FRANCIS'S BLOG 04/21/2026
Nobody’s happy with rainy, cold weather when it’s almost May. 😾
Another gloomy day of rain and chill:
Since Jewel and rose will be spending another day in their stalls, they got a half-hour to stretch their legs in the riding arena:
Let’s take a look at the creek:
Notice the creek bank: there’s a light layer of stone under the dark layer of soil. 🐴
We’re all inside this morning 🐴
Onslow is grumpy this morning: we’re making him get off his bed. 😾
It’s too rainy to eat outside:
Rose is used to staying in her stall on days like this:
And so is Jewel:
But Iris is in a stall, too, because she’ll be ridden later:
And Charlie is in her stall because she’s not feeling well:
We hope she’s feeling better later. 🐎
Ice on the water this morning 🙀
It was below freezing overnight, but it's warming up quickly. Jewel and Rose are happy to be out to pasture this morning—they spent all yesterday in their stalls due to the rain:
The cats are celebrating Orthodox Easter with some warm canned food:
The rest of us decided to run out to the far pasture before breakfast:
We took our time coming in. 🐎
Rainy, rainy Saturday 🐇
This bunny is a week late for regular Easter and a day early for Orthodox Easter:
It’s going to be rainy all day, so the only ones out in the pasture are the ducks:
We are hanging around the stable:
Betty is passing out the hay:
It’s a serious responsibility! 😺
Betty’s on the prowl 😺
Here we are in our “hurry up with breakfast” pose:
There are more pretty flowers everywhere:
And Betty has her eye on a sparrow:
Sparrow: 1, Betty: 0
We’re on store-bought hay 🐴
Until Farmer Rich can grow us some more hay, we’ll be eating store-bought alfalfa:
We’re lucky we can supplement our diet with grass:
Speaking of supplementing diets, Betty and Finn try some fresh egg:
Oh, and the baby owl has left the nest, and is in a tree in the woods:
Its mother and father will look after it well into the fall. 🦉
Finn does some climbing 😺
Yesterday afternoon, Finn was up in the rafters, trying to get close to the sparrows:
And this morning. . .
I gave Betty a warm place to sit. 🐴
Cloudy Tuesday 🐴
Yesterday, Betty caught a mouse:
And Finn and Onslow played with Iris’s just-washed coat:
This morning, I’m patiently awaiting breakfast:
Afterwards, Misty got a nice brushing:
The sparrows will have lots of nesting material!
Oh, and here’s a picture of the baby owl:
It’s looking more like an adult every day. 🦉
The swallows are back! 🐦
What’s going on in this very long picture?
Betty spies her first swallow! 😺
She's seeing how her nest held up during the winter.
For such a lovely morning, why are we all staying in the stable?
Because we saw this spooky spider! 🕷
Sunny Sunday 🐴
We have pretty flowers. . .
And pretty cats!
Let’s watch the ducks in slow motion (slo-mo starts after about 5 seconds):
And let’s watch Dukie jump in the creek and fetch a stick (it plays twice):
🐴
Easter flowers are in bloom 😺
It feels like spring this morning:
The trees are covered in newborn leaves:
The flowers keep coming:
And what are those flashes out over the pasture?
The swallows are back! 🐦
Jewel and Rose are with the herd 🐎
Schrödinger and Betty have a drink while the duck water is fresh and clean:
I’m feeling nice and perky this morning:
And so are Misty, Stormy and Henry:
You may notice that Jewel (far left) and Rose (far right) are with the herd today:
They were supposed to be out again in the front pasture. . .
But Jewel slipped out of her stall and wouldn’t be caught! 🐎
Cold and cloudy Thursday 🐴
The duck pen was moved over fresh green grass:
Uh-oh, what do we have here? Charlie and Chezzie are laying down:
Even though they’ve both been taking medicine, we don’t think they’re feeling too bad today:
They hopped right up when they saw the breakfast buckets. 🐎
Warm Wednesday 🐎
Betty asks Onslow, “Is the mouse dead?”
Onslow says, “Yes, it feels dead.”
“Let’s put it somewhere a cat-cop will find it and get mad.”
Anyway, we’re out in the far pasture again this morning:
Rose and Jewel (and some of the ducks) are in the front pasture:
Jewel is still getting better. 🐎
Happy Belated Birthday, Iris! You were 10 on Monday (4/15) 🐎
Let’s check-in on the owls in East Moline:
Finally, let’s watch a little movie Mary took:
🦉
Chezzie down 🐎
Chavez’s hooves have been hurting:
He’s been getting a pain pill every night, but it might be time to check for a hoof infection.
