FRANCIS'S BLOG 03/19/24

Saturday potpourri 🐥

The chicks are going through their food like cute, downy locusts:The little dots in the yellow circles below are “fly predators” as they hatch.  They will fly away, land on our poopies, and stop the flies by laying eggs on their larvae:As for me, I am in charge of stopping carrots:And munching hay:We only have a bale of this “glow-in-the-dark” store-bought hay left (just kidding, it does not glow in the dark). . .We must admit, it’s colorful and tasty; but we still prefer Farmer Rich’s hay. 🐎 

Happy Friday! 🐴

The chicks are peeping, “Good morning!”“Let’s have breakfast!”I’ve decided that I don’t mind waiting a few minutes for the chicks to be fed:I figure they will be grown-up chickens soon, meaning we’ll have a total of twenty-three chickens, eating up bugs and fly larvae:Anybody who can reduce the fly population is a donkey and horse’s friend! 🐎

Oh great — NINETEEN more buzzards! 🐥

We were down to ONE bale of hay last night!  So Ann and Bill went over to our friend Farmer Rich and got 10 more.  He is so generous:  He only has 100 bales left for himself, and he has many, many cow-mouths to feed!Anyway, this morning we’re having the store-bought hay (alfalfa and orchard grass “forage” they call it) that we bought in case Farmer Rich couldn’t help us.  It doesn’t taste bad, but it’s not “home cooking.”Oh my—what do we have here?19 week-old store-bought chicks under the heat lamp!No wonder my breakfast was late! 🐴

Busy day yesterday 🐎

Petra says, “Good morning!”Here’s Security Chief Schrödinger guarding Dr. Dana’s truck.  She and her assistant gave everyone their shots. . .And the horses and I got our teeth “floated.”  Our teeth grow all the time, and develop rough edges which need to be sanded smooth, so we can properly chew our hay:I know I look pitiful, but don’t worry.  I was given a painkiller, so I was half-asleep and didn’t feel a thing! 🐴

Grazing in the grass is a gas! 🐴

There’s ice on the water this morning, so Buttons hopped right in front of the space heater—right after breakfast!Here’s Schroeder and Onslow enjoying some just-drawn water.  A pink tongue (on Schroeder) makes a healthy cat:Speaking of tongues—look at the one of Buttons!Anyway, we had fun last night when we were out on the far pasture:But we weren’t allowed out too long:Too much of a good thing can make you sick! 🐴

Will the weather make up its mind? 😾

Good morning.  It’s back in the 40’s:I was someplace I wasn’t supposed to be:I was asked to leave:Sorry, there’s not much news for you today, except . . .This brave little tulip has come out, despite the cold! 😺

Sweet grass can lead to sour tummies (and even sore hooves)! 🐎

The swallows are back in force.  Here are two, taking a break:And, am I relaxing?—or am I sick?I’ve been spending all day in the far pasture, munching down the new grass, which is high in starch and sugar, which can cause horses and donkeys stomach and hoof problems if we get too much of it:The cat-cops will be keeping an eye on me for a while, and limiting my time on the pasture. 🐴

It’s farrier day 🐎

We’re getting our hooves done today. We’re lucky Travis could get his truck through all the mud!I got my hooves cleaned and trimmed:We all got carrots for being good:My hooves grow slower than the horses’ do, so I only need them trimmed about 3 times a year. 🐴

One day is sunny 😺; the next day is rainy 😾

It looks like we’re paying for the gorgeous weather yesterday:At least Dukie’s here to cheer us up:See that tiny blur in the yellow circle?  It’s a swallow!  I’ll bet it’s unhappy with the weather, too:Buttons laments, “I get shaved, and it’s back on the 50’s!“I’m glad my old friend, Mr. Space-heater, is keeping me toasty!” 😺

A glorious morning 🐎

I’m on a little island, in a sea of mud:But Chezzie and I agree that this sunny, 60-plus day make up for it:It’s warm enough that Buttons doesn’t miss her hair!And here’s Zelda, backlit by the sun:What a pretty kitty! 😺

Convalescing kitty 😿

It’s another dreary, chilly morning.  Betty is eating the ducks’ mealworms.  I would think that would give her a tummy ache; but I’m a donkey, not a kitty, so I don’t know 🐴:Anyway, we all know that our Buttons is very fluffy.  Well, all that hair became severely matted and tangled into nasty clumps, which made her uncomfortable:So yesterday, when she went to Dr. Nana’s office for shots, she was also shaved:It’s the only cure for hair as clumpy as hers:She spent last night in the farm house, tucked under the couch.  It’s just too cold outside without fur!She’s all bright-eyed this morning.  Hurry warmer weather! 😺

Horse High-jinks 🐎

It’s sunny but cold once again.  It seems like we don’t get decent temperatures unless it’s raining:How did the the rakes get disarranged, and our food scoops get knocked off the ladder (which is used as a shelf)?How did the circuit breaker box get opened?And how did those empty feed bags get thrown around, Stormy?Stormy looks like he knows, but is not telling! 🐴

Chezzie and Jewel change places 🐎

Betty has a busy morning.  First, she has to eat some grass (among the flecks of sleet that accumulated overnight):Second, she has to jump in the duck pen. Why?  Who knows:You’re missing a great breakfast, Betty! Fresh cat food from a just-opened bag:With the recent rain and sleet, the mud is coming back.  Oh!—I just can’t look!Jewel sneaked into Chezzie’s stall and wouldn’t leave:So Chezzie helped himself to her stall:As long as everybody gets fed, it doesn’t much matter! 🐎

A very little Easter Egg 🙀

What’s happening with that tractor?Our Mary is shoveling away the manure that has piled up over the winter:Our hyacinths are doing their best to blossom:And this duck egg is very, very small:It would be small, even if it came from a chicken:But it makes a pretty Easter egg! 🐔

We’re getting ready for Easter! 😺

Easter’s coming:The hens are making eggs, just for the occasion:(Just kidding—you know those are plastic eggs 😹)

Finally, last week we found baby raccoons in the hay barn!

