Grosse Pointe Magazine

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The 'Dog Days of Summer' issue

We call this, the July-August Pointe Magazine, the “Dog Days of Summer” issue. We feature boating and other wonderful summer activities in the Pointes, but we don’t feature “dogs” per se. Sure, we have our Pets pages featuring Pointers’ beloved four-legged family members and, of course, the informational veterinarian’s column compliments of Harper Woods Veterinary Hospital, but we don’t necessarily feature dogs.

But we do feature one dog in particular, Melani, beloved office mascot of The Peppler Agency and adopted daughter of Janet Peppler and Jerry Gadette. Melani is part of the promotional team for the annual Rounds Fore Rescue golf fundraiser at Lochmoor Club benefiting Detroit Dog Rescue, Detroit’s first no-kill, non-profit dog shelter. Melani was, of course, a DDR rescue. This year’s event is Aug. 10. See story on page 58.

I was curious, why do we call July and August the “Dog Days of Summer”? Of course, Google has the answer:

The “dog days of summer” refers to the hot, sultry days between July 3 and August 11. The phrase actually originates from ancient astronomy rather than canines. Ancient Romans and Greeks observed that during this summer period, Sirius — the “Dog Star” and brightest star in the night sky — rose and set in conjunction with the Sun. Because Sirius is so bright, early civilizations incorrectly believed that its combined heat with the Sun was the cause of the sweltering summer temperatures, droughts, and even sickness.

Here are a few quick facts about the term’s history:

The Name: It stems from the Latin phrase diēs caniculārēs, which translates directly to “dog star days”.

The Reality: While Romans were wrong about the star’s radiation adding heat to the sun, their 40-day timeframe perfectly aligns with the hottest, most uncomfortable part of the Northern Hemisphere’s summer.

So, as Paul Harvey would have said, “And now you know... the rest of the story”!

As always, be sure to patronize our many loyal advertisers, businesses and institutions, without whom this magazine would not be possible and living in the Pointes not so unique. There is no place like it!

John Minnis

Publisher

As I write this, we are one week away from the season’s first Grosse Pointe Woods Music on the Lawn. My talented friends, Mark and Kayla LoDuca (‘Mark Ends with Kay’), are performing. The city is also celebrating America’s 250th at the event with special festivities.

Each time we attend a Music on the Lawn, I leave feeling the deepest appreciation for this special place, our neighbors and the larger community. It seems like everywhere we turn, there’s a friend.

There is no shortage of similar summer events in the Pointes. In this issue, we detail quite a few of them.

We have festivals for everything — concerts, like Music on the Lawn, Music on the Plaza, SummerFest at The War Memorial and the Outdoor Concert Series at Ford House; art at Grosse Pointe Art Festival; food and culture at Assumption’s GreekFest; health and wellness at Thrive on The Hill; stories at Storytelling Festival at Ford House; and general fun at After 6 on Kercheval.

I’m especially looking forward to attending Grosse Pointe PorchFest for the first time. It seems like the epitome of what Grosse Pointe is, bicycling, walking from house to house, chatting with neighbors on sidewalks and in front of porches, but with the added purpose of live music.

A dozen homes opened their porches and lawns to the public for free concerts by local musicians. PorchFest committee member Cindy Willcock said that last year some homeowners were even bringing snacks outside for audiences, that attendees didn’t want the day to end. Dozens ended up piling into The Whiskey Six after the concerts wrapped up. “We all wanted to keep the party going,” says Cindy.

Because of the overwhelming response (and lingering folks), The Village is hosting an official after party this year, at St. Clair and Kercheval. The music will play on.

I hope you enjoy reading about a few of these events in this issue and that you are able to add a few to your calendar. Happy summer!

Lauren McGregor

Editor

The Happiest Day in Grosse Pointe!www.facebook.com/124303337591975/videos/292240332790704/