It was still and silent as man and beast sought refuge in the cool, dark places tucked away from the afternoon sun – harboring both life and spirit.  Subdued and lifeless, the birds were mute, the perennials wilted, and the grass recoiled under the weight of the heat and…

Slumped and listless, the flag seemed to be spilling down the pole, like a lit candle in a wine bottle.  Every so often, it would arch its back laboriously as a whiff of wind sputtered by.  The heft of humidity was great, and the discomfort even greater.  The dog days of Summer have…