FRANCIS'S BLOG 04/19/2026
More wet snow 😾
I’ll say this for the snow. . .
It covered up last night’s freezing rain. . .
So we shouldn't slip so much.
Finally, it must be nice to be a cat. . .
You can get out of the weather and help yourself to breakfast at the same time. 😺
Hee-Haw! 🐴
We have a cardinal with us today:
And Hansel is wondering why the hens aren’t out yet:
It’s so New Kitty has some time to eat by herself:
Speaking of eating, let’s listen to me hollering for my breakfast hay:
🐴
Poor Finn 😾
Stormy says Good morning!
And so does new kitty:
I have the feeling I’m being followed:
Zelda’s joined us for breakfast. We’re happy to see her eating. She’s an old kitty, and sometimes sleeps through meals:
And Finn’s not too happy. She spent the night in the feed shed:
When the cat-cops tell you the door is closing, they mean it. 🙀
Let’s finish up by watching the horses get some hay:
🐎
One-degree morning! 😾
For such a low temperature, it doesn’t actually feel that bad. The sun is out, and there’s absolutely no wind. Nevertheless, the ducks are preferring to stay inside:
Iris is waiting in line behind Stormy for RC’s leftovers:
New kitty and the chickens are quite comfortable around each other:
As for me? I spent a few minutes watching the cows across the street:
And then I had my carrots:
Yum! 🐴
Thanks to Farmer Rich for clearing our driveways 🐎
It’s not bad this morning, but tomorrow, we’re looking at single digits. But we’ll worry about that tomorrow.
Onslow caught a bird:
And Sophie paid us a visit!
Let’s watch her frolic in the snow:
🐴
Big drifts of snow 🙀
We have snow drifts in all shapes and sizes:
We go from no snow to a foot of snow in a few inches:
Here we go from almost no snow to over 2 feet:
And we can always count on some unusual shapes around the water tanks:
Betty’s going to have to make a jump:
Onslow and Schroeder are happy to huddle in the barn:
I’m content to stay inside, too:
But everyone else didn’t mind being out:
🐎
Movie time 😺
I’m afraid there’s not much going on today. They tell us we’re going to get snow this afternoon, so we got extra hay this morning:
Schroeder is still waking up:
But he eventually joined “new kitty,” Finn and Pumpkin for breakfast:
Other than that, let’s watch the movies we took yesterday! 😺
Onslow and Schroeder decided that dinner wasn’t happening fast enough. So, they staged a dramatic raid on the trash, to demonstrate how “starving” and “mistreated” they are:
And that morning, the ducks enjoyed their morning ablutions and breakfast!
🐴
30 degree Sunday 😺
Why are the sparrows up in the trees, when there’s cracked corn and chicken feed lying on the ground? 🐦
Because Betty is eating it! 🙀
The new kitty says Good morning! 😺
There was a light dusting of snow overnight:
It’s just enough to make me eat inside:
🐴
10 degree Saturday 🐴
It’s another cold morning:
But it’s never too cold for Onslow to climb a tree:
He’s a “kitty-hawk” looking for mice!
Other than that, we’re happy the new kitty is out for breakfast:
We’re going to have to think of her name. 😺
Chilly Friday 😺
What’s this? 22 pounds of mealworms!
Yummy-yum! Happy ducks and chickens!
It’s a chilly day: 11 degrees and breezy.
Stormy, Chezzie and I are staying out of the wind for the time being.
And the new kitty is with us for breakfast!
She’s getting less shy! 😺
This morning, she’s no longer hiding in the shadows. 😺
She’s enjoying the sun with the chickens. 🐔
No news is good news 😺
Not much is going on this morning.
It’s warmer and very sunny:
Astrid is soaking up the sun:
And so are Percy and Ferdinand:
It’s going to be a nice day! 🐴
9 degree morning 🙀
Sophie’s with us today:
Hansel has invited the hens to the ducks’ breakfast:
And even though it’s only 9 degrees this morning,
Betty is complaining about the heat. 😺
Kitty Capers 😺
It’s a dreary Tuesday, so let’s cheer up by checking in on the cats.
Onslow is enjoying the view from Mary’s car:
Hey, Betty—what has attracted your attention?
Oh!
Look out, sparrow. You’re being stalked! 🐦
Our friend is back 😺
The temperature is supposed to start dropping, so the ducks are enjoying their big tubs while they can:
Well, look who’s back!
We think she’s a she, and still a kitten.
Let’s watch her getting used to sharing breakfast with the chickens:
😺
A little snow today 🐎
We didn’t see the mystery kitty this morning, but we left food for him or her anyway:
Rose, Misty, Iris and Jewel are outside in the light snow:
But Stormy and Chezzie are having their flakes inside:
And so am I:
Finally, let’s watch a video from yesterday, of Schroeder and Betty playing tag with a clever little mouse:
Don’t worry, the little mouse got to safety. Hopefully, it learned a lesson: Gray mice show up easily on white snow! 🐭
We have a guest for breakfast 😺
Good morning. As you can see from the wood chips still on my face, I’ve just gotten up:
The ducks are waiting for the tub to fill:
Betty is lounging under the heat lamp, as usual:
Let’s watch Chezzie have a carrot:
Here’s a surprise—What’s going on in this video?
