The term “dog days of summer” is intended to mean it is hot and humid. There is an astronomical basis for the saying. Dog days run from July 3 through August 11th when the sun occupies the same region of the sky as Sirius, the Dog Star. In ancient times people thought that the star’s position conspired with the sun to make the days hotter than any other time of the year. Other people thought that the hot days of summer made dogs “mad”, thus the name.
I am starting to get questions about the release of the 2010 Farmers’ Almanac. Our book has been printed and will be in stares during the latter part of August We have the same green/ orange cover but have a slightly bolder look and feel. We have improved a number of features. So, when you get your copy I look forward to any and all feedback. If you want to be the first on your block to have the newest edition, go online and pre-order a copy. Better yet, get a 3 year subscription with free shipping and save.
The big question this fall may not be about the winter but “what will next summer be like”. Between the unrelenting rain over one third of the US and Canada and the incredible dry conditions in Texas, this summer has been “crazy”. So, what will next summer be like? Stay tuned.
Peter Geiger is the Editor of the Farmers' Almanac. 
If you notice a hole in the upper left-hand corner of your Farmers' Almanac, don't return it to the store! That hole isn't a defect; it's a part of history. Starting with the first edition of the Farmers' Almanac in 1818, readers used to nail holes into the corners to hang it up in their homes, barns, and outhouses (to provide both reading material and toilet paper). In 1910, the Almanac's publishers began pre-drilling holes in the corners to make it even easier for readers to keep all of that invaluable information (and paper) handy.
