Dog Days and Doldrums

It's hot! And far worse---it is very very humid. Some nights the beach is shrouded in a hot white blanket of fog as the humidity reaches the saturation point.

The ocean is often flat and shiny as glass and even the beach breathes a sullen sigh of exhaustion and ennui.

Times like this (naughty, I know), we secretly long for giant hurricane waves to sweep harmlessly in from far out in the Atlantic.

This is a small quilt I made a few years ago, inspired by the house block quilts of Freddy Moran.

The beach cottages are sleeping under starry skies and rising sun.

Ancient people believed that the hot days of July and August were caused by the rising of the Dog Star, Sirius--the second brightest star in our sky, which now rises at dawn with the sun.

 It heralds the return of Orion, soon to be visible in the dark morning sky.

He will bring with him the cooler nights of early autumn. Sirius is the bright star on the lower left of the chart below, in Canis Major.

Of course with the foggy nights and wet lavender dawns, we have to take that on faith, since sometimes the dunes aren't to be seen, let alone a star millions of miles away.


How do you keep cool? Any hints gladly considered....

love

             lizzy

                            ....gone to the beach

   

               

star charts borrowed via google seach/ all other photos by me.....