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