🦝

Terrible wind yesterday! 🙀

It’s still cold—but it’s pleasant enough for me to have breakfast outside:The wind was terrible yesterday afternoon. Here’s Evil Cat, on the door that blew off the hay barn:And here’s Buttons, enjoying the view:The cat-cops will put it back today. 😺

Oh great, we’re back to ice on the water 😾

I’ve got the sun in my eyes this morning, but it’s cold again:Iris and Rose have pushed out their gate a little more overnight.  They haven’t broken it yet (but it’s only a matter of time 😾):Other than that. . .Nobody here but us chickens! 🐔

That’s some buffalo! 🐟

I am very ready for breakfast:Buttons says, “Good morning—even though it’s wet.” Hansel says, “It’s a good day to look for worms.”And our Bill has caught a huge fish:It’s a type of sucker-fish, called a “buffalo!” 😺

Cat crime! 🙀

It’s a sunny day, so I have a sunny smile, just for you!Percy is showing off his fluffy clean feathers:And Schrödinger, just WHAT are you doing?—sitting in the street?  You know that’s dangerous!Oh, you’re waiting for Alfred.  But DON’T wait in the middle of the road!Now you’re BOTH in danger!Call the cat-cops! 😾

Movie time! 😺

Remember, yesterday we discovered some baby raccoons? Well, their mother relocated them, as we figured she would.  She took them down the hole you see here (we were sorry to disturb them, but we needed our hay):The flowers keep coming:Dukie and I are debating whether or not it will rain:And we’re getting a load of food off the truck:

Finally, let’s watch our two most recent movies:

😺

Uh-oh, we have guests! 🦝

It looks like it’s going to be a great day:Indira is laying an egg:And we have new flowers!What are you looking at, Betty?Are those 3 puppies?No!  They are 3 baby raccoons! 🦝

Finally, a flower! 😺

Good morning!Look what we have to show you:Our first crocus!  It’s about time, April! 🐴

It’s always bright and dry in the riding arena! 🐎

Would you believe it’s snowing this morning?  What is it with this weather?Yesterday it was drizzly and windy.  But not for Iris and Sophie!Iris has been doing some rolling:There’s some sand up her nose, and she’s about to sneeze it out:know someone who needs a good shake:That nice white sand removes dirt and moisture from our coats. 🐎

More cold, wind, and even sleet 😾

Alfred says, “Good morning.  I’m not moving from this heater today.”You can’t tell from the picture, but I’m looking at sleet and snow:Well, at least the goldfish are getting loads of clean water, as it runs off the roof and down the drainpipe, into their tank:I’m glad someone’s happy. 🐴

Grow, grass, grow! 🐎

Iris says, “Good morning!  I’m ready for my alfalfa pellets and hay!”I’m keeping an eye out for you, Iris:The mud is still here.  It rained all night, so we’ve got brand new puddles 😾:It’s always nice to see Dukie:Ferdinand and Percy have had their bath, and are lounging on the emerging grass:With all the rain we’ve had, why isn’t it growing faster? 🐴

We have our ways to deal with mud 😺

We’re lucky we have this concrete slab to keep our hay dry:And the bins work, too:The chickens keep their feet dry in the barn:And Onslow knows how to get to the stable, mud-free:He takes a “hay ride!” 😺

More clouds and wind, and something for the first time 🐴

I’m counting my blessings today, because the weather certainly isn’t one of them:Schroeder mumbles to Zelda, “Wake me up when the sun’s out.”However, we found someone who isn’t at all bothered by the drizzle:Mr. Muskrat lives in a pond in Silvis.  He makes his house (called a lodge) right near the water. 🐴

A picky chicken and a cuddly collie! 😺

Good morning!It’s sunny and there’s not a bit of wind!There’s still a mess of mud—but we can’t have everything, can we? 🐎As we mentioned yesterday, we relocated the hens’ nesting boxes to where we hope they’ll be easier to access:But Astrid still prefers to nest higher up:Calla the collie loves to visit us:She gave Chezzie a big doggie-smooch! ❤️

Very rainy and chilly 😾

It’s pouring and almost freezing.  Buttons is staying up on the tractor (but she really doesn’t think the water will rise that much):Alfred is seeking shelter in the duck garage. It’s the first time he’s been in there:Stormy is cheering up with a carrot:And so is RC:Finally, we’ve moved the nesting boxes lower, and filled them with fresh sawdust:Let’s hope we have a chick or two! 🐔

Don’t fence us out! 🐎

Yesterday we had snow; today we have sunshine.  We celebrated with carrots (what else?):Ann is brushing away our winter hair:Oh, here are some geese that have set up housekeeping at a pond in Silvis:Some geese like city life, I guess.  We’ll let you know if/when they have goslings:And—oh no!—we’re blocked from going out into the far pasture.  It’s because “management” wants the grass to green-up a little:Don’t tell anyone, but I can slip under that. 🐴

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