FRANCIS'S BLOG 04/24/2026
Will it ever stop raining?
I’m hoof-deep in mud:
Major Tom is major wet:
I’m glad someone likes being soaked:
Drizzly Tuesday 😾
This morning, Kanna finds breakfast to be a bit of a stretch:
I didn’t know cats were that long. 🐴
Cat in the box 😺
Cat in a short box:
Cat in a tall box:
Two cats squished in a box:
Cats like boxes better than sparrows 🐦 or mice 🐭!
Julia visits! 🐎
Friday afternoon was nice and breezy. After Julia gave Chezzie and me a nice brushing, she helped the ducklings get their baths:
Unfortunately, this morning is nasty and rainy, so we had our breakfast hay inside:
Oh no, Finn is on MY back, now 🐴
At times like this, I wish I were a moose. 🐴
If I had antlers, I could brush her off with no problem. 🐴
Although I must admit, she gives a great back massage. 🐴
Everyone loves a horse ride 🐎
Don’t look now, Stormy, but you’ve picked up a passenger:
Finn is wondering if this ride will ever start:
Stormy is wondering if this cat makes his butt look big?
Next time Stormy will wear a bigger cat. 🐎
When strays meet 🙀
Major Tom and Evil Cat warily size each other up; but they soon realize that there’s always room for another stray.
“EC” advises “MT” never to let the cat-cops catch you, no matter how friendly they might seem. Because if they catch you, you’ll be taken away for “extreme vetting.”
You will be brought back, but you won’t ever be the same. 😾
I’d like to file a complaint (not that it does any good). 🐴
The horses and I are outraged that we had to wait 30 minutes for breakfast this Sunday!
All because the “newcomers” needed new food and water.
We were here first you know! 🐴 The cat-cops have got to start getting up earlier! 🙀
Major Tom can’t get any rest 😾
Major Tom can tell you. . .
The kittens always want to play. . .
And if you walk away, they just tag along. 😺
Oh great, more buzzards… 🐴
The bigger ducklings, with the black marks, are week-old Anconas.
The littler ducks are two-day-old Welsh Harlequins.
(Just in case you noticed, the red or green stripe on the two of their heads is just a mark indicating that they are drakes.)
It’s slowly getting warmer 🐴
Finally, a spot in the sun, dry enough for me to lay down:
I need a nap. 🐴
Winter is still here, continued. . . 🐴
Oh darn, 18 degrees and another inch of snow:
But the cats stay toasty under the ducks’ heat lamp:
😺
Well, Monday proved that winter is still with us 🐎
Oh no! Three inches of snow making foot-deep drifts!
Finn explores a drift by the back door:
Please, let this be our last snow of the season! 🐴
Go fish, Katfish! 😺
Katfish tries to snag a goldfish. 🐟
But they’re just too far under the water. 😾
Oh, and by the way, we have crocuses! Hurry spring! 🐴
Peaceful Cat Coexistence 😺
Schroeder, Luigi and Major Tom all come together for dinner. There are no cat fights when there’s plenty of food! 😺
Dog alert! 🐕 🐕
Kitties in dreamland:
Uh-oh, Katfish senses a disturbance in the “Cat Force.”
Oh no! Both Ukie and Dukie are at the farm!
Two dogs are two dogs too many! 😾
There’s always time for Evil (Cat) 😺
Evil Cat stopped by for evil breakfast.
It’s a slow news day. But we haven’t seen Evil Cat in a while, so it’s nice to know he’s still with us. 🐴
Windy Wednesday 🐴
It’s been so windy this week. . . .
Noodle volunteers to weigh down the hay barrel while it’s empty. 😺
When you look good, you feel good 🐎
Mrs. Minas stopped by on Sunday to give her Henry a nice brushing.
It’s only a matter of time before he rolls in the mud. But, hey, until then, he looks great! 🐎
Meet Major Tom 😺
The stray tabby has been officially dubbed Major Tom:
He is right at home with all the other tabbies. Here he is, on the right, sharing breakfast with Zelda:
And here he is, enjoying quality time with the kittens:
I wonder if they think he’s their father? 🐴
Well, that we’ll certainly never know.
And nobody’s paying for a DNA analysis! 😺
Sneak attack! 🐴
Stormy thinks no one is watching him steal my dinner dish:
I’m about to cut loose with a “HEE-HAW!” that should scare the wits out of him:
Play with your own dinner dish! 🐴
Spring can’t be far off 🐴
It’s still a little cold, but it’s sunny and there’s no nasty wind!
Our breakfast stays right where it was put!
Hang in there, Luigi! 😺
Recently our Luigi has been looking poorly and losing weight, so Ann took him to the vet. He weighed only 7 pounds, and a normal cat should weigh almost twice as much. 🙀
It turns out Luigi has diabetes. He has to take a little shot of insulin twice a day, and hopefully that dose can be reduced over time. He’s feeling better and appears to be eating more, which is good.
He’s back to his duties, patrolling the grounds as Security Chief. 😺
