FRANCIS'S BLOG 03/19/24
Super-duper pea-souper! 🙀
It’s very foggy:Chezzie’s still wearing his “mattress” (sawdust):It’s very muddy out in the paddock, so I’m having hay by the stable:It looks like the hay barn is the place to be:But Buttons has found her own space. . .A crate, in a box, on a shelf, in the back of the cat garage. 😺
We need a new wheelbarrow 🐎
Astrid is laying an egg in a makeshift nesting box:The ducks are stretching their legs in the front yard, and having a bath:And this wheelbarrow is falling apart:I can just look at it and it falls over:All but one of the bolts that keep the barrow on the frame have rusted off:You’re living dangerously, Buttons! 🙀
Hansel is a good father! 🐓
For a moment I had the hay in the front pasture all to myself:But Stormy, Misty and Iris found me out:Chezzie and Jewel have their own tanks from which to drink:And Hansel escorts his girls, first, to the barn. . .And then to the stable:
Finally, it’s always fun to watch Ferdinand and Percy have a bath. . .
. . .Especially when it’s warm (above freezing counts for warm in Geneseo) and sunny!
A clean duck is a happy duck! 🦆
Iris and I say Good morning:Hansel and the hens were in the stable, but Jewel chased them out:The ducks are having their morning bath:The water is flying!Oh no! Misty rolled in the mud:Somebody needs a nice brushing-out. 🐎
Mud and slush everywhere 😾
The water didn’t freeze overnight, so Ferdinand and Percy had 3 bathtubs waiting. So, of course, they crowded into one, instead of spreading out:Buttons waits for breakfast while Pumpkin and Finn “talk.” Buttons got her worm medicine today. A good cat is a healthy cat:Jewel has two flakes to herself in the front pasture:As for me—it’s carrot time, of course:There’s nothing like my morning carrots to put a smile on my face!They’re good for your teeth, too! 🐴
It’s 45℉! 😺
We’re feeling almost “warm” today!Baldy’s so happy!He hasn’t been out of the duck garage in over a week. He’s happy to see his fellow chickens again:One bad thing about the thaw is that it’s flooded the feed shed. The snow piled up around it is melting, and there’s no place for the water to go. Luckily most of our food is off the floor:The ducks plan to spend all day outside:
Here’s Ferdinand and Percy, doing what ducks do best:
Ducks love puttering around in the water. 🦆
Time to melt some snow! 🐴
We’ll have a high of 38 today, so Iris won’t need her coat:Jewel is having a drink of melted snow:Pumpkin and Buttons wait for breakfast on the tractor:And for the first time in a long time, the chicken waterer didn’t freeze overnight:Why does Pumpkin prefer the chicken waterer to the nice shiny cat waterer?We don't know. But we don’t plan to worry about it. 😼
No news is good news 😺
Not much going on today. We’re hoping to get above freezing:Phoenix and Sophie are visiting:We’re glad some people like playing in the snow! 🐎
The view from above 😺
From the top of the hay pile, you can see forever!Schroeder thinks the view from the manure spreader is good, too:But Buttons would rather keep a lookout from the heater:You can’t see much, but it feels great! 😺
What did Onslow dig up yesterday? 🙀
It may look gloomy this morning, but the sun is just about to come out:Sunny or not, though, a carrot is sure to cheer you up:Finally, yesterday Onslow was rooting around the foundation of the duck pen, and he started digging (this picture is for illustrative purposes only: we know this is the tack room, not the duck pen):What did he dig up? A frozen hawk!Poor bird. 😿We’re not sure what type it is, but it was no bigger than a robin. 🐦
Finally, a morning above zero! 🐴
I’ll have my carrot, now, please:Um, excuse me, Onslow. Please get off my “pan drippings.”This chicken would like Buttons to get out of her way, too:It’s heading toward the 20’s. So it’s a good day to be in the sun. 🐎
Our -11℉ Wednesday is warming up fast 😺
I have a serious look on my face, but that’s because I’m about to make a poopie:Stormy's poking around the cat-cops, looking for extra carrots. We’ll never get the stable clean if he keeps this up:It was so cold overnight that two poor starlings froze in the stable. Here’s one:And Onslow found another in my stall. Thank goodness donkeys and horses are heartier:Ugh! What’s this under the ducks’ water bucket?Worms! What are worms doing out in this cold?How did they manage it? We’ve never seen this before. 🙀
Maybe they’re a sign that warmer weather’s on the way. 😺
Finally, a sunny morning! 🐎
Everyone’s happy today! It’s still cold, but it’s sunny and no wind:There was a lot of drifting snow overnight, but Mary plowed out some paths:Look at the snow hanging over the roof of the stable. Now, that’s a gravity-defying drift:Iris says Good morning!Her coat has shifted a little. Don’t worry, Iris, Mary will fix you up this afternoon:Jewel is having a drink:And doesn’t Chavez look brilliant against the snow!What a shiny day! 🐴
We would be grateful for a morning ABOVE zero! 🐴
It’s -4, again, and windy enough to make it feel like -30, so I am definitely staying out of the wind:Why is Buttons the only one eating right now? (Pumpkin only took a quick bite, then jumped back on the heating pad):And these kitties decided they would rather go hungry than leave the barn. So the cat-cops gave in and fed them where they were:Well, you know what they say. . .“Feed your kitties where you find them!” 😺
