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Old-timers would say we are in the midst of the dog days of summer, referring to the hottest, most humid time of the year when the sun turns everything into a skillet, you dare not go barefoot and walk on the pavement, and sitting outside feels akin to being an egg on a hot griddle.

One old-timer, when asked where the dog days of summer came from, likened it to a time when dogs flattened out in the coolest spot they could find to endure the weather.

There may be some truth in that. The dog days of summer have a much deeper meaning. Yes, dog days can be hot — and miserable. According to the Old Farmer’s Almanac, the ancient Romans noted that Sirius, the brightest star in the constellation Canis Major (the Greater Dog), rose with the sun during the summer months. The time frame can vary depending on location and astronomical calculation, but those days generally fall between July 3 and Aug. 11. Here in Northeast Tennessee, we are experiencing dog days, no matter where that star is at the moment.

Hot weather used to mean a day at the pool, but this summer it’s hard to find a public pool to go to. The Franklin Pool is closed, as are the pools at Roan Mountain State Park. Once, Green’s Pool on Highway 321 was very popular. It is no longer, and the Roan Mountain State Park pool has been shuttered. Hopefully, the Franklin Pool will be repaired and updated before next year.

Your best choice is Watauga Lake, a swimming hole in a creek or nearby river, or having a friend with a backyard pool. Not everyone has access to a backyard pool, but that doesn’t mean you can’t splash. Just turn on the sprinkler and let the kids play with the sparkling, man-made rain.

Or, how about a big cone or dish of ice cream? Make a tall glass of lemonade and add plenty of ice cubes.

Too hot to move? No worries. That’s nature’s way of telling you to take it easy and stay inside where there’s air conditioning or a fan. If you do go outside, find yourself a place in the shade.

However, one of summer’s underrated joys is complaining about the heat with other people. Misery loves company, and there’s nothing more satisfying than standing next to someone who is having a hard time staying cool. The weather is always a good thing to complain about.

However, we recommend that on these hot days, you stay inside, stay cool, stay hydrated, and remember this winter, when you’ll be complaining about the freezing cold.

We do recommend that to beat the heat and remain safe on these 90-degree days — especially if you are elderly — that you:

– Drink plenty of fluids
– Stay in an air-conditioned room
– Stay out of the sun
– Check up on relatives and neighbors
– Take extra precautions when outside
– Wear lightweight and loose-fitting clothes
– Try to limit strenuous activities to early morning or evening
– Take action when you see symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke

We are approaching the third week of July, and dog days will come to an end — but so will summer, as school will begin in August, baseball season will end, and athletes will gear up for football. But in the meantime, enjoy summer. Fall is just around the corner.