Welcome to the heart of Summer!
The term “dog days of summer” came about because the hottest days of the year coincide with the rising of Sirius, or the Dog Star, at dawn. Sirius is part of the constellation “Canus Majoris”.
With Sirius being the brightest star in the sky other than the sun, its Greek translation actually means “scorching”. As soon as the Greeks saw it, they’d say “whew, it’s gonna be a hot one today.”
In Egypt, on the other hand, Sirius’ rising coincided with the flooding of the Nile each year. So they named the star “Sothis” and called it the “watchdog” star.
So goes the legend of the dog days and sweltering heat and bright light. Oh, and little kids everywhere saying, “yup, this when the dog usually licks up my melting ice cream cone.”
While kids and dogs nap on a picnic blanket after sweating their heads off, we are reminded that summer break is aptly named. Schools began taking these breaks because being cooped up together in a tiny one-room cesspool was bad for business. Plus, those little folks made for useful hands in the fields.
Today, summer is often a symbol for relaxation, reconnecting with each other, and soaking in the vitamins of nature. Your challenge in the 40 days or so of Sirius, is to take full advantage of your ABC’s:
- A. The Outdoors: Nature is a probiotic and multivitamin you simply can’t bottle. Go after it like you would your favorite, addictive food. Treat flowers and shade under a tree like it’s the candy bar you were almost willing to steal at ten years old (or maybe did, not naming names).
- B. Fresh Food: Farmer’s markets are booming again and yours to wander through. Is there anything better than fresh fruit and veggies from a local farm? You can smell the basil just thinking about it.
- C. Good Company: Relationships matter most of all. Summer seems to be the easiest time to gather and shoot the breeze.
Most importantly, take advantage of time to recover and sow the seeds for winter. You’ve got a big year ahead with lots of unknowns, so take a moment to reflect and recoup the excess energy you lost this past year. Being with loved ones can double the return on investment. Being in nature together triples the benefit.
Oh, and a quick note that the long days of light late into the evening along with the heat can make it hard to get good sleep (speaking of rest). Here are some quick reminder tips on that:
- Use light blocking curtains and/or an eye mask at night
- Keep to your regular bedtime and waketimes regardless of light
- Get outside in the sunlight early in the day and keep your house bright
- Dim the lights indoors as bedtime approaches and use blue light blocking tech for screens (or better yet put them away an hour before bedtime)
- Cool off with a shower, a fan or air conditioning
- Stay hydrated and enjoy a dip in the cold waters of Vermont
For a deeper look, the New York Times has a great article on summer sleep.
Under the bright light of the dawn watchdog star, slow your breath, ease your heart and tell someone you love them. Then cannonball into a glassy body of water and shout “whaaaahoooo!”
Happy dog days, friends.
See you on PATH Ahead.
Gillian, Amy, Ashley, Jess and the VEHI PATH Team.
PS. Log into your PATH account and start the Sizzlin’ Summer Challenge NOW! Whaaahoooo!