The Dog Days of Summer are here and with that a lot of tales and folklore. I heard so many stories about dog days when I was growing up, and read some new ones even recently. Maybe some of those bear some truth but the real reason for the name comes from the constellation Canis Major or The Greater Dog. Our brightest star, Sirius, is within the constellation and is called the Dog Star. Its first appearance in the summer at dawn, coinciding with the sunrise, brings on those famous dog days. I understand that the period is 40 days long; 20 days before this occurrence, and 20 days after. The Farmers Almanac says the dog days of summer in the U S are from July 3 through August 11. And maybe things really don’t heal as quickly during dog days??? 

“When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?”
‭‭Psalm‬ ‭8:3-4‬ ‭

It was a lazy, hazy, dog day of summer on Friday but the view of Weiss Lake from Cherokee Rock Village was still enjoyable. It is even more interesting when you have an awareness of many of the landmarks in the valley and can pick those out. READ MORE