In the northern hemisphere, the “dog days of summer” take place between Jul 3 and Aug 11—the hottest, muggiest part of the calendar.

In our neck of the woods — Crystal Lake, Illinois — it’s been a bit more generous this year. It started earlier and we’re told it’s going to last longer.

Back when the evening sky wasn’t obscured by artificial lights and smog, people all over the globe drew mental pictures on the nighttime canvas by connecting the dots…stars. The images they saw were based on their geographic location. Today we call these pictures “constellations.”

Canis Major—the big dog—is Sirius. In the summer Sirius rises and sets with the sun. Back in the day, people felt that its heat added to the heat of the sun, creating this stretch of hot, sultry weather. As such, they named it “dog days” after the dog star.

Do the dog days of summer have you howling at the moon?

Listen with your heart,

Laurie Buchanan

“Whatever you are not changing, you are choosing.”

— Laurie Buchanan

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