We'll try to find a spare sunbeam.
Dog Days
Why do we call the hot, sticky days at the heart of summer Dog Days?
It’s certainly not because dogs enjoy those days. Because they don’t sweat like we do, dogs can only cool themselves off by panting. When it’s 92 degrees in the shade, that’s a whole lot of panting. My dogs have taken to lying across the AC vents, paws straight out. And they’re no longer excited for walks; I think Emily suspects me of trying to roast her.
No, the Dog Days are named for Sirius, also known as the Dog Star. The brightest star in the constellation Canis Major, Sirius appears to rise alongside the sun in July and August*. The ancient Greeks and Romans believed that the proximity of these two bright stars caused the torrid heat, fever, and disease of late summer days. They employed sacrifices, prayers, and incantations, imploring the gods to shield them from heat and pestilence.
Today, we have more options. Air conditioning, ice, refrigerators dispensing cool beverages. All of which probably work better than sacrificing rams to Zeus.
If your refrigerator is running low on cool beverages, we can help with that. Feel free to bring Fido along while you’re shopping. Pour Richard’s remains dog-friendly, and our treat jar was just re-stocked.
No need to wait for another heat wave, either. At Pour Richard’s, every day is a Dog Day.
*in the northern hemisphere