Air conditioning is expensive and so they find other ways to help beat the heat. Japan can be a miserable place in the summer. In Japan, they call this season natsubate – literally translated to summer fatigue. Yet withal is he a sign of evil, and bringeth much fever upon wretched mortals”

The star that men call by name the Dog of Orion. “like to the star that cometh forth at harvest-time,Īnd brightly do his rays shine amid the host of stars in the darkness of night, Of all, but an evil portent, bringing heat “Sirius rises late in the dark, liquid sky The ancients also noticed this time of year. Richard Adams also uses it to describe the English summer in Watership Down: “Now came the dog days – day after day of hot, still summer, when for hours at a time light seemed the only thing that moved the sky-sun, clouds and breeze-awake above the drowsing downs.” Sirius was Orion’s dog and is part of Orion constellation. These are the hottest days of the Northern Hemisphere and coincide with the heliacal rising of the Dog Star, Sirius. We are in the midst of the Dog Days – roughly July 3 – September 14. Right now in Richmond, it is so hot that birds are dipping their worms into iced tea that the melt time for a popsicle is 10 seconds, Reese’s Peanut Butter cups have turned into shooters…you get the picture! Today is Haibun Monday and basically, our haibun are going to be about summer heat. The Pub is open and we had a slam bang anniversary last week. Hello! Thank you Cole Porter for the inspiration for the title.

Still Summer Nights by Lillian Empire