It is August

August is the month of heat. It is named for the first emperor of Rome; 'Augustus' Gaius Julius Octavius (63 BC - AD 14). He and Julius Caesar are the only two Roman Emperors (although Julius was not technically an emperor) to have months named after them. In the old calendars the months alternated between 30 and 31 days with February having either 29 or 30 days depending on leap year. When they decided to give Augustus his month they didn't want it to be an "inferior" month so they stole a day from February and gave it to August. So now August had 31 days and February has 28 or 29.

August is a part of the "Dog days of Summer".
That phrase popped into my head first thing this morning. I was not aware that it included days in July and August and was so named because of Sirius, the “dog star,” which 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.

I have always enjoyed August as it was the month we went to the Lake.
Well, actually some years we went the last part of July and the first part of August but mostly we went in August. Another reason for me to enjoy August is that we hold Grand Chapter and Grand Council in August. I always enjoy those meetings. it is great to see my Companions from all over the state.

August is also the end of summer "vacation" or forced lay off for teachers. That is the time of year when the schools shut down so the kids could work in the fields. We always get accused of working nine months and getting paid for twelve. That is not true. We actually got paid for the 188 days of our contract. The money was divided up over the entire year because a paternalistic administration felt that we did not know how to handle our money. They also got to use it themselves by not having to give us all our money at once. By August most of us were tired of the "freedom" of summer and were chaffing to get back to school. I always spent the summer planning and getting ready for the new school year. It seems as if it starts earlier in August each year.

The Iowa State Fair is held in August. I haven't been in years but I used to have fun there. I think the last time I went to the Fair I took Jonathan and one of his friends. I think they were in fourth grade. I remember they had a ride on a camel and wore me out completely. The Monthly Events Calendar published in today's Des Moines Register shows that there is a lot going on in our state this month. So get out and enjoy the month.

By the way, I just checked my calendar of Masonic meetings for the month of July. Only 11 meetings, it seemed like twice that many. Actually that is right on the average. I have been tracking these meetings for quite awhile. 11.3 meetings is the average with a low of 5 in December and twenty in April.

Enjoy August. It promises to heat up. Remember you are loved. Hugs, jcs.