Ep 69. Origin of Dog Days of Summer

Join me and a loud chorus of cicadas during an extremely dry heat wave, leading to a story about the Origin of the Dog Days of Summer & Sweating like a Pig that may surprise you. 

 But before we dig into why it's called the Dog Days, the episode starts with an update about an adored beech tree that dropped an enormous limb. (You may recall we spoke about Beloved Mr. Beach in Episode 45.) A sad day, but like all of us, trees need to stay balanced. 

 We end with a reflection of Miss Ellie and Jolee cooling themselves in the garden during the Dog Days of Summer, bringing to mind a gifted plaque with a poem by an anonymous writer after Miss Ellie passed.

 Link to Related Stories:

Origin of Dog Days & Sweating Like a Pig

Watering Distressed Plants is much like Watering New Plant Babies

About Mr. Beech in Beloved Beech Trees

About a cherished Pet Memorial Celebration in a previous story titled Forest Bathing

Link to a story about Miss Ellie Mae, my Unexpected Furry Messenger 

Cicadas Sing 'Back to School'

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Kind listeners, I'd love to hear about your garden and nature stories. And your thoughts about topics for future podcast episodes. Please email me at AskMaryStone@gmail.com. 

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Thank you for sharing the garden of life,

Mary Stone, Columnist & Garden Designer

Garden Dilemmas? AskMaryStone.com 

More about the Podcast and Column:

 Welcome to Garden Dilemmas, Delights, and Discoveries.

 It's not only about gardens; it's about nature's inspirations, about grasping the glories of the world around us, gathering what we learned from Mother Nature, and carrying these lessons into our garden of life. So, let's jump in, in the spirit of learning from each other. We have lots to talk about.

Thanks for tuning in, Mary Stone 
Garden Dilemmas? AskMaryStone.com
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Transcript

Ep 69 Origin of Dog Days of Summer 

Sun, August 13, 2022. 7:00 AM 08:39 Owner: Mary Stone

SUMMARY KEYWORDS

Dog Days of Summer, Dog Day Origin, Dog Star, Beech Trees, Squirrels, Mary Stone, Garden Dilemmas, Ask Mary Stone

 SPEAKERS Mary Stone

0:00

Podcast Intro: Hello, fellow lovers of all things green. I'm Mary Stone, and welcome to Garden Dilemmas, Delights, and Discoveries. It's not only about gardens. It's about nature's inspirations, about grasping the glories of the world around us, gathering what we learned from mother nature, and carrying these lessons into our garden of life. So, let's jump in in the spirit of learning from each other. We have lots to talk about. 

 Hello there, fellow listeners thanks for coming by and sitting with me on the steamy hot screened porch; it's Mary Stone -- welcome. 

 There's undoubtedly been a heat wave, and many people and plants are stressed, which leads to the story we'll share today about the Origin of the Dog Days of summer and Sweating like a Pig. 

 But before we go onto that, if I may share a story about my adored beech tree right outside of the bedroom window. You may recall we spoke about Beloved Mr. Beech in Episode 45, inspired by Jane Goodall's The Book of Hope we chatted about in the episode prior (episode 44 Nature's Inspiration in the Book of Hope)

 On Monday, we woke to a 300-pound portion of Mr. Beech on the ground. I believe it became out of balance after we had branches pruned away from the house a week before. 

 Like all of us, trees need to stay balanced, so the large limb that was actually a conglomeration of four large branches off the side of the tree came cascading down. Yes, there was rot in the center of the segment. So eventually, it would've fallen to the ground, I suppose. But I felt heavyhearted, having caused it to come down early. 

 We had a tree service here to take down ash trees. You likely know about the emerald ash borer wreaking havoc, killing ash trees on the Eastern corridor. It's been devasting to see. And so the tree folks returned for the cleanup and took care of a downed branch. 

 This morning while looking at the tree, the canopy brought in more light. The large wound faces opposite the house towards the brook. So that's a good thing; I don't see it from the window, but I feel the pain. Curiously I also feel a lightness – as if the tree is glad to shed the heavy burden. Maybe that seems odd to you, but I feel the energy of trees. Do you too?  

