Been a little stressful around here...

stuff happening, you know, those everyday problems that can drive you crazy, problems I kept thinking I would post about...but then when our sweet little Ellie became deathly ill, well none of those other things seemed important.

Here's Ellie, saying hello from her hospital bed. 

This nightmare began March 16th when we carried Ellie to our regular vet for x-rays. She had been limping and having trouble getting up. But what a surprise, the x-rays showed nothing. Ellie's hips and legs looked fine...But, Ellie came home a changed dog.

Give her 24 to 48 hours we were told because she had been sedated. Those 48 hours turned into six days of not eating or drinking. She lost 8 pounds and spent two of those days in the vet's office getting fluids and bloodwork done. Bloodwork showed a serious bladder infection that had spread to her kidneys. 

We left the vet's office on Thursday the 23rd and drove Ellie to an emergency hospital in Raleigh. She stayed there three nights and underwent extensive bloodwork. The doctors all suspected "Addison's Disease". Ellie was hooked up to IV fluids and put on 2 different antiobiotics, 2 different steroids, a feeding tube, and 2 meds that would hopefully give her appetite back. Ellie began to show a little improvement and on Sunday we brought her home.

Tuesday we got a call from the hospital confirming that Ellie has Addison's Disease. There is no cure for Addison's disease and Ellie's quality of life will depend on lifelong treatment. We came awfully close to losing our sweet Ellie girl. Gosh!

So, I will just have to come back with all the other day to day happenings around here...

One thing for sure, while away on all the trips to and from the vet's office and emergency hospital Smokey had our place under control...told us not to worry, he would keep watch...

Thank you friends.

Love, Henny

Burrrrr!!

What a shame we had temperatures in the 70s and 80s in the month of February, tempting spring to arrive early...

Oh, I thoroughly enjoyed those warm beautiful days...

even the butterflies were out and about and birds busy building nests.

So, we all got too relaxed and what happened? Winter came back! Freezing temps last night and a freeze warning again tonight. Covering everything is simply too overwhelming. We might as well say goodbye to the tiny figs and pears once again.

Anyhow, Sunday morning we had sleet and snow flurries...

Looks pretty dreary, doesn't it? I mean, if it's going to be winter and snow, couldn't we at least have enough to play in?Before all this dreariness arrived Sunday morning, I was simply amazed at the sunrise...

Look closer. I actually thought the woods were on fire...

I should have opened the back door instead of taking the picture through the screen wire.

Once upon a time I did a blog post on this big dog house that sits in our front yard.  My brother Randall, who passed away in 2004 built this dog house and gave it to us many many years ago...

The last time the house was used was when our little red hen named "Jewel" hid a nest of eggs inside and sat quietly, and patiently hatched eight baby chicks. What a surprise that was! We thought a fox had caught her.

Anyhow, Sunday morning while I was at the grocery store, Poppy sold the doghouse to a nice young man who wanted it for a small hen house. Seems his young daughters had a few chicks they were raising. So coming home from the grocery store I stopped for a red light and there turning right in front of me was a big truck and trailer and loaded there on the trailer was the doghouse. Like it was meant to be...so I could say goodbye to Randall's doghouse. Kind of hurt my heart. But at least the house will be put to good use. 

and since the snow didn't amount to anything here, Eli and Ellie played in the leaves down near the pond...

Guess that's about it for now. I'm far behind once again visiting and reading but friends, I'll be there soon. Thank you for your visit.

Love, Henny

My Goodness, friends...

Thank you for the many many comments on my last, "what we older women should wear" post. 

Look, just so you will know, I did order that pretty shirt and the cool cowboy boots. The shirt arrived, and guess what...It doesn't look good on me. sigh! Of course, I ordered an extra large and the tail of the shirt hits just above my knees. 

Anyhow, maybe the boots will get here soon and if the boots fit, and if I can walk in them, I will show off my feet. :) 

I really had my heart set on that pretty shirt. Funny how the shirt looked totally different on me than it did on that gorgeous 5' 11" model. Imagine that! :)

Sure was fun reading all your comments. Thank you so much! and Connie at Crafty Home Cottage, you're right, I did ask! and you answered, and I totally agree with what you said. 100% Thank you!

