dog days of summer

Enjoying what is left of summer, I spent the first weekend of August up north at Georgian Bay. A typical summer retreat for us city folks that I actual dread doing because I don't have a place to call my own up north so I am stuck spending the weekend at someone else's boat or cottage. It is not worth renting as prices are astronomical during this time of year, so I endure as much as I can. On the flip side, I got a chance to bring my telescope and enjoy a starry night sky with no moon. It was a vision of beauty and magnificence. My goal was to see Scorpius, a summer constellation soon to leave us. The heart of the Scorpion is the star Antares - a fiery ball of gas with hues of orange and red, hence it is the heart of the Scorpion. In my next book, Hearthstone, the main heroine is Antara, named after Antares. You can only guess what kind of personality and power this woman will have if named after the heart of the Scorpion.