Oh no! -20℉ windchill! 🙀
Chezzie and I are staying inside for the time being:It’s time to cuddle up to a space heater, like Buttons:Or cuddle up with some friends, like Onslow and Betty and Schroeder:Happy Valentine’s Day! 🐴
Cozy cats 😺
It snowed a little overnight. . .But it drifted a lot:Buttons has a big stretch:After breakfast, the heating pad fills up fast:And finally, notice anything different?We have a new, bigger heater! We’ll see if it makes a difference tonight. 😼
Kitties keeping warm 😺
It’s a zero-degree morning. We’re getting 2 bales of hay, so we’ll have plenty of “fuel”:Zelda and Schroeder are keeping cozy in the hay (it looks like Schrödinger has the warmer spot):In the garage, Pumpkin and Zelda are on the heat pad and Buttons is in front of the heater. Sorry, chickens—no room!And what is this pattern in the water dish?Ugh! It’s a raccoon paw print! 🦝 Don’t worry, this dish got cleaned out and refilled right away! 😺
Bad cat behavior 😾
Good morning! Excuse me while I have my carrot:It’s about 10℉ today. . .We won’t think about this weekend, when it’s supposed to drop to -10.Anyway, this morning, Buttons is trying out the heating pad:But we think she prefers the heater. It warms her from head to toe:Schroeder and Zelda aren’t up yet. Schrödinger has his head down in the hay, and Zelda’s still in her cubby-hole:Now, what about this bad cat behavior? Well, our latest stray visitor was trying to get warm, and maybe something to eat, too. But, Onslow and Finn were not very welcoming. Here they are staring daggers at the poor new kitty:They ran it back into the hay barn where it had been hiding. That’s not very nice, tabbies! 😾
Something ate our food dish! 🙀
No surprise, it’s another gray day:And it’s only 8 degrees. Onslow and Betty are under a heat lamp:Buttons is by the heater:And Finn and Pumpkin are on the heat pad:Oh, and just look at the cats’ food dish!What could have put those tooth marks in it? We know raccoons and possums come eat the leftovers overnight—but nothing's bit the dish! 🙀
Another below-zero day 😾
It’s -8℉ this morning:But it’s never too cold for a carrot!Finn is in charge of keeping the chickens off the heated cat bed:And while it’s not a very good picture, you can see that we were visited by a red-headed woodpecker:He’s taking a rest from eating the suet we have hanging from this tree. 🐦
Kitty capers 😺
It’s -1 this morning:There are 3 cats in this picture: Betty, Onslow, and Schrödinger. (Schroeder is the black fur under Betty. His face is hidden):Finn has discovered the heater:And so has Buttons!Finally, here’s Finn and Betty checking out the heat pad:Tonight, this pad will be crowded with kitties! 😺
-9 Sunday 🙀
I’m eating inside:Breakfast is waiting for Onslow and Betty, if they can tear themselves away from the heat lamps:We’d have more pictures, but it was too cold to work the camera. So let’s look at a picture from yesterday evening, of RC in the snow:He’s sugar-frosted! 🐎
Single-digit Saturday 😾
Onslow and Betty are snuggling for warmth in the barn:Buttons (lower right) is waiting for breakfast in the sun, with Pumpkin, Onslow and Finn:The hens’ water froze overnight, so they’re having a drink from the cats’ water:As we said, it’s very cold today. So, after their drink, they’re standing around on one foot:And as for us, we’re on lockdown for a few minutes:One of the fence wires is broken. . .We’re waiting for Mary and Mara to fix it. 🐴
Unexplained phenomenon 🐭
It’s windy and in the teens, so we’re trying to face the sun while staying in the stable:Last night, Buttons spent the night in a cubby hole in the barn (looks like she left her lights on):But she found her way to breakfast this morning:Chezzie and I were in a hurry to get our hay this morning. I’m afraid we tipped over the wheelbarrow:Since it is so cold, we’re having two bales this morning:And finally, look at how something has been digging out the crack in the floor of the duck garage, and piling up the dirt at the end:We think it’s the mice. 🐭🐭🐭
Nasty weather on the way 😾
We’re eating inside this morning. It’s raining, and soon it will be snowing:Oh, and New Kitty’s name is: Buttons!Don’t ask us why. We don’t know. 😺
Onslow does not waste food! 😺
Jewel says Good morning:New Kitty and Finn have breakfast while keeping an eye on the goings-on outside:Onslow is eating the last speck of cat food on the hay:We appreciate it, Onslow. . .We like our hay without condiments of any kind. 🐎
Kitty capers 😺 and fowl deeds 🐔
Our pictures from today look about like they did yesterday:We understand colder weather is on the way:Hansel is escorting the hens through the stable, where there’s plenty of dust for a bath:Onslow likes curling up on the hens’ sawdust:Onslow does not like holding a pair of gloves:Just look at this face:You would think he’d appreciate the extra warmth. 😺
Kitty capers 😺
It’s another gray day, but it’s not too cold or windy:Hey, Betty, guess who is in your spot?It’s New Kitty!Don’t let Betty catch you up there, New Kitty!