Smokey got comfortable beside me on the couch after supper. Said he liked all the pillows I use to cover up the old worn out couch...

We just couldn't resist a little photo shoot...

Have I told you that Smokey can say "ma ma"? Well he seriously can. Poppy and I taugh him...

When he weaves around our feet meowing for somebody to open a can of food, we say to him, can you say "ma ma" and he changes his long drawn out meaow to two short "meow meow's". It's the sweetest thing. I just have to pick him up and hug him, he is saying "ma ma".

Hard to believe, here in the middle of February we are still struggling to get the leaves cleaned up...

With my back problems and then shoulder pain too last fall, I really got behind. The leaves are actually too much for a leaf blower. I'm right behind poppy with the rake and a giant tarp...pulling the leaves away.

In Randall Rabbit news, I've added an old wooden chair to his pen...

gives him something more to jump on and gives me a place to sit andvisit with him. 

Tomorrow is line dancing...I can hardly wait. Guess I will be dancing in my old boots again.

Oh, would you believe there is a 96 year old lady who line dances with us?? She is actually in the advanced class. Her name is Helen and she turned 96 on December 21st. How encouraging is that! 

Here it is Tuesday night, I've been to line dancing, bought groceries, cooked supper and washed the dishes...and now finishing up this post. 

Line dancing was really fun today, must say it was the fastest hour of the day. Carla and I plan to start staying for the advanced classes which start as soon as the beginner's class ends.  Every Tuesday a few new ladies start the class and a few drop out. So for those of us who have been there long enough to know the more simple dances, it tiring listening to the instructor start all over...when we want to be dancing. :) 

Okay, I'm sure you've heard enough, if you're still here. Thanks again for all the comments. Hopefully, I'll be around in my new boots soon...hopefully, I will be able to walk in them. :)

Love, Henny

Tell me something...

Should we women wear clothes designed for our age, or should we wear clothes that we love and feel good in?

Both my daughters tell me, mom, wear what you want to wear, wear what makes you happy. Well, I've always worn jeans and I have always loved boots...here's a little bit of me... 

These aren't real cowboy boots, but close enough. Since I've been line dancing at the senior center, my love for cowboy boots have come back...

and not only my love for cowboy boots, my love for cowboy hats. Well, I have always, always, loved Western wear. In fact, over a year ago, Andee and I were in Tractor Supply Store and I found the the cowboy hat I had been looking for so I tried it on. "Mom", Andee said, "you've got to buy it". 

Poppy snapped a picture of me. I despise pictures of myself especially like here in the old raggedy tee shirt, but it's my cowboy hat...

Look, a few years back, when I was into having yard sales at the local flea market, my friend Nellie stopped by and talked me into selling her my black cowboy hat, for $5.00! I regretted it as soon as she 'happily' drove away.

Have I told you how much fun those Line Dancing classes are? Oh my gosh, friends! It is the most fun thing I've done in 30 years. I believe it was last May when Carla and I started the classes. I have missed being there only one Tuesday and believe me, I struggled to learn those dances. My brain and my feet just couldn't get together, then one Tuesday, it clicked! 

Wonder if it's okay to post a picture taken from Amazon?? It's a shirt I want. Well, here it is... (maybe I won't get arrested and thrown in jail)

isn't it beautiful! why, it's the most beautiful shirt I've ever seen, and that's not all. These are the boots I want...

Be still my heart! Anyhow, probably won't be able to get them but will keep you posted. 

Now, I realize this shirt and these boots are designed for the younger set but why can't I wear them? I mean, if the shoe fits? (is this a good place to use that little saying? :)  At the risk of getting my feelings hurt, what do you think? 

Guess I should mention the weather while trying to decide whether or not to publish this.

Today has been cold and windy and has rained non stop... "It ain't a fit night out for man or beast", W. C. Fields   

Better check in the living room where Poppy is watching the Super Bowl. Guess I'm missing all the action!

Love, Henny

Here I am back, doing a little update to this post...a picture I wanted to post of Poppy back in the late 1970s. Take a look at this cowboy hat he wore back in our dating days...

We made a trip to town today...

 and why I have to keep putting off buying that new pair of jeans 😉

What's this? A line forming already just outside the pantry door?

