The Dog Days of Summer

I came across the term Dog Days of Summer recently and didn't know really what it meant or what its roots are...so I looked it up. It turns out that, according to The Old Farmer's Almanac, July 3-August 11 are the "most unhealthy" days of the year.

Dog Days

Definition: These are the hottest and most unhealthy days of the year. Also known as Canicular Days, the name derives from the Dog Star, Sirius. The traditional timing of Dog Days is the 40 days beginning July 3 and ending August 11, coinciding with the heliacal (at sunrise) rising of Sirius.