FRANCIS'S BLOG 01/31/2026
Goodbye, April! 🐎
This morning we could be found in our “soaking up the sun” stance:
Jewel’s door was torn down:
She doesn’t seem to mind (she probably did it herself):
Iris got an anti-fly coat:
Major Tom is having breakfast up on the tractor, which is rare. He usually likes to be more secretive:
Evil Cat is taking an evil nap:
And we have a swallow in the barn:
It’s waiting for us to clear out, so it can finish its nest in peace. 🐦
Apple blossom time 😺
It’s a cloudy, wet day:
Pumpkin’s not opening her eyes, no matter how many times Hansel crows:
On a brighter note:
Just look at our lovely apple blossoms:
They’re beautiful—rain or shine! 😺
Counting kitties 😺
Pumpkin’s looking for Onslow and Betty:
They’re on the front porch, trying to hurry along breakfast:
Chezzie and I aren’t in any rush:
We’ve been grazing in the far pasture since sunup. 🐴
Henry got a brushing 🐎
What a lovely tulip!
The sun’s trying to come out this morning:
Wake up, Chezzie! Breakfast!
Betty’s not picky about where she drinks:
Oh, and Henry looks nice and neat this morning:
That’s because Linda gave him a thorough brushing last night:
Look at all that hair! 🐴
Sunny Sunday 🐎
The rain left us with lots of mud:
We could do without it:
At least the swallows are happy. They will have lots of mud for their nests.
Other than that, Onslow and Baldy are having a discussion:
Finn is in the tank:
And Betty’s up a tree:
It’s a nice day for it. 😺
More rain 🐴
It’s raining:
But I don’t think it will keep us in all day:
Rain or shine, we make the best of things. 😺
Rainy morning 🐴
Schrödinger thinks today’s a good day to stay in bed:
Despite the rain, the manure pile is burning away:
It’s farrier day, so I’m at liberty to graze wherever I want:
Here’s Iris having her hooves done:
And Stormy’s having some hay while he waits his turn:
🐎
It’s shedding time! 🐎
Good morning:
Finn and Pumpkin share a laugh:
Schroeder climbs a tree:
And Misty is losing her winter coat:
The trees will soon be full of horse-hair nests. 🐦
Clouds on the way 🐎
Light rain is coming, but right now it's as bright as RC’s eyes:
We have more pretty flowers in the yard:
And the ducks are visiting Jewel:
🐴
Another sign of spring 🐦
Not much happening today:
It’s a lovely day to be outside:
And I saw a barn swallow! 🐴
Kitty capers and duck doings 😺
The pekins and the mallards are relaxing in the new green grass:
The anconas and Welsh harlequins are having a drink:
And so is Schrödinger:
Onslow is visiting Daisy, Ferdinand and Percy:
And I’m in a very precarious position:
I can either be kicked or poopied on. 🐎
Mighty mouse 🐭
Get a move-on, Iris, it’s time for breakfast:
The tulips are on their way:
And Onslow and Betty don’t know what to do with this very big mouse:
They try to bite him, but he bites back! 🐭
Strange discovery 🐴
Pumpkin is joining me for hay:
Why Betty is sitting in this empty water tank, I don’t know:
And what is this that Bill found down by the creek?
It’s a crayfish (or crawfish, or crawdad) tower (or mound, or chimney). A crayfish, building its burrow, pushes the excess mud up into this formation. 🐴
More snow, again 😾
Just look at what gloomy sights from the security cameras:
April is too late for kitties to still be in the snow:
And the snow’s not helping the mud situation:
Other than that, Iris and Chezzie are cleaning up Henry’s stall. . .
Not that Henry leaves much, ever. 🐎
Pictures from a Horse’s Birthday Party! 🐎
As you know, Iris turned 11 on Wednesday:
What a spread!
Apples and carrots galore!
Sophie was a special dog guest. . .
And so was Phoenix! 😺
Happy Birthday Iris! 🐎
We woke up to 3 inches of fluffy snow:
It’s not something we need:
The ducks are befuddled:
And so are the kitties:
You can see how deep the snow is by the trails left by the ducks:
Oh, and Iris is 11 years old today, April 15th!
