Welcome to those Hot and Humid Days

It's the unofficial start to summer in the good old USA and it's already steamy out there. Thanks climate change. 

But in all seriousness, scientists are already anticipating this being one of the hottest summers on record. 

I was in Orlando, Florida last week and it was in the 90s F (low 30s C) with 90% humidity each day I was visiting. Since I had to be out and about in that weather, I couldn't do my normal routine of hide in a cool dark place until the sun went down. It’s kind of hard to enjoy Disney World if you don’t leave your hotel room.

Yeah, I try not to go out at all in August and July in the northern hemisphere, especially not where I have spent the majority of my life, Washington DC. If you don’t have easy access to a pool or sprinkler system, it’s best to just stay inside during the summer month days. Otherwise, you’ll likely drown in a pool of sweat.

 However, if I do find myself outside in the middle of summer, I have some ways to mitigate the effects of the heat and humidity. I utilized most of them in Orlando.

1. Have access to plenty of water - while in Orlando, I was drinking more than my usual amount of water. My sister and I carried around at least one bottle that we could easily refill. Thankfully, Disney World guests can ask for a free cup of ice water almost anywhere in the parks.
2. Wear a hat - a hat will keep your face covered and add some protection from the sun.
3. Wear sun screen and reapply it often - everyone, regardless of skin tone, should wear sunscreen if out between 10:00AM and 2:00PM when the sun is most intense. I also recommend choosing a sunscreen that is mineral based or a coral reef-safe brand. Don’t forget your ears and reapply as instructed.
4. Cover your shoulders - like wearing a hat, keeping your shoulders covered adds a layer of protection against the sun. It maybe temping to wear spaghetti straps or tank tops, but trust me, you’ll want the extra protection. 
5. Take a break in the shade - it’s usually a bit cooler outside of the sun and taking a break will give your body some time to recover. If you’re in a place that lacks shade (like the desert or grasslands), it maybe beneficial to have a pop tent set up or avoid that 10:00AM to 2:00PM time frame all together.

I’m used to humidity, but a few years ago, I took a trip to Arizona. The dry heat was like nothing I’d ever experienced before. I honestly wouldn’t have guessed it was in the 80sF (or high 20sC) while I was there. It didn’t feel hot to me. 

However, that can be just as, if not more, dangerous. With humidity, I can feel my body loose water and overheating. Without humidity, I can only guess how hot I am based on how much direct sunlight I’m exposed to. Again, that list above is important to keeping cool and hydrated. 

If you’re going to try to beat the heat by going hiking or spending time in nature, then there are a couple of additional precautions you should take.

Bug spray is a must. Ticks, spiders, other insects are at their peak in summer months. Ticks in particular are super dangerous in my area, but mosquitoes are nothing to sneeze at either when it comes to being a danger to a person’s health. Wearing big spray (preferably a natural one) will keep you safe. Again, reapply often (about every two hours) and do a tick check as soon as you return from your out door activity. And for all that is holy…

…Avoid tall grass. Stick to the marked trail. Ticks, spiders, snakes, insects, and other animals often hide in tall grass. Sticking to marked trails will keep you safe from these critters along with plants like poison ivy, hogweed, and prickly plants that might scratch your skin.

Adventurers await all of us this summer, whether we leave our homes or not (some of us can have adventures while reading at home). If you plan to be out and about in the heat and humidity, please keep yourself safe while having fun.

Until the next week.

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Welcome to Dog Days of Summer

If you're anywhere in the northern hemisphere right now, you've probably noticed that it's hot, like Satan-decided-to-build-a-sauna hot. It feels like we haven't had any relief from the heat since June. We've entered the Dog Days of Summer.

Except, what are the Dog Days of Summer? Why do we refer to the extreme hot weather that occurs between July and August as Dog Days? I know dogs can be cute and fluffy, but unholy hot?

Look at this face!!!

This question popped up while I was at work last week (or I think it was last week - time seems to be melting together as I age). I'd always heard the phrase Dog Days of Summer, in fact I can recall several songs that feature the phrase. Florence + The Machine have the song "Dog Days are Over" and I remember Fear Factor's cover version of "Dog Day Sunrise" (originally by  Head of David) from the mid-nineties. However, I never actually knew what exactly a Dog Day of Summer was.

I'm not entirely sure how the topic was brought up, but I think it had something to do with our office building sponsoring an adopt-a-dog day while it was unbearably hot outside. One of my coworkers explained that it had to do with astronomy, specifically when the star Sirius (not the Harry Potter character) is spotted at sunrise during the summer months. This astronomical occurrence always occurs in a 40 day period after the summer solstice - typically July to August. The star Sirius is part of the dog consultation and literally means the dog star.

Hear that guys, you have a star named for you.

For the Harry Potter fans out there, this is there is a character that turns into a big black dog called Sirius Black,

This cycle has been known and recorded since as early as the ancient Egyptians. For the Egyptians, the rising of the star Sirius signaled the fortuitous time of the year when the Nile River flooded, bringing life to the desert. According to The Old Farmer's Almanac the new moon after the first siting of Sirius also signaled the Egyptian new year.

On the flip side, the ancient Greeks and Romans weren't as fond of this period of summer as the Egyptians. In fact the Greeks thought that Sirius brought heat and drought to the land as well as lethargy and fever to humans. This belief continued until the modern age of science and medicine took over. Apparently purging through vomiting and blood letting was frowned upon during "Dogge daies" of summer because "the Sunne is in Leo" and "then is nature burnt vp & made weake" (from the 1564 English medical book "Hope of Health").

So the next time the Dog Days of Summer are referenced, remember it's not our best furry friends that are being blamed for the heat. It's just an extremely bright star in the sky.

Also while we're on the subject of our furry friends, please remember that the heat does affect doggies too. Keep your dog well hydrated and try to keep their paws off of the pavement while the sun is directly shining down on it. We wear shoes, dogs don't.

Stay cool until next week!

If you enjoyed this post (or it really pissed you off) please like, share, and/or leave a comment. I love hearing from my readers and I hope you guys like hearing from me.