We’re all offering our sympathies. 🐎
One more cold day 🐴
It’s cloudy today, but our flowers are bright and sunny:
Since it’s not expected to rain, Jewel will spend the day in the front pasture:
Rose, of course, will be keeping her company:
Rose is Jewel’s “pen” pal! 🐎
Onslow behind bars 🙀
Onslow gets locked in the duck pen (for a while):
The hen pekins get to stay outside the pen so the drakes don’t chase them around all day:
And we’re enjoying another sunny morning in the far pasture:
There’s more grass every day. 🐴
Bird watching 🦉
First of all, let me say I have no idea who tore open the sawdust:
Yesterday afternoon, the ducks brave the downpour by standing still and facing in the direction of the rain:
But this morning it’s sunny, and they’re enjoying freshly cleaned pools:
So, how are the owls doing in East Moline? Mary took this picture two days ago of the father:
Both the male and female owl take turns tending the baby and bringing it food. Right now, Dad’s guarding the nest and looking fierce!🦉
Rainy Thursday 🐴
I think I’ll see what’s left in Iris’s food dish:
Here’s the movie of me in action:
Success!
Let’s have a drink, Betty:
There’s nothing like water from my own bucket. 🐴
Winter’s back 😾
It’s only 38 this morning and sloppy, but at least the nastiest weather has gone north of us:
Betty and Onslow decided it’s just a good morning to stay in bed:
On a positive note, Baldy and Hansel haven’t been fighting like—well, like roosters:
It’s nice when we all get along. 🐓
Flowers are coming! 🌼
We are getting more flowers every day:
We’re looking forward to another warm day in the far pasture:
Betty is using one of the duck pools as a sparrow-blind. Happy hunting, kitty!
While her stall was being cleaned, Jewel got to stretch her legs in the riding arena:
Then she had some grazing time in the front yard (on a lead, of course). She’s looking better every day. 🐎
Pony crime! 🐴
Rose knocked out her feed door (again):
It’s a beautiful morning and she wants out now! 🐎
Let’s watch 60 seconds of the cats crunching down breakfast (listen for the hiss):
😺
Dukie visits 🐴
Yesterday afternoon, Dukie came to see how Jewel is doing. She’s doing better, and yesterday morning her IV was removed, but she’s still taking pills.
Then Dukie took a bath in one of the duck pools:
That’s a lot of dog for a little pool:
Oh, and Onslow was accidentally locked overnight in the feed shed:
Oh no!—he made a poopie in our feed bucket!
Well, we must admit, it does look like kitty litter. 🐴
Saturday potpourri 🐴
Betty and Onslow get a headstart on breakfast:
I’m having breakfast outside on this beautiful morning:
We’re all still thinking about Jewel. Here is Mary administering her morning injections and pills:
There was a toad in the stable. He must have just woken up from hibernation:
The trailer is filling up with cats:
And a duck is hogging the pool:
A little bit of everything is happening this morning! 🐎
Get well, Jewel! 🐎
We’re not sure what happened to Jewel, but she acquired a spine injury. We think she slipped while running through the stable. Dr. Danielle made an emergency visit last night and put her on medicine and fluids intravenously:
Poor Mary was up with her all night, giving her more medicine and fluids as needed. This morning Jewel is resting in her stall. She is eating, but she’ll need the IV in her neck for a few days, and won’t be allowed out with the rest of us for weeks. 🐴
More owl pictures! 🦉
It’s a dreary day:
We have kittens in our hay:
Let’s cheer up by checking out some owl pictures Mary took from her window:
That’s a Great Horned Owl!
We’re so glad that she approves of Mary’s nest! 🦉
We learned that owls don’t build nests—a pair will usually take over an old hawk, crow, or squirrel nest—or a hole in a tree. Maybe they’ll use our nest next year! 🦉
It’s farrier day 🐴
Stormy and I are just hanging out after having our hooves done:
Betty thought breakfast was taking too long, so she hopped up and helped herself:
Here’s Onslow checking out Travis’s truck:
So what happened to the baby owl?
Well, as you recall, the DNR told us to take it to Iowa City—but Iowa City said they don’t take baby owls (good thing we called first). So, Mary did some research, and built the little owl a nest out of a shopping basket, and set it up as high as possible in the tree of the original nest:
And the mother owl is taking care of her baby! See her eyes and “horns” just over the brim of the basket. 🦉
Kittens on duty 😺
Security Chief Schroeder takes Cadet Onslow on a patrol of the outer pastures:
And Cadet Betty is making sure the hay barn is raccoon-free:
Meanwhile, it’s all fun and swimming pools for the ducks:
Come on in, the water’s fine (but, in this weather, only if you’re a duck)! 😺
Monday surprise 🦉
It’s a pleasant morning at the farm:
There’s not much going on:
The real excitement was happening at Ann’s house. They’ve been wondering, “Why are we finding rabbit heads in the backyard?”
Mystery solved!
There is obviously a nest in one of the trees, because this little hooter fell out:
It can’t be put back because the nest is too high. . .
So we called the Department of Natural Resources, and we have to take it to Iowa City, the nearest wildlife facility that deals with “raptors.”
For a baby owl, you sure have grown-up claws! 🦉