FRANCIS'S BLOG 04/18/2026
Get well, Jewel! 🐎
Good morning. It’s pouring right now.
We’re not complaining. It could be snow.
Recently, our Jewel hasn’t been feeling well. She hasn’t been finishing her food, and has been making coughing sounds.
So the vet came out and discovered Jewel had a tooth that needed to be sanded down (the arrow points to Dr. Caroline’s hand as she works the machine):
Jewel also got some medicine that should clear up her coughing:
She’s feeling better this morning, but, like the rest of us, isn’t happy about the downpour. It makes the stable very noisy. 😾
Whodunnit? 🦆
Patrick and Aoife say, “Good morning! It’s supposed to be above 50, but we hear some rain is coming to cool things off a little.”
“Dukie is visiting! Not only is she friendly with cats, she never bothers us ducks!”
“Finally, who gave Jewel this ‘love bite?’ It’s nothing serious—it just took off a little hair. But we wonder whose teeth match it.”
I don’t care what you ducks are insinuating,
It wasn’t me! 🐴
Nobody here but us chickens (and a cat video)! 😺
Jewel says, “Good morning! It’s in the 40’s!”
“How about a kiss?” ❤️
The chickens are out in force:
We already have an egg. . .
And by 9:45, we had four!
Remember, on Monday, I said we needed a picture of Eva playing with Gary-Baby and Mini-Me?
Well, here’s a movie of them this morning:
Three happy little cats! 😺😺😺
It’s a nice morning to hear from Iris! 🐎
“Good morning! I spent last night outside of my run, because a nasty wind blew through it all night.”
No wind today, Jewel. We can have breakfast without it blowing away:
Tyrus has discovered a ladybug on the ceiling:
Oh! And Iris tells us she’s learning to jump,
And she’s making more friends every day:
We’re happy for you, Iris. But we still wish you were back with us! ❤️
Nothing to do but watch kitties play 😺
“I’m so happy Francis asked me to say, ‘Good morning!’ It’s put the twinkle in my eye!”
I’m glad you’re happy, RC. You’re looking and feeling good for someone who is 32! You are our “senior statesman!”
Let’s go from the oldest members of the farm to the youngest:
Let’s watch them at play:
We need to get some pictures of Gray and Mini playing with our next-youngest kitty, Eva:
She loves them and they love her! ❤️
Someone didn’t lock up Jewel’s run 🙀
Gray-Stray says, “Good morning! What I just saw makes me close my eyes and shake my head.”
That’s right, Gray-Stray. “Management” didn’t lock Jewel’s run. Jewel came out, and the everybody else (except me, because I know better) went in:
“How do we get out? The door closed behind us.”
Jewel and I say, “You went in there, you figure it out.” 🐴
Liquid water and we hear from Sophie! 🐴
Good morning! It’s a good day to eat outside:
It’s warm enough for our frozen pump by the riding arena to finally thaw out, so the hose is working and the ducks are bathing!
Let the water and feathers fly!
Oh! Our Mary sent us a video of Sophie!
Crunchy-crunch! 😺
Kitten makes a discovery 😺
Good morning!
Why is our water tank leaning over?
Oh my! The water in the tank must be completely frozen, and has expanded the bottom of the tank. We hope, when the water eventually thaws, it goes back to normal, and hasn’t cracked:
Finally, Gray-Baby hopped up on the heated tank to see what’s going on:
“What are those orange things swimming around?”
Please don’t fall in, Gray. If your fur gets soaked, you’ll freeze! 😿
Breakfast at the coop 🐴
Good morning! You can tell by my pleasant expression that I’m happy to see you!
Fabio has his clutch-mates in the stable with us, so there are lots of clucks, and the occasional cock-a-doodle-doo:
One of the girls is laying an egg:
“A little privacy, please.” 🐔
Anyway, let’s visit the coop!
Bart is so happy to see you, he just has to crow! 🐓
Danger! 🙀 Stable Hazard! 🙀
Good morning! It’s warm enough to let the chickens out. They haven’t been out in 2 days:
Tyrus says, “I’m still glad I’m in here, though.”
