This pupper didn’t have any wrinkles a couple of days ago.  But it has been so hot here, most everyone is melting…..  or looks like they are melting.

Dog Days of Summer.  Oh, everyone has  heard it from time to time.  But we’ve had a few days of record breaking heat here in the south.  Our high temp today was 104 degrees.  The heat index was 115.  Opposite of chill factor….

I like the heat, generally.  I would much rather be hot than cold.  Just my preference… we are all wired differently.  But today felt a little hot… even to me.  So as we usher in this Summer Solstice….  just remember…. the days get shorter from here on out.  The nights get longer.  Freezing ice cold temperatures are on the way… with snow storms, sleet, icy roads….. all of this just around the corner.  So hang on….  not too much longer until it starts getting dark at 5:30 p.m.  Chill Factor.

IT appears once again that I am partial to ALL things canine…. including the Dog Days of Summer…..

Woof!

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Some FUN FACTS, I found tonight…..

How did the phrase start (Dog Days of Summer) ?  The origins go ALL the way back to the Ancient Romans.  (  The Romans referred to the dog days as diēs caniculārēs and associated the hot weather with the star Sirius. They considered Sirius to be the “Dog Star” because it is the brightest star in the constellation Canis Major (Large Dog).  )  Extensive Information at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dog_Days //

In Ancient Rome, the Dog Days extended from July 24 through August 24 (or, alternatively July 23-August 23). In many European cultures (German, French, Italian) this period is still said to be the time of the Dog Days.

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.

In the long ago… around the time of Summer Solstice Celebrations……Midsummer  was thought to be a time of magic, when evil spirits were said to appear. To thwart them, Pagans often wore protective garlands of herbs and flowers. One of the most powerful of them was a plant called ‘chase-devil’, which is known today as St. John’s Wort and still used by modern herbalists as a mood stabilizer.