"The term dog days of summer refers to the period of hot and humid weather in the summer, traditionally from July 3rd to August 11th. This period is associated with the rising of the dog star, Sirus, in conjunction with the sun."
Wikipedia
Good old Wikipedia might want to update the definition above to extend from before July 3rd to way after August 11th, at least where this summer is concerned!
I was at the check out in Walmart one day recently (no, not the self-checkout, a real, living person trying to earn a real, living wage) and the older woman checking me out said that she had lived in this area all of her life and couldn't remember a summer that started out so hot, so early, and is still going strong. My poor little garden is taking quite a hit as well. Some things I planted never got beyond tiny shoots before the 105 degree heat indexes did them in. The herbs are hanging in there as well as the tiny cherry tomatoes, but the marigolds are all but done. Only the petunias are thriving which makes me wonder if they didn't originate down south!
We can blame it on climate change or any number of things, but it occurred to me that, depending on who you talk to, there is always something to criticize about winter as well as summer. In the winter it's too cold and we wail, "when will spring get here?" In the summer we complain about the heat and long for Autumn (I am definitely in that category). I've never heard anyone complain about spring unless it's about too much rain but I'm sure there's someone out there who does. And who could possibly complain about Autumn? Obviously someone who is color blind!
The point of all this is that maybe instead of looking for things to complain about the weather, or blaming everyone but ourselves for climate change, maybe our time would be better spent looking for the good in each season, both in the weather and in the seasons of our lives, and see where we can make things better. If it's too hot for you outside, stay inside and curl up with a good book, touch base with friends and family, or take up a hobby. If it's too cold, the same holds true. If we're in a season of our lives that seems dead and dormant, dig a little deeper and find out what would make you blossom again, then go and do that. If you can't travel the world, travel virtually. If you can't cook, turn on YouTube and play. If you're lonely, learn to Face Time and Zoom, join a book club, volunteer somewhere. As for climate change, working at reducing our carbon footprint and supporting businesses that do is the best advice.
It doesn't matter what season we're in. There's always a way to plant new seeds, water them well, and grow something beautiful!
And so it is.
