Dog Days of Summer / National Watermelon Month

Dog Days of Summer

July 3

The Dog Days of Summer are the hot, sultry days of summer. They were historically the period following the heliacal rising of the star system Sirius in Canis Major or Procyon (the “Little Dog Star”), which Greek and Roman astrology connected with heat, drought, sudden thunderstorms, lethargy, fever, mad dogs, and bad luck. They are now taken to be the hottest, most uncomfortable part of summer in the Northern Hemisphere.

National Watermelon Month

Month of July

They are called watermelons for a reason because they are 92 percent water, making them a perfect refresher for those hot summer months. They come in 1200 different varieties and tend to be grouped into four main categories: seeded (or picnic), seedless, icebox (also known as mini, or personal size) and yellow/orange. One of the most popular varieties is the Crimson Sweet, a seeded melon with deep red, sweet flesh. Contrary to what you might have heard, seedless watermelons are the result of hybridization, a perfectly natural phenomenon that farmers can nevertheless capitalize on. A couple of decades ago, seedless watermelons were hard to find, but today they make up around 85 percent of those sold in the U.S.

Today’s Birthdays of Note….

Tom Cruise – Actor – 57 – born in Syracuse, New York

George M. Cohan – Composer & Playwright –  – born in Providence, Rhode Island

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