Working on the Front door~

Hail damage to the side panels.

 So DH sanded down the side panels and front door.

I decided to go with a more cheerful color that would handle the heat we have in this State.

Lots of prep work. Also put on two coats of white primer.

First coat of color.

I did the last coat of color.  

Still need to take a fine brush to the areas around the glass panels...but it is pretty much done.

One set of shutters up, 3 layers of primer and 2 coats of Color.Just have 3 more sets of shutters to do.
But it will give you an idea what the house will look like.


Really want to change all the outside lights,,, but that will happen in time.

Gutters are finally done~~

Old hail storm damaged gutters removed.

Gutter people making gutters.

New Gutters on the house.
The only problem both DH and I can see... is the gutters are too close to the shingles... if we have snow and Ice.. there is a chance we will have gutter damage.

Two French Hens~

The day I had to run Sadie to the ER room..... my 2 French Hens were due to be delivered. 

Sadie was more important but the Hens would have to be picked up at the post office.

So DS stayed home from College.

They are just feathered out Blue Copper Maran Pullets.

Bit scruffy looking since they were shipped.

Then my DS had to pipe up.... Hey Mom, you have Two French Hens.... we just need a pear tree with a partridge in it. Rolled my eyes at him and told him we have Pear trees in the Orchard. OK then, he said... we just need to buy a Partridge and we will be all set for Xmas... 

Sigh ~~ LOL

These hens will lay very dark chocolate colored looking eggs.

Sadie is sick again~~ UP date RIP beautiful Sadie.....

Sadie has had sooo many surgeries and health problems in her short life. She is 7 years old now.
Sadie's normal Vet is out of town of course.... they have a sub Vet.  She is dangerous in her lack of knowledge and her instability to listen.
Sadie is suffering because of it.  If this stupid sub Vet listened,  Sadie would of gotten proper help sooner.
Keep a very long story short, it took all my will power not to loose my temper.
Took Sadie to the Emergency care Vet Hospital over an hour away from here yesterday.

You know how the Moron sub Vet said her blood work was all normal?
Hospital blood work was all over the place, anything but normal and her Potassium was through the roof.
Stones are too big to pass through so she needs surgery.

Today will cost $1,400.... for the surgery, will cost another $4,000+ dollars.
As much as I love her, how in the heck am I going to get that kind of money in a less than a days time?

DH is going to call Care Credit... if they don't up the limit from her last surgery, I don't know what I am going to do.

With her Stifle issues she can barely walk and always in pain. There is nothing else that can be done for that issue. 

Now this.... 

I have a super nice German endurance saddle for sale... some original Art.

Care Credit did the ok to up the limit... not sure if we can handle the month payments and have the humans eat.
OK Vet Hospital called yesterday afternoon

Bladder had ruptured about the same day that bad Vet was messing with Sadie. 
Some of it leaked into her belly.
Bladder was full of stones.... many of them to large to ever be dissolved like the bad Vet said they could.
Kidneys are showing signs of damage... though that might be because of the bladder issue and stones. 
Has almost no white blood cells in her system.

She also has Addison disease. 

Hospital is going to do some tests tomorrow to see how she is doing.
I told her my limit and if she is in renal failure... I want to let her go.

Neither she or I could know all that was going on with her, until they opened her up. 

I love her, but we are going to be totally tapped out... if any of the other animals get sick...
Here are some of the paintings I am offering for sale....
I don't want to sell Sleeping Mia but I really need too.

Have lowered the prices as much as I can, but the small Frames cost me $125.00 each, the larger ones much more than that.... pay pal will tag me and so on.

Please, please pass this around. I really do need help and this is the only way I have to make some money.

https://www.etsy.com/shop/InkandBrushcreations

UP DATE ON Sadie....

Got a call from the hospital   Sadie still would not eat and her BP was dropping and red blood cell count extremely low.

She needed a Blood transfusion.

I know Sadie, she has been through a lot, surgery after surgery.. plus all her health issues.

It was in no way an easy .. I have no slept for 2 days...

I told the ER Vet to let her go.

Just about dying inside,  keep telling myself it is for the best. She is no longer in pain and walking normally up in the clouds above.

Poor Mia knows something is wrong...  and is missing her buddy.

RIP Sadie,  you were the most sweet and gentle cat. We will miss you.

Making Rice Milk

Making Rice Milk.... pretty easy, just time consuming. 

I do not sweeten mine, but it is easy enough to do.

If you use Sushi Rice like I do, you might have to thin it down a bit.

You will need a blender, fine strainer and something to put the finished Rice milk in.

What it looks like just after being in the blender but before the straining.

Is much better for you than store bought, there is no salt or sugar in it.
Though you could add it, if you wished.

Homemade Brown Rice Milk (makes one liter)

3/4 cup brown rice ( I use Sushi rice instead, cooks a lot faster and I like the taste better.)

7 1/2 cups of water, divided

1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

In a saucepan, bring rice and 3 cups of water to a boil.

 Reduce to a simmer, and cook for 45 minutes (with Sushi rice you only need to cook 15 to 20 minutes), adding water if the pan dries out. 

When rice is soft, remove from heat and add 4 1/2 more cups of water and the vanilla. 

Stir, then let sit for an additional 45 minutes. Transfer soaking rice to a blender or food processor to mix for 3-4 minutes. Strain through a fine mesh sieve or cheese cloth into a mason jar or pitcher, and enjoy for 4-5 days.

Note* With Sushi rice, it tends to be a bit thicker, so you can thin it down as needed.

The chicks are growing up~

One of the beautiful Lavender Americana Bantams. They will lay light blue eggs.

Every single one of my Quail Antwerps are Roosters. Rather depressed about that.

I have never had a batch of chickens be 95% Rossters and 5% hens.
Normally its a 50/50 split.
So will have to continue culling. Hate culling but finding homes for them is really hard and having that many roosters per hen ratio, isn't fair to the hens.

They love cleaning DS's shoes. LOL

The batch of young bantams.

One of the Porcelain d'Uccle Hens, just getting her muff and beard.
Their beautiful spots are slowly coming in.

After all that went on, I only ended up with 5 d'Uccle hens.

The one Porcelain d'Uccle Rooster we decided to keep.  He is super sweet and likes being held.

Makes me wish I kept that batch of chicks I did not order.
Obviously my hindsight wasn't working too well then.
 7 Hens in all...  sure I will loose some due to various reasons.

Call me crazy, but I ordered another batch of GoldenNeck and Porcelain d'Uccles from a different hatchery.
Would like a healthy flock of bantam d'Uccles.

Luray Caverns 2 ~

Some of the older buildings on the place. 

One of the many walkways along the Cavern floor.

Pearl formations in on area of the Cave. 

Cave Pool.

The Hills pretty much hidden by the clouds.  But it was nice to know there are hills in this State.

DS came with us on this trip, a bit of a break from all the College classes.  He had fun panning for stones, with the screenings they sell.

Bright blue pool...  looks pretty shallow right?  Reading up on it,  it ranges from 6 to 7' deep!

Was a long day, but well worth it.