Gray and Mini say, “Good morning!” too. The arrow points out Mini’s very long cat-tongue (Why? Just because, I guess):
And this board, nails-up and all, was found in the middle of RC’s stall:
We’re not sure where it came from, but I’m definitely making sure it goes away! 🐴
Oh no! Too cold for pictures! 😾
-12℉ this morning. The only people taking pictures were the security cameras:
Here we are at 10:35, when it was up to -6:
Please let us be above zero tomorrow! 🙀
Iris says hello 🐎
Good morning. It’s minus-one.
Other than myself, nobody’s outside except the kittens:
They are frolicking like it 70!
Oh, and Iris is doing fine and making more friends in Minooka every day:
To know her is to love her! 🐴
Rest in Peace, Baldy 🐓
Good morning. Our hearts are broken. Our dear Baldy went to Chicken Heaven last night. He had been stumbling and feeling dizzy since last Tuesday, so we put him in the tack room, where he seemed better and was eating well:
We’ll miss you, Baldy. You were with us for 10 years and 10 months—longer than any of our other chickens.
Let’s remember Baldy with this video…
Your heart was as big as your spurs! ❤️
OMG! 50℉ @ Noon!
Good morning! Hey, Jewel, I’m taking tomorrow off, so you’re in charge (but I’ll be back, bright and early, Sunday):
The indoor cats were getting some fresh air before heading down to their favorite place:
What’s their favorite place? You know the answer. . .
The basement!
There’s so much to explore!
Speaking of explore, the kittens are discovering the hay barn. See Minnie peeking?
They love hopping from bale to bale:
It’s a great place to get away from the chickens. . .
Not that the chickens bother them, except at mealtime:
Tails says, “I told them, Mini, that cat food is made from chickens, but they don’t seem to care.” 🐓🐔
Sunshine and above freezing! 😺
Good morning! It’s a little windy, but 37! That’s a heatwave compared to yesterday. I can’t wait to get outside:
Mini-Me and Gray-Baby say, “We won’t need this heating pad today!"
Remember I reported that Baldy wasn’t feeling well, so we put him in the tack room?
We think he’s getting better, but we’re keeping him under observation. “Management” gave him a bigger pen to make him more comfortable:
He’s eating his mealworms, which is a good sign!
Let’s finish up by watching some other chickens enjoy a long-delayed dustbath:
For several days, it’s been too cold for them to quit the coop! 🐔
It was only 4 this morning 😾
Good morning! It’s quite chilly, but it’s supposed to warm up for the next day or two (then back to the deep freeze):
Well, hello chicken. You’ve found a novel place to lay your egg:
You made quite a jump to get up there:
Now the cat-cops will have to check for eggs before they feed us. 🐔
Get well, Baldie 🐓
Gray-Baby says, “Good morning! This is my first winter. Thank goodness I have this thing to keep me and my food warm!”
Baldie was feeling a little “whoozie” last night, so he spent last night in the tack room:
We hope he gets better. Winters are hard on everybody, and Baldie has seen TEN of them. 🐴
We’ve got the chilly-willies! 😾
Good morning. I’m glad my coat is fluffed out, because it was only 8℉ this morning. It should be a good day for basking in the sun, but the wind is picking up:
Tails, Mini-Me and Gray-Baby are in the sun for now, but the door is about to be closed so the space heater can warm them up:
Ugh—it’s supposed to be just as cold tomorrow! 😾
Happy Duck Bath Time 🦆
Good morning!
Greg has discovered bathroom tissue:
And at what are he and Tyrus looking?
Oh! Ferdinand and Paschal are getting a bath:
The weather has only recently been warm enough.
Finally, here’s our latest YouTube short, in case you missed it:
Dukie loves her kittens, even though they annoy her from time to time. ❤️
Martha has company for breakfast 😺
Good morning! In spite of the snow, it’s so nice out that I whined and cried and fussed until breakfast was brought to me:
Here I am in action. Don’t I look serene?
