FRANCIS'S BLOG 04/23/2026
Everybody into the pool 🐴
It’s bath time in duck land:
This last picture of Patrick doesn’t even look like a duck:
Let’s watch the pekins have some tub time, too:
Horse high jinks 🐎
Stormy and Chavez look like they’re rolling down the hill:
It’s really that, a lot of times, we like to have a roll in the dirt after we come in from the far pasture. 🐎
Now that we’re good and dusty—it’s time for dinner! 🐎
The store-bought hay is not so hot 🐴
Yesterday only RC and I ate the alfalfa hay for breakfast:
The other horses went straight out to the far pasture:
Although they did come back and had some alfalfa hay, too (They just had to stage a little protest in support of Farmer Rich hay). 🐎
Oh, and this morning, I picked up a cat. 😺
Changes are coming to the farm 🐴
Stormy and Iris check out the activity by the farm house 🐎:
Security Deputy Kanna reports a suspicious 18-wheeler 😾, but it’s ok 😺:
The first load of material for the riding arena has arrived:
They should start construction next Wednesday! 🐴
Change of diet 🐴
We’re running low on hay from Farmer Rich, so we’re trying some store-bought stuff, called Timothy Grass:
RC says, “Tell Timothy he can have his grass back.” 🐎
Henry says, “Well, I’ll eat it, but it tickles my nose.” 🐎
Iris says, “The last time I saw grass like this, it was in an Easter Basket!” 🐎
Misty and I agree: Farmer Rich hay is better, but this will do. 🐎
Tomorrow we’ll try more store-bought hay, but it will be Alfalfa Grass. We know we’ll like alfalfa better, as it also grows in the far pasture. 🐴
Another sunny day! 🐴
The site is ready for the riding arena. Let’s start building!
As usual, we’re having our hay before heading out to the far pasture. Hey, where’s Henry?
Hey, Henry, wake up!
Sleepy head.
That’s better. 🐎
Beautiful spring flowers for a sunny Tuesday! 🐴
Look at all our lovely spring flowers! 🌼
And now, for the most lovely flower of all:
The early-blooming, ever-fragrant Francis! 🐴
Kitty capers 😺
Noodle practices yoga in the hay barn:
Poor Evil Cat has a head injury, again:
The ducks are sympathetic:
They offer to help him with his breakfast!😺
He thanked them, but sent them on their way! 😺
Another sunny, fair day! 🐴
Sometimes the ducks like their bath water straight from the pump:
Henry finishes up the half of his breakfast that falls out of his mouth:
After their bath, the ducks settle in for a full day of sleeping under a bush:
The bush will be green soon. 🐴
Progress at the farm 🐴
Thank goodness we’re drying out. It’s given Emmerson a chance to finish the turf for the riding circle.
Oh, and the swallows are back!
They are always on schedule! 🐦
Another sunny day! 🐎
We’re having another nice day!
Stormy is tanking up before joining us out at the hay. 🐎
Oh, and here I am running in from the far pasture yesterday, for dinner:
I look like a rabbit, don’t I? 🐰
Sunny Thursday 🐎
Henry rolls in the mud:
The ducks are keeping clean:
We are already out in the far pasture:
The roosters are still in the garage:
Let’s hope the nice weather stays around! 🐴
Gloomy Wednesday 🐴
This morning is dreary—but look at the lovely afternoon we had yesterday:
We didn’t want to come in! 🐎
The chicken coop is still gone. The ducks look for bugs in the sand left in its place. 😺
The pekins, all nice and clean, have mealworms after their bath.