Somebody might as well open another bag of birdseed too. That old saying, "eating us out of house and home", pretty much fits us here...

Got all kinds waiting in line at feeders.  We moved these two hanging bird feeders from the front porch to just outside the kitchen and living room windows...

Actually, two little birds have flown into the kitchen window lately. Our thinking was, hanging something there might prevent it from happening again...

Now there is a constant flutter around the window with birds waiting their turn to grab a sunflower seed.

And the little hanging pot at the living room window gives Poppy something to watch besides the TV...

Nothing going hungry around here. Wait until you see just inside the freezer door...

Shame on us! But who could resist! Tillamook is on sale at Food Lion for 3.99 and Breyers is on sale, buy 2 for 8.00 and get a thid one free. Wow! Another reason I need to wait about buying that new pair of jeans. 😞

Anyhow...I've been meaning to update you on Randall Rabbit...

He is now 8 months old and growing really big. What a sweet bundle of fun he has become. I need to get a little video of him showing off when I go inside the pen. He does bunny flips and is so cute! We added a panel to the front of his cage...such a cozy little home...

and his cozy little home home is safe and snug inside a 10' x 10' chain link pen, reinforced with rabbit wire and complete with an enclosed roof. Why most any bunny would be proud of such a fine home. Just check out the coziness inside...

with lots of hay to play in and nibble on. Why, I just might spend the night with him one of these nights. 

and our old "Miss Ducky" is happily sitting on two duck eggs, and has quite the story to tell...

Miss Ducky is very old. She is a Muscovy with Angel Wing, a cosmetic condition where the wing feathers twist as they grow causing them to grow out from the body instead of lying flat. She has never been able to fly. 

She has outlived all the ducks we've had and seems very content to live alone on our little pond...

Well, content except for the fact that she wants a baby duck of her very own...Miss Ducky has been sitting on a nest near the pond ever since last spring. We didn't think much about it until one day when she was off, and we saw that she was sitting on a pile of large acorns. Acorns! She had to have gathered them and put them there.

Anyhow, after telling the sad story to my friend Carla, Carla gathered two real duck eggs from their yard and brought them to us. The next time Miss Ducky was off her nest, Poppy took the acorns away and replaced them with the two eggs.  We seriously doubt that Ducky will hatch them but we'll see. For now, she is very happy and terribly proud which makes us happy too.

Well friends, I've gone on enough about the foolishness around here. How's the weather been where you are? We have had days and days of rain and the days without rain are cloudy. Very little sun shine...

But February is here and we're now getting closer to spring. Just can't wait to see blue skies and green grass again, and Mr. Sun!

Okay, don't know how this other duck picture got here but if I delete it, all different font sizes will appear in my post. Thank you for visiting.

Love, Henny

Hello from the Big Boys...

 

Well, big boy and big girl!

My, what a dirty chin you have Eli! These two recently had birthdays. Miss Ellie turned two on December 21st and Mr. Eli turned nine on January 13th.

Isn't it hard to believe that Eli is 9 years old? The years go by too fast. Life with Eli has been like living with a real live teddy bear, and speaking of bears...

This picture was taken last night. Eli is still carrying around the same old teddy bear...

this bear goes where Eli goes. Oh, remember when we brought little Rosie the goat home? 

just another teddy bear to look after, thought Eli...

nothing like a few minutes in the sun.  Eli has been nothing but joy since the day we brought him home from the farm in the little town of Micro. He was only eight weeks old...

and what an adorable little bundle of white fur we brought home that day.

And our Miss Ellie...

was already a big, four month girl when we brought her home.

and what a sweet playful girl she was...

and so totally different from Eli.  Ellie loves to play ball and Ellie is a "barker"! Barks at everything! and is afraid of thunderstorms. Ellie is a mama's girl...

and keeps me company in the sewing room. She's my sweetie pie!

And last, but certainly not least, today is Poppy's birthday and I don't even have a picture to show you. It has been a cold rainy day so we built a fire in the fireplace and stayed inside. I did make him a coconut custard pie, instead of a cake for his birthday. 

Now friends, I'm wondering, should I post this mess. Guess I will.

Love, Henny