 The crux of the joined branches has been a nest for several squirrel families over the years. I watched a young squirrel at the bottom of the tree nosing around and wondered if the little guy was looking for the nest. After he inspected the base of the tree, he slowly climbed it to the wounded spot. He then perched himself on a branch above it as if, like I, he was digesting the new shape of the tree (his home)—a tender moment… the cycle of life. 

 Trees are resilient, and I hope the jagged wound will heal somehow. As will all of the plants struggling in the heat and humidity as of late. So, let's move on to today's story, which starts like this: 

  Hello fellow listeners and readers,  

 Mysteriously, a photo of our dear Miss Ellie appeared while posting last week's column on the AskMaryStone.com website. It was taken on a hot day while out weeding. Miss Ellie plopped herself in the garden to cool herself off. It brought a smile as recently I snagged a photo of Jolee doing the same thing almost in the same spot. 

  We certainly have been in the thick of the Dog Days of summer. The Farmer's Almanac explains that the Dog Days run from July 3 to August 11 each year. So hopefully, soon, we won't be sweating like a pig. Have you ever wondered where these old sayings originate?

 Like pigs, dogs barely sweat. However, dogs pant heavily to cool themselves as they only have a few sweat glands on the pads of their feet. Maybe their heavy panting is what earned the name Dog Days. But it turns out it has to do with the stars.

During the peak of summer, the Sun and Sirius, the brightest star we see on earth, are in the same area. And Sirius is in the Canis Major constellation, meaning the Greater Dog. Hence Sirius, which means scorching or glowing in Greek, is referred to as the Dog Star.

 The Dog Days of summer originates from the Roman days when they associated the rise of Sirius before the Sun as the signal of the beginning of evil drought and disease. They thought the brightness of Sirius added to the Sun's heat. On the contrary, the ancient Egyptians associated the rise of Sirius before the Sun with the floodwaters of the Nile River, which was welcomed to their desert lands bringing fertile soil to grow crops.

 While the Dog Star seems to rise later than it did in ancient times, it still appears during the summer heat and is sometimes visible to the naked eye at the height of the day.

We've indeed endured a wretchedly hot spell. Never mind the oppressive humidity adding to the misery with several days of heat advisories. Exerting yourself in the heat is downright dangerous. And, combined with the lack of rain, it's caused havoc to many plants.

 I've advised clients with established gardens to resume watering distressed plants until the dry spell ends. 

 Back to the old-time sayings—Like dogs, pigs have only a few sweat glands that aren't very useful in managing their body temperature, so Wilbur wallows in the mud to cool off. The adage sweating like a pig comes from melting pig iron, a crude iron that sweats when it cools. Pig iron was so named because it's shaped into molds that look like suckling piglets.

The photos of Miss Ellie and Jolee cooling themselves in the garden bring to mind a poem by an anonymous writer given to me soon after Miss Ellie passed.

 "It came to me that every time I lose a dog, they take a piece of my heart with them, and every new dog who comes into my life gifts me with a piece of their heart. If I live long enough, all of the components of my heart will be dog, and I will become as generous and loving as they are."

 Those that have had the privilege know that the Dog Days, the blessed days with our dogs, last forever in our hearts.

 Garden Dilemmas? AskMaryStone.com 

 Isn't that a beautiful poem? I felt touched when a friend gave it to me etched in a wooden plaque. I keep it nestled below the chair rail on the screened porch. And while the sentiment relates to those of us that have dogs, surely all furry friends (or scaley and feathered) fill the same spot in our hearts. 

 And so, while I hope this heat wave does subside, The Dog Days last forever. 

 Thanks so much for coming by… 

 Podcast Tag: You can follow Garden Dilemmas on Facebook or online at Garden Dilemmas.com and on Instagram and hashtag Mary Elaine Stone. Garden Dilemmas, Delights, and Discoveries is produced by Alex Bartling. Thanks for coming by.

I look forward to chatting again from my screen porch. And always remember to embrace the unexpected in this garden of life. Have a great day.