Dog Days of Summer

I got a late start to cutting grass this morning and boy, was I sorry I did.  Although it's 92 degrees outside, the humidity must be 100%, because it's miserable.  Sadly for the plants and grass, we've been in a drought period and it doesn't look like it's going to be any better this week.  Fortunately for me, when it's like this and the grass doesn't grow, I don't have as much to cut.  I spent most of the morning filling up 5 gallon buckets watering and fertilizing the flowers, plants and bushes... especially those not near a sprinkler system.  The hotel's sprinkler system is antiquated so it doesn't do a good job or areas aren't watered at all.  I tried to be smart about planting this year, but still... with the drought and sun beating down all day long, it doesn't matter.  Everything dries up and dies.  I have a bid for changing the sprinkler system, but the company requires three bids and we're having trouble getting two more... so everything dies in corporate red tape.

I guess the Romans equated the heat of the summer with the star, Sirius... considering it to be the 'dog star' since it's the brightest in the constellation Canis Major (Large Dog)... and that the star's close proximity to the sun from early July through early September was responsible for the hot weather.

I heard a locust today while working.  They're pretty nasty look at, but always reminded me of summer... playing outside until dark... catching lightning bugs in a jar... night swims in my aunt's pool... playing baseball in our yard with the neighbor kids... and playing hide and seek at dusk, which I wouldn't recommend.  One time, I was running through the yards to hide and ran right into a barbed-wire fence.  It hit across my eye and cut my eyelid open and I had to get stitches.  Fortunately, I didn't get stabbed in my eye with the barbed part or I wouldn't be able to see out of that eye probably.  Oh, the crazy things that you get into as a child.

I have to go back tomorrow morning to get a few things done, but I'm going at the crack of dawn.  This heat is for the birds... or the dogs... and even they are smart enough to jump in a sprinkler or lie under a tree.