Instincts, Unearthed

What’s Wrong With Your Dog?

If your dog wants to stop and sniff every blade of grass like it’s a crime scene, don’t rush them - congrats, they’re on a sniffari.

A sniffari is a slow, dog-led walk focused entirely on scent exploration. While you might be aiming to hit 10,000 steps, your dog is solving a scent-based puzzle (and we know which one is more exciting). Every hydrant, sidewalk crack, and mailbox is a data goldmine: who passed by, what they ate, whether they were friendly, stressed, or flirty. It's basically their version of Reddit.

Science backs it up: sniffing helps dogs regulate stress and lowers their heart rate (Applied Animal Behaviour Science, in case you want to get nerdy). It’s enriching, relaxing, and surprisingly exhausting - for your dog, not you.

Some dog parents get fancy with “sniff kits,” adding essential oils or spices to their route. Others just let the walk take as long as it takes. Puppies benefit. Senior dogs benefit. Reactive dogs especially benefit because sniffing redirects their focus and chills them out. Does this mean I should go out and sniff too to chill?

All you need is a leash, a harness, and the ability to let go of your timeline. A sniffari isn’t a workout. It’s a full-sensory adventure at one sniff per minute.

Architectural fail: Doesn’t look too useful
Got issues: I would do the same
Ponder: Deep thoughts

Environment

Ever imagined living beneath the earth’s surface, where walls aren’t built but carved from rock? And I don’t just mean when you want to get away from the fam. Let me take you on a mini-journey into the rising world of cave home renovations which are so charming, creative, and surprisingly practical. Cave, anyone?

A Hidden Cool-Down From the Heat

In parts of Andalusia, Spain - where summers bake the hills - the earth itself provides the air conditioning (ooh! good price!). Cave dwellings there stay naturally cool in summer and cozy in winter, thanks to the insulating power of stone. Many of these homes, some priced under €50,000, are being transformed into modern, energy-efficient hideaways with smart insulation and bold design choices.

When Floors Cave and Creativity Ascends

In Guadix, a cave home had its floor collapse, revealing a second, older layer underneath. Instead of filling it in, the homeowners embraced it, building a staircase to what became two extra bedrooms, complete with a potential hillside window. Talk about turning a stumble into architectural gold.

Meanwhile in Italy… Luxury Resurfaced from Ancient Stones

Matera, once shamed for its impoverished cave slums, now hosts a lavish 5‑star spa-turn-hotel carved into millennia‑old caves. Completing its transformation took years—drying ancient, crumbling stone, drilling through five-meter-thick walls for plumbing and power, all while honoring UNESCO heritage rules. The result? A layered space that’s part history lesson, part serene luxury retreat.

Why We’re All In Love with Cave Homes

In short, cave home renovations are turning geology into gracious living. Part history, part sanctuary, they are wholly captivating. The closest I’ve come to this was drinking in a wine cave but it wasn’t a real cave - just a segment of the place that is cave-ish. I might need to level up.

Is Last Year’s Sun Damage Showing Up As This Year’s Dark Spots?

You can’t go back in time and prevent sun damage from last year, but you can do something about it this year.

Chuckle

The fib is B. The world’s longest known cave system is still being mapped.
Mammoth Cave in Kentucky has over 400 miles of explored passages, and it’s growing as new sections are found.

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