The phrase has been around since ancient times, but what is the origin? We can blame it all on Sirius - the dog star (in Latin) - brightest star in the heavens besides the sun.

July is the warmest month in most of the Northern hemisphere and the coldest month in the Southern hemisphere. Its birthstone is red ruby - a symbol of contentment; its flower is larkspur or water lily. July was named for Julius Caesar. Dog days begin in early July when the hot weather begins.

Dog days of summer, in Latin, refers to the hottest, most sultry days of summer. The Greeks as well as the Romans used the term. Dog days were believed to be an evil time “when the seas boiled, wine turned sour, dogs grew mad, all creatures became languid, causing to man burning fevers, hysterics, and frenzies”.  We can all relate to that, especially when the air conditioning goes on the blink!

I’ve related the above useless information to preface an update some of you requested on my friend in Iraq. (See previous post) We continue to e-mail. She has told me stories of the hardships her family has gone through, but also about happy times when the word “holiday” meant a time of pleasure for them: “those old beautiful times my parents took me and my three brothers to visit England, Lebanon, Syria. We spend there so much wonderful times … that was a long time ago.”

I asked here about summertime in her country, to which she replied: “My mother bring with her from Jordan a very big swimming pool made of plastic. I put it in our garden where the children can swim and that’s all I can give them for their holiday. I hate summer….it’s a very hard season for us…..all our difficulties will come right along with the summer - its whiffs like from the hell and its hard dust winds causes me bad headache. They give us the power electrics only a few hours a day. In every street there are private big generators owned by rich people. We can buy from them any amperes we would like to have (those bring to our air more pollution).  I used to buy 5 amperes to make sure that the medicine insulin of my daughter will always be in a cold place.

“You asked me my friend about if it will be better for us to see the USA army removed from Iraq. I feel scared to think what will happened after leaving the Iraqi people to the mercy of those bad crocodiles who call themselves the Iraqi government…..most of them are tied in one way or another to the benefits of Iranian government…the last thing they really care about it is to do something good for the Iraqi people.”

She attached (”gifted me”) a copy of a beautifully written short story for children. I wish I could share it with you, but it’s too long for a blog. She said I was the only person who “respected her words” - a comment that testifies to her isolation and loneliness.

So, during the dog days of summer, let us be thankful for air conditioning - and especially thankful for our freedom.

Comments or questions are welcomed.  

Marie