FRANCIS'S BLOG 01/20/2026
Poor mouse 🐭
Good morning. What are you looking at, Jewel?
Another mouse fell in the ducks’ water:
The dandelions are not only colorful, they’re tasty!
And the kittens are playing peek-a-boo!
It’s all fun at the farm (unless you’re that mouse). 🐴
Horse videos today! 🐎
Good morning! Yesterday got pretty hot and my ankles had to be sprayed for flies. But today is breezy, dry and cool.
It’s a good day to whine and pout until my breakfast is brought out to me:
Let’s look at the videos. . .
Rose is having a scratch:
And we’re in the far pasture today:
I admit there’s not much action, but at least it’s us! 🐎
Kitty Capers 😺
“Good morning. Tails here. Apparently ‘some of us’ couldn’t be bothered to come in and greet you.”
“For some reason Mini and Gray-Stray have been hanging out together. As her mother, I’m not sure I approve.”
“Other than that, I’m monitoring the recharging of the lawnmower battery.”
“I promised the cat-cops, I’d start meowing when it’s done.” 😺
We’re growing up (video)! 😺
Good morning. We had breakfast early and are about to head out to the far pasture:
Not a cloud in the sky!
Now, Tails, you know very well your babies aren’t ready to eat a sparrow:
“Of course I know, Francis. . .Patches has only been eating solid food for about a week. . .”
“And his sisters have just started. . .”
“But I will still nurse them. . .”
“For as long as my milk lasts!” 😺
Nature’s breakfast 🐎
You had to get up pretty early this morning to see someone with hooves. By the time “catering” arrived, we were all out eating grass and refused to come in for our grain: 
Wake up, baby kitties!
Don’t stick your tongue out, Patches. 🙀
Look what the cat dragged in! 🙀
Stormy says, “Good morning! We had a quick shower, but now it’s nice and sunny!”
Jewel and I are checking out the manure cart. Why? I’m not sure either of us know.
Mini says, “Speaking of manure, when it’s dry, it makes a nice daybed.”
Ok, cats, which one of you dragged a rabbit (or a big part of it) in the garage? Yuck!
I bet the cat-cops were none too pleased cleaning that up! 🐴
Just videos! 😺
Anya says, “Good morning from Mason City! I’m spending the day on this nice bed of straw in the garage, only while Mary is at work, because I’m not yet housebroken:
Don’t worry, as you see, Sophie keeps me company, and I’m in the house whenever Mary’s home!
Here we are, having fun with Momma Tails’ tail:
We’ve discovered this wonderful warm place to snuggle:
Hey, indoor cats, what’s on TV?
Cartoon goldfish! A cat’s favorite show! 😺
Put me out to pasture, PLEASE (video)! 🐴
Good morning! Rain again and lots more mud:
Greg and Tyrus and keeping an eye on Onslow:
I know why Stormy has a smile (other than seeing you, of course)!
The front pasture is open!
Let us at it (more after video)!
Those little dots are ducks and chickens. . .
Yummy grass for us, and yummy bugs for the birds! 🐎🐔🦆
Oh, those kittens! 😺
Good morning! Glad to see you!
Patches slept last night, all by himself, on the heated cat bed:
His sisters normally sleep in the cat-eared bed, but last night they snuggled up in the box:
The box is just as cozy, because it has a nice bed:
Finally, the indoor cats found another Christmas ornament:
From where? We have no idea. 🙀
Look who’s growing up (video)! 😺
Good morning. It’s very muddy. RC has consented to finish my breakfast for me (even though I don’t recall asking him):
How Greg got this Christmas ornament, I have no idea:
And look who is eating “big cat” food. . .
Patches is growing up. Soon his sisters will be trying solid food too! 😺
Happy Easter (video)! 🐰
Good morning. It’s a very rainy Easter morning:
Oh my, Anya! Look how muddy you got, just going out to potty!
Well, on the bright side, we have a barn swallow, who’s just arrived to remind us that summer’s still on the way. . .
And, we had a perfect day yesterday, when Sophie and Anya were clean and dry:
What lovely Easter Bunnies!
Finally, let’s watch the ducks!
A clean duck is a happy duck! 🦆
Special Guests! ