FRANCIS'S BLOG 03/19/24
We’re having some warm temperatures 🐴
Yesterday it was 63 and this morning it was 54! 🐴And I got to spend some time outside the gate again. 🐴I’m so happy. . .How about a kiss? ❤️
A nice sunny Tuesday 🐴
I’ve been busy this morning. 🐴I had a nice breakfast with Misty. 🐎And I picked up a cat. 😺
A cat in the bush is worth? 😺
This is the perfect bush for a flock of sparrows to roost in:Not a cat to be seen—anywhere! 😿😺
Sunny Sunday 🐎
We’ve been cooped up in our stalls for two nights and a day. We’re so happy to finally be outside.
The ducks are enjoying themselves, too, especially Patrick:
The Department of Horsefarm Security never sleeps 🐎 (but cats do 😾)
What’s this on our security camera so late at night?Do we have horse thieves?Let’s take a look inside. . .Oh, it’s just Ann, Mary and Mara giving us each a nice bed of sawdust for the night.Security Chief Schroeder finally shows up to check things out. 😺It’s a good thing they weren’t really horse thieves. . .By the time Schrödinger got here—we’d all be stolen! 🐴
More mud 🐎
We’re glad the farrier’s coming tomorrow...Because while we wait to get our hooves done, we’ll stay dry in our stalls and get a nice, hard brushing.You can see how muddy we are...Especially poor Misty (although, to be honest, it doesn’t help that we roll in it).
Anyway, it was too muddy this morning for the wheel barrow, so here I am supervising the delivery of our breakfast hay by tractor.We got two bales this morning.Whatever’s left over can soak up some mud! 🐴
Moody me 🐴
I’ve been in a bit of a “state” lately. . .Even though I get my food in my own clean dish, I’m just not eating it. I would rather take nips from the feed bucket until I’m shooed away.In fact, I’ve been shooed away so much recently. . .I’m beginning to feel like a duck. 🐴
Dazzling ducks 🐴
We’re back to below freezing. . .But it’s ok—it gives us a break from the mud.And at least it’s sunny! ☀️
Rain all night and all day 🐴
The rain filled RC’s feed dish to the brim! (Wish we could figure out where the water comes from.) 🐎The stable is so muddy, I just had to sneak out. 🐴For a change, we’ll have our breakfast hay on the hill beside the stable, where it’s a little higher and drier. 🐎Of course, if you’re a chicken, you can just hop up into the hay barn. 🐔Looks cozy, doesn’t it? 🐔
Monday, muddy, Monday 🐴
We haven’t had rain in a long time.But we aren’t complaining—it’s 43!We’re getting rid of a lot of snow and salt! 🐴
Oh no, more snow! (just a little) 🐴
As I survey the landscape this morning, it appears the warm-up I was expecting took the day off:Oh well, maybe it’ll be warmer tomorrow. 🐴As usual, the ducks don’t much care. . .Finn looks a little grumpy, though. 😾
A warm-up is on the way! 🐎
We were treated to two bales of hay this morning. We’re dreaming of the days when we can just fill up on grass. 🐴Speaking of filling up, look at all the sparrows in the tree over the feed shed! 🐦They’re waiting for the chickens' and ducks’ leftovers. 🐦
Cats should not fight 😾
Iris enjoys some “pan drippings:”Finn watches the water tank fill up:And Major Tom shows up for breakfast:He got that nasty cut over his eye from a fight he just had with Evil Cat. 😿
This morning is very foggy and very sloppy 🐴
We’ve had two days of 40 degree weather, and the snow is melting quickly.The kitties can’t find a dry place to walk.But the ducks are happy: they get to take a bath!Take a look at Patrick’s head:Who knew he had gray feathers under his green feathers? (He’s ok—he just needs to re-waterproof those feathers.) 🐴
Things are looking up 🐴
It’s 40℉ today!The snowplow gets a rest.We’re only using it today as a cat perch. 😺
It’s Tabby Time! 😺
Finn and Noodle take a break from the snow:Earlier, here was Noodle supervising the plowing:The ruts that the tractor makes are a convenient place to stalk your “enemies:”Attack!Cats can have fun anywhere! 🐴
Finally, a sunny morning! 🐎
Here’s RC, walking out through the driven snow of the front pasture:Here I am, getting to do the same thing:We know that sometimes snow isn’t the best for our hooves; but we’ve become so tired of eating our hay in the stable. . .We’re happy to have this change. 🐴
We are tired of snow! 🐴
This weather is not helping Tux’s runny nose:The snow is about 10 inches deep everywhere. We’re getting tired of being cooped-up in the stable.The forecast says there’s a warm-up coming Wednesday.Please let it be right! 🐴
It just keeps coming 🐴
The snow keeps piling up. . .And we keep plowing. 🐴I think the only people that are happy are the roosters. 🐓Look at how cozy they are in their igloo! 🐓Look how clean it is in there. I didn’t know roosters were such good housekeepers. 🐴
More nasty, blowing snow 🐴
It’s snowing this windy Friday morning, so we’ve got a lot of drifting:Everybody’s cranky. Case in point: Here’s Henry deciding to chase after Iris:Henry’s usually such a good boy (maybe he just thinks she needs some exercise).RC and I tried to take a walk outside. . .But I decided I’m going back in:We’re glad that hay is still being served inside:Although it does make the stable full of poopies! 🐴
The snow just won’t go away 🐴
There’s not much going on today. 🐴I’m just wondering. . . 🐴Why doesn’t Finn come out of the snow? 🐴
A little more snow overnight 🐴
We’re eating our hay in the stable again. It helps us keep the snow out of our hooves.Meanwhile, what’s that? up there in the soffit of the garage?Why, it’s Schroeder!Look at those teeth!Schrödinger figures, if he holds still, maybe a bird will fly in! 😺
Four Below and a Half-Foot of Snow! 🐴
Here we are, getting snowed on Monday night:Iris isn’t too happy:Neither are Henry and Charlie:This morning it was -4℉.We had our hay inside this morning:And we were treated to two whole bales! 🐎
Zero degree Monday 🐴
It was a freezing, cloudy morning:It’s enough to make you stand on one leg:Patrick says, “I know some worms will warm-down my other leg!” 😺
Snowy Sunday 🐴
It’s starting to snow this morning. . .We don’t expect it to amount to much. 🐎Meanwhile, the cats have breakfast. . .which is chock-full of worm medicine! 🙀
Cat-cops have their flu, and Cats have their worms 🙀
The DHS CDC reports an outbreak of worms! Schrödinger has them:Noodle has them, too:Worm medicine is on the way. In the meantime, no cats will be permitted to lap-sit. 😾
Friday is freeze-day 🐴
It’s only 6℉ this morning, but there’s no wind, so it doesn’t feel as bad as yesterday.
Here we are having breakfast next to a flock of starlings:The neighbor ducks must have been waiting all morning for a little liquid water:Thank goodness the cat-cops drain the hose after every use, so it can still be splash time, even on a morning like this:Sometimes I’d like a bath. . .But I know I’d just freeze solid. 🐴
Freezing first of February! 🐴
We have a problem: Our Pooter likes to get mixed up with the neighbor’s ducks.Can you tell which duck is Pooter? How can we make sure we put the right duck to bed in the garage each night?Well, it takes a trained eye—but here is our Pooter:If you look carefully, you’ll notice he has a little red patch under his nostril. And here he is, being a good boy, keeping L’Orange and Paschal company in the garage:Stay away from those neighbor ducks, Pooter! 🐴