Surviving the dog days

In case you haven’t noticed, we are in the midst of the “dog days of summer.” Some ancient Roman started describing the heat of August in this manner, and the term has been widely used ever since. The ancient astronomers noted that Sirius, the Dog Star, rose and set with the sun during August. It was then concluded that the Dog Star and the sun’s heat combined, caused the hottest weeks of the year. Hence, we are in those dog days.

Doggone it; I thought the phrase had something to do with feeling like lying around, panting like a dog when it’s like an inferno outside. I must start looking upward, toward the sky and try and locate this Dog Star, Sirius. If he’s the culprit for these heat waves, monsoons, dust storms, humidity, burning triple‑digits, then I’d like to (oops, I keep forgetting that this is a family paper) have a word with this “dog.”

Hey, it’s actually been a little cooler than normal and we’ve had a few good rainstorms. I’d better not complain, but what’s a summer in Phoenix without a few gripes? A woman in Desert Hills emailed me to say that she is trying to “learn to appreciate August.” She is keeping a watchful eye for all things “special” about the hottest month of the year, and has encouraged all of her friends and neighbors to do the same. Hmm, I did see a yellow wall of dust the size of Daisy Mountain moving my way last week as I was driving on Carefree Highway. Surely, this has to qualify as “special.”

What’s so special about the dog days of August? It’s actually a time of great hope. Everyone I talk to is looking forward to something different or being someplace else. It’s as though we get through August in some sort of collective trance, just waiting for a break in the weather or a change of scenery. August reminds us that we are tough to live here and makes us stronger for surviving another summer. Dog days of summer? Bring them on–we’re not afraid of a  little heat.

There are other little miracles that float around us in August, which, all things considered, make this a pretty special time of year. If you sit out at night, you might get to see a big Colorado toad sitting in a water bowl or planter. These gigantic beasts are the size of baseball mitts. The coyotes are out, making a racket. They may be annoying, but they are constant reminder that we live out west. Storms are worth waiting for; always worth  watching. Lightning may be  dangerous, but it sure is beautiful. And what could be more fun then standing outside in a rainstorm, when it finally hits? The Navajo claim that when the clouds look like sheep in the sky, rain is coming. I am always on the look‑out for sheep.

I’d say just getting through any August is a pretty special experience. Just last week I was driving in New River and noticed two horses galloping around their corral, as their owner sprayed them with the garden hose. That was a thrill to watch. That’s it ... the answer to feeling, cool, young and energetic. Forget air conditioning. Have a loved one turn on the hose and chase you around with it! What could be more special?  The key to survival?  Stay wet.