FRANCIS'S BLOG 04/18/2026
Hurry April 🐴
Iris is out with the girls this morning:
Henry’s eating outside his stall today:
Stormy was blocking the door. 🐎
Yesterday morning, we were fed breakfast early, at about 6:30. Here we are coming in from the far pasture, where we were at the time:
The sun had just come up! 😺
Spring flowers 😺
We have our first crocus:
And some tiny daffodils:
Chezzie’s having a lie-down while Stormy stands at attention:
I have to ask, Chezzie. . .
Couldn't you find a drier place? 🐎
Howling winds 🙀
The cats are enjoying a freshly-opened bag of cat food:
The ducks have their pen moved over fresh grass:
And I have fresh poopie in my bowl:
Therefore, I’m having my breakfast out of the bucket:
On a side note, the winds we’re having this morning should help dry us out. 😺
Lots and lots of rain 😾
The storm last night topped-off all our pools:
It’s too sloppy to eat outside. . .
So it’s hay in the stable for us:
And here’s Security Deputy Onslow keeping an eye on the neighbor’s dog:
Onslow is great at dirty looks. 😾
We repeat: Never kiss a duck! 🙀
It’s all go around the manure pile this morning:
Chezzie is helping himself to “pan drippings:”
And so is Iris:
But I always get first crack!
🐴
Taking attendence 🐎
Let’s start this morning with a video roll call:
You’ll notice they saved the best for last (me)! 🐴
Foggy morning 🐴
No news is good news:
We're just munching down breakfast as usual:
Except that Daisy, Ferdinand and Percy are out and about:
They're usually content to spend all day in the pen. 🐎
The snow is gone 😺
I want outside the gate. It’s drier and I see some grass coming up:
Let’s watch the cats’ breakfast get raided again:
At least the cats get dinner to themselves, when the birds are put away. 😺
Please let this be the last snow of the year 🐎
Oh no, a few inches of fluffy, soggy snow:
It’s given the mud a new lease on life:
Ann’s having to let the girls out through the front gate—it’s just too muddy by the little gate:
It’s nice the ducks are happy:
And Onslow’s enjoying himself:
But it’s damp hooves for the rest of us. 🐎
Waste not, want not 🐴
I’m cleaning up a little spilt hay:
The ducks are using old, stale hay as a day bed:
And Onslow and Betty clean up any leftovers from breakfast:
Is Schroeder’s face purple?
No, it’s just the camera. 😺
A welcome cold snap 🐴
It’s a little icy today, but that makes walking on the mud easier:
Pumpkin is sheltering in place:
Chezzie broke into Misty’s stall (as usual):
And the ducks have a little island of hay in their pen:
Even duck feet need to dry out now and then. 🐴
Sometimes it’s noisy at the farm 🐴
Spring must be on the way—the blackbirds are on the move:
We’re eating inside this morning:
Cheyanne and Mara will be visiting the farm today. . .
So they are Mary will be riding the show girls.
Oh, and don’t pick up Betty:
She’s sitting on a pile of sawdust and duck poopie. 😾
Mild but still muddy 😾
Pumpkin and Schroeder are keeping their paws dry:
Here’s a dry place for me to have my hay:
Charlie is telling Henry all this morning’s gossip (of which there is very little):
And we’re happy the redwing blackbirds are back in town:
(These pictures were taken in Silvis—we wish we had a nice big pond like this, in which to dip our hooves!) 🐴
Rainy Wednesday 😾
There’s not much going on today (which is probably a good thing):
Stormy and Iris say Hi:
The ducks are digging around the manure cart:
Never kiss a duck. 🐴
Mealworms on ice 😺
It’s chilly but sunny, so we’re feeling pretty good:
The cats are eating in the feed shed while the ducks lurk outside (as you know, they love cat food):
And these ducks are having mealworms on ice!
Let’s watch what happens when Onslow strolls by:
😺
Cloudy but above freezing 🐴
Jewel, Rose and Iris are happy, because they know they’ll be ridden today:
Henry has a nice bin of hay all to himself. He’s not being selfish. . .
