Dog Days of Summer

July 2021

The Dog Days of Summer have begun here at the beach and run through August 11th this year. What are the Dog Days of Summer exactly, and what do they have to do with dogs?? Let’s turn to the Farmer’s Almanac…

The term “Dog Days” traditionally refer to a period of particularly hot and humid weather occurring during the summer months of July and August in the Northern Hemisphere. In ancient Greece and Rome, the Dog Days were believed to be a time of drought, bad luck, and unrest, when dogs and men alike would be driven mad by the extreme heat. Today, the phrase does not conjure up such bad imagery, Instead, the Dog Days are associated purely with the time of summer’s peak temperatures and humidity. This period of sweltering weather coincides with the year’s heliacal (meaning “at sunrise”) rising of Sirius, the Dog Star. In ancient Greece, Egypt, and Rome, it was believed that the dawn rising of Sirius in mid- to late summer contributed to the extreme weather of the season. In other words, the “combined heat” of super-bright Sirius and our Sun was thought to be the cause of summer’s sweltering temperatures. The name “Sirius” even stems from Ancient Greek seirios, meaning “scorching.”

Here at the beach, the Dog Days of Summer bring to mind a refreshing glass of lemonade, a slice of juicy watermelon fresh from the farmer’s market, lazy afternoons lounging in the pool, and early morning walks along the water’s edge before the day heats up and the crowds arrive…sounds a lot like vacation, doesn’t it?

And…speaking of vacation (it IS our business, after all!), we have two lovely homes with availability to enjoy the end of the Dog Days of Summer:

Aspen Beach House is available August 7th-11th, complete with that pool for lounging away those hot, sultry afternoons. What you don’t see in the pictures is the new, 2nd floor screened porch with exterior spiral staircase leading to the pool!  

Cottage 62 is available August 10th-13th. From this adorable bungalow, take a 10-minute stroll along Old Seagrove’s oak-canopied roads into Seaside, where you’ll find that refreshing lemonade and juicy watermelon!  

Until next time, here’s to the dog days of summer!