Webster defines “dog days” as the period between early July and early September when the hot sultry weather of summer usually occurs in the northern hemisphere. We love dogs, but why DOG days?

Supposedly, in ancient times, when the night sky was unobscured by artificial lights and smog different groups of people in different parts of the world drew images in the sky by “connecting the dots” of stars.

They saw images of bears, (Ursa Major and Ursa Minor), twins, (Gemini), a bull, (Taurus), and others, including dogs, (Canis Major and Canis Minor).

The brightest of the stars in Canis Major (the big dog) is Sirius, which is also the brightest star in the night sky, according to experts.

In the summer, Sirius, the “dog star,” rises and sets with the sun. During late July Sirius is in conjunction with the sun, and the ancients believed that its heat added to the heat of the sun, creating a stretch of hot and sultry weather. They named this period of time, from 20 days before the conjunction to 20 days after, “dog days” after the dog star.

Today, dog days occur during the period between July 3 and August 11.

What do your Perfect Day plans offer up this Summer? Skipping the family trip? Funds tight? Too hot? BS.

Dog days or not, summer for most of us, markets included (except recently!) is a time to for rest, relaxation and a time to take a break from daily/weekly routine–it’s a time for fun, family and activities that January doesn’t scream at you to do. Will summer pass you by? Connect your own dots and retool your plans with must-do local favorite gigs, or a spontaneous 3 day road-trip with those closest to you.

So, truth or dare, fact or fiction–The “Dog Days” myth in all of this is that while July and August is certainly the warmest period of the summer, the heat is not due to the added radiation from a far-away star, regardless of its brightness–the heat of summer is a direct result of the earth’s tilt. Go figure.

How will you heat up your summer plans? Time is a tickin’–add some serious tilt to your hamster wheel and connect some dots (I’d suggest relationship dots, for starters…). That’s where your summer joy is—somewhere between not-so-comfy and steamy hot…find your to-do list off-ramp, turn on your out of office notification, throw a dart, explore and go somewhere you’ve never been, grab the ones you love—even your dog and OWN the Dog Days of Summer like a Perfect Day Pro.