The Good Ole ‘Dog’ Days…

Dog Days of summer ends this week but do not expect cool weather anytime soon.

Dog Days are when it is the muggiest and hottest time of the year or so says Webster; tis between July and September.

The grown ups talked of Dog Days as I recall, mostly while on the front porch rocking and waiting for a cool breeze. Spoke of tending to a cut or scratch during the period for wounds would not heal as well or quickly. Reckon with all the heat, and sweat, bacteria tend to fester like a risen.

An interesting topic of conversation would always come up. Out on the Liberty Hill Road, we would hear the car coming way before it got to us, then, it would go by with a big trail of red dust to cover the kudzu.

Out there in the evenings, we would have to sit around back due to the sun being in front of the house. Ate a lot of watermelon back there in those wooden Adirondack chairs.

Grandpa would roll a smoke with the OCB leaves and ‘bacca from the red Prince Albert can or from the marble sack. The stank from the tobacco was very strong. He mostly smoked the pipe, probably because it was not as messy.

Ma Pearl always wore an apron that proved useful in her many chores through out the day. Many a dozen eggs were gathered and taken to the house in that old apron.

Grandkids would sneak up and untie the apron and sometimes a wet dishrag would come flying by his/her face to stop the aggravation of untying the apron.

The apron too was used as a sweat rag while in the kitchen bending over the hot stove.

It too was useful for carrying fruits and vegetables from the garden to the house and basement.

Chickens would come up when she would go outside with an apron full of bean or pea hulls after the shelling has been completed.

The apron was used as a signal to wave at Grandpa when it was time to eat.

The apron served many purposes and fortunately I have several of those aprons but they have shrunk over the years.

You think an apron is full of germs? I think not, about all I got out of rubbing up in front of an apron was a nice hug.