The Adventures of Julie and Bella 2025

Today has been the perfect mix of fun, fresh air, and productivity—just how I imagined my break would start!

After letting me sleep in a little (thank you, Bella 🐾), we kicked off the morning with a cool, peaceful walk. Along the way, we ran into the kind gentleman we see nearly every day. He was standing at the end of his driveway, clearly waiting for us—because he had someone very special to introduce!

Meet Buddy, his brand-new Golden Retriever puppy! 🐶💛 He’s the cutest little bean—well, next to Bella, of course! 😉 The two pups had a good sniffaroonie and played for a few minutes. Bella didn’t want to say goodbye and insisted on watching Buddy and his owner as they walked away, making sure her new friend stayed safe. She’s such a little mama bear sometimes!

After breakfast, I dove into some crafting. I’m working on a new project, but it’s still a secret for now 🤫. I’ll be sharing soon, so stay tuned!

This afternoon, we enjoyed another long walk while the weather was still nice and cool—such a refreshing change from the recent heat wave! 🏞️

🌱 Evening Garden Check-In: Tonight was garden care time! I watered and pruned, and I’m excited to say things are growing beautifully:

🍅 Tomatoes: 26 regular and 17 Romas—woohoo!
🫑 Peppers: My one pepper is getting bigger, and I spotted a couple of newbies too!
🥒 Cucumbers: Finally starting to grow!
🥒 Zucchini: I have both male and female flowers now—fingers crossed!
🌿 Brussels Sprouts: I staked them up and pruned a bit, though some leaves have holes thanks to a mystery muncher 😡
🍆 Eggplant: Slowly but surely growing strong!

Just one month in and I’m already seeing the fruits (and veggies) of my labor! 🌻

Now it’s time to wind down with some snuggles, snacks, and maybe a cozy movie night. 🛋️🍿

Here’s to many more beautiful summer days like this one!

— 💚 Julie (& Bella)