It’s just that the rest of us haven’t caught on.
We’re all tucked in to this bin. There’s of course a third bin, but it’s out of service.
Stormy made a poopie in it. 😾
Who’s in Misty’s stall this morning? 🐎
Iris was in Misty’s stall this morning (it’s not our fault if the door is left unlocked):
Hansel and Baldy are looking for worms:
The ducks are eating cat food:
Rose, Iris and Jewel will be ridden today:
Finally, let’s spend 15 seconds watching me eat some of the greenest hay we’ve had all winter:
It’s hay from Farmer Rich, of course! 🐴
Snow is back 😾
Onslow says, “Hey, it’s snowing!” 
Indeed it is—but it won’t amount to much:
It’s just a reminder that it’s not spring yet:
Since Jewel and Rose will be in their stalls today, they’re stretching their legs in the arena:
And so is Sophie!
🐴
Sunny Friday the 13th 🐴
Yesterday I spent some time outside of the gate:
This morning Schrödinger and Finn cast long shadows:
Hansel and Gretel are in their usual spots under the heat lamps:
And so is Betty:
Everyone is toasty and rosy! 😺
Two cats on the hay 😺
I like my time in the morning before the other horses are let out. When it’s just me, and maybe a cat:
One cat is ok, two cats are suspect—especially when they won’t get off my hay:
Let’s watch a movie of Betty and Onslow grooming each other (on my hay, of course):
😺
Kitties on the car 🙀
Hopefully the rain will hold off today,
Because Jewel and Rose’s coats are in the wash:
Oh, and Betty and Onslow are on Ann’s car:
Time to hop off, cats! 😾
No rain today, just mud 🐴
Henry has his breakfast all to himself:
I’m having to pull mine from the bottom of the barrel:
And Misty dipped her head a little too far into the hay:
Jewel and Rose were locked up all yesterday because of the rain:
So they’re happy to be out—muddy or not! 🐎
Good showing at the show! 🐎
It’s raining this morning, but we haven’t had rain in a while:
Rose and Iris had a good weekend at Cedar Rapids:
Rose won 6 ribbons!
And Iris won 7! Good show, girls! 😺
Kitty capers and doggie deeds 😺
Charlie is keeping Jewel company while Iris and Rose are in Cedar Rapids at a show:
Onslow caught a mouse:
And Betty stole it:
Sophie visited the farm this morning!
She loves running around in the riding arena—almost as much as sticking her head out the window:
Lazy day 😺
Here’s a couple security camera photos of me catching a snooze:
The cats are having a sit down:
And Charlie is having a lie down:
It’s still early—we’ll all wake up soon. 🐎
Slow news day 🐴
Colder air blew in overnight:
Schroeder and Onslow pose:
And Major Tom’s left front paw is hurt:
If you’d let us catch you, Major Tom, we’d take you to the vet! 😺
Blustery morning 🐎
Spring is trying to get here:
The daffodils are doing their best:
Yesterday, Charlie and Chezzie were blocking my view:
I’ll bet they didn’t know I can stand on my hind legs:
Albeit only for a moment—and I had to prop my front hooves on their rumps. 🐎
Another nice day on the way 😺
We’ll be seeing robins soon:
Other than that, Henry is having some salt:
Lickety-lick-lick! 🐴
Sunny Tuesday 😺
Not much happening this morning:
We’re looking forward to a nice day in the 40’s:
We are happy we made it through February with only two below-zero days! 😺
Stupid cat-cops 🙀
Yesterday night, Misty was mistaken for Stormy, and harnessed up for dinner (just for a while):
This morning, Rose says Hello:
Onslow is asking to be locked up all day in the feed shed:
And Charlie is cleaning up in Henry’s stall:
She should know that Henry never leaves any food. 🐎
Warm weather makes us happy 🐴
Two days ago, the cameras saw nothing but snow:
But this morning it’s already in the 50’s!
Don’t we all look happy? 🐎
Just look at the smile on Rose! 🐴