The Adventures of Julie and Bella 2025

Whew, Mother Nature is not messing around—today was another scorcher here in New York! 🌡️☀️ The heat and humidity have been out of control, but Bella 🐾 and I made the most of it.

We started our day early with a nice long walk before the sun came up. 🌅 It was still cool and peaceful, the perfect way to start the day. After that, it was time to BAKE! 👩‍🍳 I whipped up a delicious Blueberry Cobbler 🫐 to share with my sweet neighbor who helped me mow the lawn this week.

Of course, Bella had to inspect the blueberries and give them her signature paw of approval 🐶✅. She may have sampled one or two… just to make sure they were top-notch! 😉 The scent wafting from the oven while it baked? Absolutely mouthwatering 🤤! And yes… I may have snuck a tiny taste. It was divine! But shhh… don’t tell my nutritionist 🙈😅

While the cobbler cooled, I poured a few candles 🕯️. My brother requested a Pine-scented one 🌲, and then I made myself a Coconut candle 🥥 because that scent just screams summer to me. They turned out great, but now I have to wait 12 whole days while they cure! ⏳ Patience is not my strong suit when it comes to new candles 😆

In the afternoon, we took a short walk 🚶‍♀️🐕, but with the air quality alert ⚠️ and the heat, I didn’t want Bella outside too long. We stayed safe, hydrated 💧, and mostly indoors after that.

The rest of the day was a mix of reading 📖, brainstorming new product ideas 💡, and some quality garden time 🌿. Today was fertilizing day! I fed, pruned ✂️, watered 🌱, and—of course—encouraged my little green babies. (Yes, I talk to my plants 🌼🗣️ and yes, they are thriving!) The beans especially are growing like champs! I’m amazed at how much progress they’ve made in just a week 🫘🌞

Tonight is shaping up to be a cozy one: a little TV 📺, some snuggles with Bella 🛋️🐾,😴. I’d say that’s a pretty sweet summer Monday! 💛