OUT OF THE DOG DAYS. August 11 is the official last day of what is known as the “Dog Days,” those 40 days that began July 3 and coincide with the ancient rising of the Dog Star, Sirius. We call them the dog days for that reason, though these are also the days in which there is the year’s least rainfall. The term “Dog Days” was used by the Greeks as well as the ancient Romans, who called these days caniculares dies (translated as days of the dogs), again after the rise of Sirius, the brightest star in the heavens besides the Sun. How do I know? I’m the writer of The Naturalist’s Datebook on Martha Stewart Living Radio, Sirius 112 and XM 157. Listen up. (And that’s my best friend, Otter, above, shot by his best friend, my daughter.)
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I love this!
Now I have more information to pass on to people… Twitter.. Here I come!
Ah, the end of the glorious 40 days also marks the end to a short summer here in Minnesota. Could be snowing by next week. Sigh.
Love the photo!
Hi, Suzanne, aka Crunchy Green Mom. Lovely moniker, that. Please do pass along the Dog Days info. And please do listen up at Martha Stewart Living Radio, Sirius 112 and XM 157, where I am on Monday-Friday with my Naturalists’s Datebook almanac piece, talking nature. A Crunchy Green Mom might like to stop in. And please come back here. We love building the sisterhood with women like you.
Hi, Amy. And welcome to TSP. Yes, most of Minnesota has such a short growing season, though that makes it all the more precious, doesn’t it? So glad you love the dog. He’s my handsome boy. Do keep coming back and visiting us here.
Ok Marion… here are my drumstick tips!
I am doing these grilled Drumsticks tonight. I just learned to grill this year and I am IN LOVE with my lovely new grill. It gets used at least 4 times a week! Here is a recipe I found on Food Network today that is going to be in my stomach tonight. The boyfriend is pitching for his team tonight and my son is going to watch him at the game, so it’s just me and the 5 other kids!
Grilled Chicken Drumsticks: http://www.foodtv.ca/recipes/recipedetails.aspx?dishid=7654
Now, I have another one I love to use. It is from the “A Year of Slow cooking” blog. I have done this recipe twice and am in LOVE with this dish.
Crockpot fried chicken – http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/2008/05/crockpot-fried-chicken-recipe.html
I hope your family enjoys these, if you add anything to it, I’d love to hear variations, with 7 kids I can always use a fun twist!
Hey, Suzanne. Perfect for the dog days of summer. As some of you might need an explanation to this, I asked Suzanne on her blog for some drumstick tips, and she wrote back here, which is great, since those dog days of summer are screaming for some chicken. Am I right, sisters? Suzanne: Make sure to see our TSP slow cooker recipes here. We love a good slow cooker recipe, though I don’t use mine much in these dogs days. Please come back soon with more.
I am sorry, but your dog’s nose is NOT going to schmuggle me with juice ever. Please tell him so. You know how I feel about too much nose juice in a dog.
The end.
Your sister
That’s a neat fact. Thank you.
Have just come from walking the dog. I always liked that saying too.
d.
Memo to the heavens: Sister Marion says, and I quote, that the period leading up to Aug. 11 are “…the days in which there is the year’s least rainfall. ” Did someone manning the heavens not get that memo? Just checking. Please advise.
P.S. I love juicy dog noses. Velvety horse noses are even better though.
Hi Marion – my tomatoes are just now turning red! But yes, the short summer makes us appreciate every single day.
Along with my human kids, I have two of the four-legged kind, as well. Beagles. Wonderful. Adored.
I’ve visited many times (am subscribed for regular updates), but usually just “lurk.” I will make it a habit to post more comments. Love your site!
Hey, Margaret. I can’t get a word out of him on this topic.
Hi there, dahlila. So glad you’ve got yourself a dog to walk. I work out my stuff while walking my dog, though I frequently sing to him while we walk, a habit I suspect the neighbors find odd. Hey, but it’s not nearly as odd as what I’ve been heard to do while driving my car, right? Come back soon, please. We love writing with our sisters.
Yo, Paige. I know. Writing that, I wondered the same myself, since it has done little but rain here this summer. But there you have it. The dog days. I, too, love juicy dog nose. My sister demurs, preferring cats, though I think she’d concede to at least admiring that velvet muzzle of any horse.
Hi, Amy. So glad you came back. Ah, yes, tomatoes. Mine just turned red, too. We’ve had nearly nothing but rain here in the northeast, so I’m treasuring every tomato this year, I am. We grew up with a beagle-mix, and so I have had a lifelong weakness for those wonderful dogs. My own dog, Otter, pictured here, is a goofball Weimaraner, also a beloved breed here in my home. Please do comment and come often. We love the sisterhood. It is a life force worth celebrating.
Funny, because it just started raining again in DC…
Hi, Danielle: Ugh. Grrrr. Bleccch. Hope you’ve had some summer in between. Next week we’ll be talking about Cat Nights, another natural wonder. So stay tuned.
The photo of the dog made my day! The nose shot is priceless… I think your daughter may have a future in photography??? You know, dogs know how to relax. Cats too.
Since topic is ‘dog days’…Just passing on a tidbit I stumbled across…Found out the Hebrew word for ‘dog’ is “Kelev” and made out of 2 words: “Ke” (means a “heart” ) and “Lev” (means “as” or “like”) … so a dog means “as a heart” or “like a heart” The word can also be a combination of 2 words meaning “with the whole heart” or “wholeheartedly.”… If you’ve had a dog, you understand…. thanks for sharing the photo.
Hi, Debra: And welcome to TSP. Oooh, love the name of your site. Raising redheads, indeed. Wonderful. Glad you like our boy Otter. I am delighted at the Hebrew lesson. And how astonishingly wonderful that etymology is. How delightful. How apt. Thank you. I do understand. The love of my dog is like no other love. Please come back soon and teach us more.