This morning a new little cat showed up for breakfast:
It’s too soon to tell if it’ll stay or not. But if it does, we hope it’s friendly enough to go to the vet. The best cat is a healthy, fixed cat. 😺
There’s always work to be done 🐎
Pumpkin has a feeling someone’s sneaking up on her:
“Is there a chicken behind me, Finn?”
“Yes there is, Pumpkin.” 🐔
Here’s Stormy and Jewel having a carrot (we all had one):
Speaking of Jewel, here’s Ann, Mary and Bill fixing her stall. They’re using the tractor to push parts of the stall back into place:
How did the stall get bent out of shape? She kicks it. 😾
It’s starting to rain 😾
Not much going on today. We hope the rain doesn’t freeze:
The birds are helping the ducks clean up after breakfast:
And speaking of cleaning up. . .
Percy is making the best of his little tub. 😺
Kitty capers 😺
We all have a flake to ourselves this morning:
Hansel is escorting his “daughters” from the stable back to the garage:
The new heater is keeping the new tank ice-free:
Finn declares this water fresh and tasty!
Schroeder and Onslow pose for a nice picture:
And Finn has now moved from the water tank to the manure cart:
Don’t get your paws poopie, Finn! 🙀
Finally, a sunny morning 😺
You can see over my shoulder that there’s not a cloud in the sky!
Pumpkin’s taking in the sun:
And aren’t the hens looking extra brilliant?
Let’s watch them and Hansel preen with Finn and Onslow:
We know how to relax around here. 🐓 😺
We’re tired of the ice 😾
Good morning!
Iris and Jewel are having hay in the front pasture, where there is more elbow room, and less poopie:
It’s all happening in the hay barn!
And Baldy cock-a-doodle-doo’s to the heat lamps:
Let’s listen:
🐔
Get well, Chezzie 🐎
It’s a dreary Sunday morning, like the past several days. Betty is where she normally is on days like this:
Mary and Mara have put a heater in the new tank. Soon we’ll have 3 sources of water:
And Chezzie’s going to be in his stall today. His foot hurts. We think he slipped on the ice, so we’ll keep him off it for a while:
But he’s had medicine, and hay, and we’ll visit him often. 🐎
Now, let’s watch the hens come out in the morning (despite Baldy blocking the door):
🐔
Busy Betty 😺
I'm having hay with Iris and Jewel in the front pasture this morning:
Percy and Ferdinand are having worms outside for the first time in about a week. When the worms are gone, they’ll use the water for a bath:
Betty starts breakfast with an appetizer of fresh yolks:
Then she “sunbathes” under the heat lamp:
And when she’s properly warmed up, she has more breakfast:
🐴
Drowsy horses 🐎
It’s about 90 minutes before breakfast. Iris, Rose and Chezzie are just waking up:
A little later, we see Schrödinger, using some of our old hay to keep off the snow:
In the hay barn, Hansel has discovered three “headless” chickens:
Here’s the view from way up on top of the hay:
And here’s Onslow and Betty up there:
They’re keeping an eye on the sparrows and starlings that fly by.
Our shimmering trees are full of birds. 🐦
Oh, here I am munching some “pan drippings!”
🐴
Frosty and cloudy 😾
The spiky hoar frost keeps growing:
It makes the birds stand out:
Speaking of birds, Patrick (in the tub), Edina, Danny Fairbrass (center), and Patsy say Good morning:
And I say, “Let’s have carrots!”
Yummy-yum! 🐎
Dazzling Tuesday 😺
Our trees are brilliant:
Other than that, Would I like a carrot?
Why, yes I would!
🐴
Monday potpourri 🐴
The security camera catches Stormy about to make another poopie in the feed bin:
Fluffy frost is everywhere. . .
Except on me!
Percy washes up in his own little tub:
And finally, let’s start up the tractor!
😺
A little more snow 🐎
We have a little more snow and fog this morning, but the sun is about to shine:
The birds will have a hard time seeing Betty today:
There’s still a lot of ice on everything:
The ducks are happy. They have a tub to bathe in:
And here comes the sunshine:
Finally, let’s watch a movie from yesterday morning:
I think Chezzie and RC want to groom each other, but Rose is in the way, scratching Chezzie’s back. 🐴
Oh no! More snow! 😾
We got a few more inches of snow. But it covers up the ice, so we have an easier time walking:
Chezzie would like a carrot now, please!
Onslow is having some eggs:
Betty is just blending in with the snow:
Everyone knows how Onslow likes to sit on our hay:
He can’t resist, so matter where the hay ends up:
😺
