The Dog Days of Summer

 The Dog Days of Summer came knocking at the door early this year!   And as a result, we are having a very long, very hot -- you might even say, a sweltering summer in Greece. 

Dog Days came knocking early this year

It is the kind of heat that had the ancient ones believing it could drive a person crazy. I am beginning to think I may prove them correct on that belief if it hangs around much longer.

Dog Days of Summer

There is nothing gentle about summer in Greece - it always arrives with a commanding presence. It never allows you to ease in gently but this year it seemed to break the door down with its sudden and intense early arrival. Usually, we brace for its stay during the months of July and August. This year it came in June and from the looks of it, I am pretty certain it plans to wear out its welcome before it departs. 

Morning on Stoupa Beach

While it hasn't deterred sun, sand and sea worshippers from descending upon our area for their shot of a postcard perfect summer Greek getaway, it has been impacting visitors elsewhere in the country.  Several times in June and again this last week officials in Athens closed the Acropolis from noon to 5 pm because of excessive heat. Red Cross workers handed out bottles of water to those visitors who arrived early and waited in long lines hoping to visit the site before gates closed at midday. 

There's little shade at Ancient Messene

Archeological sites throughout Greece have had similar reduced hours. Schools closed in June several times due to excessive heat. So intense is the heat, that the Greek government has ordered all the hard physical labor being done outside -- by construction and agricultural workers to delivery persons and all others-- be halted during the hottest times of the day.

In June six tourists in varying Greek locales died as result of heat related incidents.  Despite warnings by every organization under the sun (pun not intended) to stay out of the heat, these individuals found themselves in situations from which they couldn't escape the effects of heat. 

Our weather is in a holding pattern of hot

Helios, the Greek sun god, is paying little attention to the consequences of his daily chariot race across the sky and is bringing temperatures as high as 109F/43C. They've been hovering at the 95-99F/ 35-37C range in our area for several weeks.

Life Goes On

A village fisherman heads out at 7 pm 

'It's wearying, isn't it?'  a fellow expat remarked yesterday of the continuous heat.  Like us, she and her husband have been residents here for several years. The sun and the warmth of Greece were definitely among the reasons we all were attracted to the place. But too much of a good thing is simply too much.

A Summer sunbaked road near us in the Mani

When Greek speaking friends ask how we are, I usually reply with, 'Kala, alla poli zesti tora', meaning, in my less-than-perfect Greek,  'Good, but very hot now'.  The response is a sad shake of their head as they utter, 'Po, Po, Po!' 

Now 'Po, Po, Po!' is a versatile exclamation that can be used when happy or sad, disgusted or surprised and anything in between. Its meaning dependent on the facial expression and head movement that accompanies it. In this case it is close to an, 'Oh, dear!', 'Wow!' 'I hear you!'

Sunbaked bay leaf plant, daphne, as it is called here

The garden and grove at our Stone House on the Hill have taken a hit in recent weeks. We are struggling to keep our plants alive during this intense and lengthy heat wave.  I have an expanding 'morgue corner' of pots containing dead plants (including a lantana which grows in the wild around here) that couldn't beat this year's heat.  We have pretty much written off the olive crop this year as well.  

Our olives in July shouldn't look like this but they do

Even old, wizened olive trees need water during the summer, and we've had no rain for weeks and none coming any time soon. We have even started sprinkling them and with water as precious and scarce as it is here, you know we are taking this year's heat seriously.

Even Princess knows the value of A/C in summer

The chores and errands of the day are done as early in the morning as possible and then we become hermits in our darkened, air-conditioned house until we venture out at sunset, about 8:45 pm.  

Those Dog Days are Nothing New

The Dog Days have been around since ancient times. Back in Ancient Greece and Rome, the Dog Days arrival was marked by the rising of Sirius, the Dog Star, a part of the constellation, Canis Majoris, the Greater Dog. The star's rising coincided with the extremely hot days of summer; a time roughly from July 3 - August 11. 

Dog star Sirius.  Photo credit

It was believed to be a time of drought, disease and discomfort. Dog Days prompted unrest, unhappiness and bad luck; a time when men and dogs alike could be driven mad from the heat.

While researching the origins of Dog Days I happened upon another nod to extreme heat with a phrase attributed to Noel Coward in which he claimed that only 'Mad Dogs and Englishmen' would venture out into it.  The line was part of a song he is said to have written while traveling through Viet Nam.  In reading the lyrics, I found what I thought a perfect one for our Dog Days summer in Greece:

"In tropical climes there were certain times of the day

When the citizens retire'

To tear their clothes off and perspire."

Dog Days Sunsets are spectacular 

We close hoping that whatever season you are experiencing in your part of the world, it is a good one.  If you are traveling, stay safe, and heed the warnings of officials in the places you visit.  How's your weather - add a comment or drop us a line and let us know, we love hearing from you!

As always, thanks for the time you spent with us today.