skip it.

The “Dog Days” of summer are from July 3 to August 11 each year. They’re usually the hottest and most unbearable days of the season. We often hear about the “Dog Days” of summer, but few know where the expression originated. Some think it’s a reference to the hot, sultry days that are “not fit for a dog.” Others suggest it’s the time of year when the extreme heat drives dogs mad. But where does the term come from? And what does it have to do with dogs?

The phrase is a reference to Sirius, the Dog Star. During the “Dog Days” period, the Sun occupies the same region of the sky as Sirius, the brightest star visible from any part of Earth. Sirius is a part of the constellation Canis Major, the Greater Dog.

In the summer, Sirius rises and sets with the Sun. On July 23rd, specifically, it is in conjunction with the Sun, and because the star is so bright, the ancient Romans believed it actually gave off heat and added to the Sun’s warmth, accounting for the long stretch of sultry weather. They referred to this time as diēs caniculārēs, or “dog days.”

Thus, the term Dog Days of Summer came to mean the 20 days before and 20 days after this alignment of Sirius with the Sun—July 3 to August 11 each year.


 If you read till here you're amazing.  Thanks for coming by today,  GM

21 comments:

  1. Interesting to learn the history about the Dog Days! We have them in Norway too, Hunde dagene. In Norway it was said that in the Dog Days it was difficult to make whipped cream, and if you got the cream stiff it would turn sour. We had our wedding on July 5th, and I remember my mother was worried how it would go to make the cream cake! It went well, the cake was delicious and we had a wonderful wedding day :)

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  2. Very interesting . . . I've heard this phrase all my life but never gave it any thought. You learn something every day, thanks :)

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  3. Rain can do more for flowers than any old garden hose, but it looks like mine will just have to do with the latter for there's little to no chance of rain here for another week or two. Date Squares with ice cream sounds like the perfect reward for a couple of dedicated walkers. If Millie could talk, I am sure she would have her own opinion about the dreaded Dog Days of Summer. :~)

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  4. Sounds like a good walk. Love those fresh mornings.
    Interesting reading about the dog days of summer.

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  5. VERY INTERSESTING!!! We also say "Hundstage", but I always thought, it is because dogs don't like the big heat of the summer. Now I know the right background of these days and I love it! Thank you dear Granny Marigold!!

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  6. I asked my husband, and he said, he thinks that during these days dogs like to find some cool air in their hut:) Also my eldest son is fascinated and did not know until now about Sirius!!

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  7. I've heard that about the Dog Days of Summer before...but didn't know about the stars! Thanks for the interesting info. I always have the Dog Days written on my annual calendar.

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  8. I must be amazing!!! :))
    I'm sure those 'old' date squares tasted much much better with that bit of icecream :) xx

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  9. Date bars!! Yum. I think the age like fine wine. And a scoop of ice cream would define scrumptious

    Happy Dog Days of summer.

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  10. As a child we spent many hot evenings out in the yard with the neighbor kids. We would throw blankets on the grass and watch th stars once it got dark — it was magical. Now I can’t go out because the mosquitos try to carry me off! I miss those star gazing days

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  11. Oh we need some rain here! We did get about 1/2 inch a few days ago but oh we need more. It's so hot and humid. I tried walking outside earlier and quickly came back inside. We are grilling ribs on this 4th of July and I am praying it cools off a tad before we eat outside late this afternoon. I have too heard that the snakes are really bad during dog days too. They are out and about searching for water. I hope that your July brings lots of fun and wonderful things your way dear GM. Hugs and blessings, Cindy

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  12. Thanks for enlightening us about the origin of "Dog Days" - always interesting to learn the history of things we take for granted!
    Ellabie

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  13. I didn't know any of that. We just called the hottest of the hot days, the dog days. We were always outside in the hot days and stayed out until we absolutely had to go to bed because there was no A/C. However, we did survive. Today it was 112F here "feels like" temperature. 102F actual. It was miserable, even for the 4th of July. Fireworks are booming like crazy right now at 9:15 Central time.
    Blessings,
    Betsy

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  14. Well, that was interesting. Blogging can be so educational!

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  15. Good morning, Granny Marigold!

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  16. Thank you for the information on the Dog Days of Summer. I find it interesting because I have wondered where the expression came from.

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  17. Well, I definitely learned something today! :)
    - Sheila

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  18. Interesting post!!
    Have a beautiful week and take care...
    Titti

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  19. The Dog Days of Summer information was interesting. I like learning where those old expressions come from.

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  20. Interesting. I always considered August the dog days because that's when people just sort of shut down during hot August days. Now I know it has to do with astronomy. Doesn't everything?

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