And here’s Martha. . .
She says, “Sparrows are good company. They wait their turn, and they never peck me.”
Finally, either Bart is stretching his wing,
Or he’s giving directions! 🐓
Any day we hear from Iris is a good day! 🐎
Good morning! Oh my, look at this snow:
The weather was nicer when Mara sent us these pictures of Iris:
Isn’t she looking beautiful? Being closer to her mommy, Mara, is doing her good ❤️:
Oh, and Tiger is “helping” with the setup of “his” new TV:
The cats favorite channel is JTV. It plays all day and all night! 😺
Kittens in the sun! 😺
Good morning! Gray-Baby is keeping me company while I’m eating:
I know you’ve seen pictures of me cleaning up RC’s leftovers before, but…
I want to show you in this video that horses are sloppy eaters:
Unfortunately, most of his spillage goes behind the wall where no one can get to it (except the mice 🐭).
Finally, let’s watch Tails, Mini-Me and Gray-Baby sunbathe:
It’s a great place to keep warm when Baldy is hogging the space heater…
Which is all the time. 🐓
News from Minooka! 🐎
Good morning! Why can’t I get this smile off my face?
Because we heard from Iris! She’s doing well and looking good:
She says it’s chilly, just like it is here,
But she has a boyfriend to warm her heart!
He is a handsome cremello! ❤️
Clean-up crew 🐎
Good morning! I’m feeling bright and perky this morning:
Stormy is cleaning up Jewel’s leftovers:
Rose is eating RC’s (he didn’t leave much):
Meanwhile, Security Chief Onslow is guarding our hay until we’re ready:
What a mean look he has! Our hay is safe! 😺
Here come the chickens! 🙀
“I’ll say ‘Good morning!’ as soon as I have a drink.”
“I would say ‘Good morning!’ but this hay can’t wait!”
“The excuses people make around here. I’m happy to greet you properly.”
Anyway, let’s watch the chickens run to help themselves to the cat food:
Luckily, the coops aren’t opened until the kitties have had their fill! 😺
Roast chicken 🙀
Good morning! It’s only about 20 today. But still, we’re grateful, because you and I both know how much colder it could be in January:
Tiger says, “You’re right, Francis. Tyrus and Greg and I are exploring the mud room, and it’s chilly compared to the rest of the house.”
Baldy says, “What are you all complaining about?”
“I think it’s almost hot today.” 🐓
Bart has something to say 🐓
Let’s start with a “Good morning!” from Bart:
Hey, where’s RC?
Oh, he’s cleaning up Jewel’s leftovers:
The kitties are playing in the sun:
Finally, here’s our latest YouTube video, in case you missed it:
😺
What considerate chickens! 🐴
Oh, Good morning! You snuck up on me! It’s only 18 right now, and if you look closely, you can see a little snow has drifted in:
Gray-stray is having breakfast at the raccoon pile. Don’t feel too bad for him, because the food is still pretty fresh, and it’s warm (it spent the night in the tack room):
It’s supposed to be even colder tomorrow:
The chickens say, “We’re going nowhere! Please feed us inside, cat-cops.”
“In order to show our appreciation,”
“Here are three eggs, so new, you can use them to warm your hands!” 🐔
Oh no! They’re calling for snow! 😾
You’re a little early for breakfast, Gray-stray (his tentative name):
In the meantime, help yourself to the “raccoon pile:” 
Mini-Me and Gray-Baby are getting braver every day:
You wouldn’t think snow is supposed to be on the way. It’s so bright, and there’s no wind:
Having said that, “Good morning!” 🐴
Sunny for 2025 🐴
Good morning! Here I am at our New Year’s Eve party:
Come out of the shade and enjoy the sun, Stormy:
And the indoor kitties are playing with a plastic bag:
Don’t crawl inside, kitties; you won’t be able to breathe. Plastic bags are neither cat toys nor children toys! 😾