We’ll celebrate tonight with carrots! 😺
Freezing Tuesday 🐴
Chezzie, Henry and I are trying to pry our eyes open:
The ducks are getting some exercise while waiting for their water to thaw:
Iris is out with Rose and Jewel. Hopefully they’ll get a ride today:
Hansel is visiting the stable:
Onslow and Finn have a “tete-a-tete:”
I’m feeling good, despite the cold:
My appetite for grain is back. 🐴
Chilly Monday 🐴
It rained last night. It’s put me in a mood where I’m ignoring my feed and only eating hay:
Here’s a picture of the storm blowing in last night:
We hope it warms back up soon. That always helps my appetite. 🐎
Sunny Easter 😺
It rained overnight, but not enough to make it muddy:
Betty has a friend this morning:
If I were you, mouse, I’d make a run for it:
It’s going to be another good day for grazing:
Oh, and here are the European collared doves,
Enjoying our crystal clear stream. 🐦
Rain on the way, but sunny now 😺
Pumpkin picked up a sticker:
Chavez broke into Misty’s stall:
And after breakfast, we’re out to pasture:
You remember we told you how Officer Mike cut the trees away from our fence:
Some of those trees were huge!
They would have wrecked our fence sooner or later. 😿
Busy morning 🐎
Hey RC, Stormy and Misty—wake up!
Let’s finish breakfast fast:
Something’s going on in the far pasture:
Why, it’s our friend Mike, helping us in his spare time by clearing the brush away from the fence:
Chezzie, Iris and Charlie are keeping him company (whether Mike wants it or not)! 🐎
Cooler this morning, but sunny 😺
What a pretty daffodil! 🐴
I have the hay pretty much to myself right now:
Where are Stormy and Iris?
They’re visiting with Sophie! 🐎
It was foggy only an hour ago! 🙀
Chezzie is having a roll:
It’s hard to believe it was foggy just an hour ago:
I’m being fed outside (because I fussed and whined):
And Iris gets “stable points” for being the first in her stall:
She can redeem them for an extra carrot after dinner tonight! 🐎
Flowers 🌼 and Cats 😺
I’m not quite awake yet:
We have flowers by themselves:
And flowers with cats:
You’ve heard of a bird on a wire?
Well, this is a cat on a tire! 😺
Pleasant Monday 🌼
It’s sunny right now but clouds are coming in:
We have some new purple crocus:
Some fragrant hyacinths:
And the peonies are on the way:
All in all, I’m feeling pretty good:
So I’m joining everyone else in the far pasture. 🐴
This and that 🐴
We’re all waiting for breakfast this morning:
Henry’s feeling pretty good:
Stormy demonstrates why the feed bin sometimes has poopies in it:
Sophie is visiting:
We have a few more flowers to cheer us up:
Baldy and his friend in the car reflection aren’t speaking:
The ducks are too busy eating to be bothered:
Oh, and Iris says Hello from inside the feed bin:
🐎
Chilly morning 🐴
It’s only 32 this morning, but it’s warming up quickly. Baldy is keeping cozy with Onslow in the hay barn:
Now that there’s green grass, the horses are often in the far pasture before breakfast—but they’re easily called in:
Other than that, the hay recently has been nice and green:
But I could do without the gloves and scissors. 🐎
Let’s hope it stays clear 🐎
We don’t need any rain today. It’s just now dry enough for Rose and Jewel to use the back gate:
Other than that, it’s a slow news day:
The ducks aren’t talking. . .
And neither is Finn. 😺
Poor me! 🐴
I wasn’t feeling too well last night. I had a bit of colic, so Ann and Mary gave me some medicine to relax my digestive system. Dr. Christina was nice enough to come check me out too.
This morning I’m feeling better and eating as usual. 😺
Let’s check out the creek:
It looks refreshing, doesn’t it?
Let’s watch a video of the horses crossing over it, coming in to dinner:
And let’s watch Onslow wondering what happened to his mouse:
🐭
Sunny Wednesday ☀️
On a nice morning like this, we can be found munching down the new grass in the far pasture:
Sofie is keeping an eye out the upstairs window:
And, hey Charlie, chew with your mouth closed. . .
You’re getting hay on me. 🐴