Corona de Tucson
July 29, 2025
The phrase "dog days of summer" refers to the hottest and most humid days of the year from July 3 to August 11. Growing up in small town Georgia, I loved these days...no school, napping or reading in the glider on the front porch, ice tea and homemade cookies, and playing hide and seek with friends at dusk. I never really thought much about the heat and humidity back in those days or why the "dog days of summer" was even a phrase I heard often.
This summertime saying actually goes all the way back to the Ancient Romans who associated the rising of Sirius, the brightest star in the constellation Canis Major (Great Dog) with the hottest part of the summer and believed the star contributed to the intense heat. Sirius is the brightest star in the night sky and can be seen in the southern sky.
There are many bewitching and crazy beliefs about the dog days of summer...
1) Dogs and men (it didn't mention us women) go mad (or crazy) during this time of year. I get it ! That's why the hot time of day is for napping and reading at our little oasis in the desert.
2) It's the time of year haints (or ghosts) are more active. Back in the day, women washed walls in their homes with vinegar while men wore their socks inside out and their baseball hats backward. So that is how the fad started ! And it's also the reason why a lot of southern porch ceilings are/were painted blue like water...haints can't cross water. Blue porch ceilings are pretty and remind me of the beautiful sky...water never crossed my mind !
3) If dogs eat grass during a dog day morning, we can expect rain before the end of the day. I'm not sure about that...who knows?
4) The dew on dog day mornings is poisonous to open wounds. There is actually evidence that this might be true, but we won't worry about that here...whew!
And the list goes on...but do the dog days of summer really have anything to do with dogs. If your pup goes swimming in ponds/lakes this time of year, then the answer might be yes. A bacteria, leptospirosis, grows in hot, damp areas around the water's edge in all parts of the country. It transfers to pups through through their yes, nose and mouth. During the dog days of summer, your pup is at a greater risk for this. Thank goodness there is a vaccine for "lepto bacteria"...better safe that sorry !
And then there is this...
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| This was the only photo I took of Lucy at the gardens...the only time she was still ! |
Pink was my favorite color as we walked the paths that twist and wind there way thru the different gardens...
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| Coral Vine or Queen's Wreath |
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| Easter Lily Cactus...native to south Brazil |
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| Crepe Myrtle |
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| Phlox |
And looking back at the photos, I only had one upshot. I like the filtered sunlight.
Our only other outing was an appointment to get Joe's stitches taken out. It's nice to have that done and we celebrated at Five Guys. Joe's favorite fries and my favorite burger.
Back at the oasis, daily walks,
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| Ocotillo leaves |
playtime with Lucy,
rainy days,
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| Agave |
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| A wet male Bullock's Oriole |
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| A reflection... |
and patio time fills our days.
Back on the east coast...
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| Felix has a birthday...9 years old ! |
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| Edith...such a girly girl |
July is almost a wrap with a few more of those dog days of summer still on the calendar in August. It's nice to enjoy the days we have when we have them and at the same time remember/hope that fall is on it's way. Until next time,
