Now and Then by Nancy Kline: AUGUSTMaud Humphrey's calendar child for the mon...

Now and Then by Nancy Kline:
AUGUST
Maud Humphrey's calendar child for the mon...: AUGUST Maud Humphrey's calendar child for the month of August was a painting of a little girl from Africa.  Maybe she chose thi...

AUGUST

Maud Humphrey's calendar child for the month of August was a painting of a little girl from Africa.  Maybe she chose this country because of the heat we usually endure at this time of the year and her mind was drawn to Africa.  Whatever the reason, it is a beautiful painting of a darling little black eyed girl. 

August not only brings heat but it also gives us the feeling that summer  is slipping away from us far too soon.  I am enjoying the afternoons and evenings in the yard admiring the late summer flowers, especially the bright yellow black eyed susans. They have been exceptionally pretty this year.  Now the naked ladies are popping up in unexpected places.  I know I didn't plant the bulbs in  every flower bed I have but this year naked ladies seem to be exposing themselves in most unusual places.  Perhaps the squirrels had a hand in this or maybe a foot. 

 

 

                                                                Black Eyed Susans

 



 

                                                                      Naked Ladies

 

A lot of dear ones in my family were born in the month of August.  My mother's birthday was August 16, 1915.  She was born on the front porch of the old farmhouse in the middle of Texas.  Her mother was fearful of a storm brewing and would not go inside.  Perhaps the front porch was closer to the storm cellar! One of the many stories my mother told us was  how the dreaded mad dogs would roam through the country side usually in August.   All the farmers would watch and listen for the packs  of running and howling dogs.  When they did come through they would try to put all the animals inside the barn so they would not be attacked.   

Therefore I always believed that the Dog Days of Summer were when mad dogs were  prevalent.  That may be true but the real reason we call this time of year the Dog Days of Summer is because of a star called Sirius Star better known as the Dog Star.  This star is part of the constellation Canis Major meaning larger dog.  The ancient Romans noticed that the hottest days of the year coincided with Sirius that appeared in the same part of the sky as the Sun in the morning.  Therefore these hot days became known as Dog Days of Summer. 

GO ON OUTSIDE AND ENJOY THE NEXT FEW WEEKS OF THE DOG DAYS OF SUMMER !