And Baldy and Franz are now roommates with the ducks in the garage. 🐓
Sunny Tuesday! 🐎
We finally have a day to dry out. 🐴
We'll spend the day in the far pasture. And look how clear the water is in our pretty creek:
Franz and Baldy are enjoying their first day outside of a pen in a long time 🐓:
But Kanna doesn’t look too happy about it 😾:
But she’ll get used to them! 😺
Cold, snow, and demolition! 🐴
Oh, no! A yellow dragon is eating the chicken coop! 🐔
The above, of course, is what we would think is happening, if we were a duck or a chicken 🐴:
We knew it was just a machine (regardless, we’re keeping our distance) 🐎:
We’ll miss you, chicken coop:
The chicken coop will also be missed by the skunks, raccoons, and possums that used to hide there! 🐴
Bad weather is holding up construction again 🐴
Finn is checking out the bulldozers:
Nobody can work today because of the rain.😾
We’re having our hay inside:
Oh, Hello, Evil Cat! 🐴
There’s nothing more evil than muddy paws! 🙀
Nasty weather comes in for the weekend 🐴
Major Tom just wants to stay in bed:
But even 39℉ and strong winds can’t keep the daffodils from coming up:
The ducks investigate the “pyramids” left by the trucks and bulldozers yesterday:
They’ll be used after the rooster pen and chicken coop get cleared away:
Meanwhile, Pooter, Paschal and L’Orange putter around in the puddles left by the overnight storm:
Oh, and how did this happen? Misty is out at the hay before me:
That’s because I’m finishing up her leftovers!🐴
How are the cats supposed to sleep? 🙀
Schrödinger and Noodle check out a bulldozer left in the yard yesterday:
This morning Emmerson Excavating came in, not only with that bulldozer, but with monster trucks!
They are laying out tons of dirt for the new building:
The roosters are going to need a new home:
The final thing to get bulldozed will be the old chicken coop:
Where will the cats keep lookout? 🙀
A nice 60℉ morning! 🐴
We have lovely flowers coming up:
Hansel and Gretel are happy:
Chezzie is smiling:
Henry is happy, despite the boo-boos on his face, and the sun in his eyes:
We’re all waiting for breakfast! 🐴
Cat crime and duck doings 😺
Schroeder is out in the road, again 🙀:
And Hansel invaded the ducks' personal space in the garage. Pooter, Paschal and L’Orange can’t decide which one of them is going to chase him away. Watch at the 15 second mark, when Paschal gives Pooter a push to show that rooster who’s boss:
The snow went as fast as it came 🐴
We think the warmer weather is finally on its way. 🐴
Here’s Kanna basking in the sun. 😺
And the ducks are enjoying their morning worms.
We hope Patrick gets his green head back.
Patrick wants his green head back, too!
Remember how nice it looked? 🐴
April snow! 🙀
Oh no! More snow! 🙀
We don’t need more snow—it’s supposed to be Spring! 🙀
I don’t need this. 🐴
Oh well,
At least the creek looks pretty. 🐴
Sunny Sunday 🐎
Oh that Henry,
He does like to roll in the mud. 🐎
And Kanna likes to sit entirely too close to the space heater! 🙀
Don’t worry, Iris, Mara will brush you out 🐎
Iris is grumpy, even though the sun is out this morning:
You could say she’s having a bad hair day. 🐎
A bad tail-hair day! 🐴
Iris is very competitive 🐎
Here we have RC, Chezzie, Henry and Iris, coming in for dinner from the far pasture:
Iris is last. . .
But not for long! 🐎
Iris is always first for dinner! 🐎
Sick chickens get put into inHENsive care 🐔
This cold weather in April has gotten the best of Dot:
So today she’s in the chicken hospital:
Here she is, getting a bath to wash away all the dirt and droppings stuck to her feathers:
She’ll stay inside overnight. Get well, Dot! 🐔
This April is entirely too cold! 🐴
I’m keeping warm in Stormy’s stall:
Henry is basking in the sun:
The ducks are having a bath:
And Schrödinger is in a box:
😺
We’re back to gloomy weather 🙀
It’s gloomy and drizzly this morning, and the sky is full of blackbirds:
But it’s not too cold, so that’s good:
Let’s cheer up by watching the ducks eat worms on a sunny morning:
🐴
Sunny Monday! 🐴
It’s chilly this morning, but the sun is out, and there’s no wind!
We’re all in a good mood:
L’Orange is Queen of the Hill:
And Noodle is down by the creek:
It’s nice to be outside! 😺
Frozen chicken 🐔
It is only 24℉ this Easter morning! Dot is fluffed up against the cold.
It’s a good thing we had our Easter fun yesterday:
Happy Easter, again! 🐇🐰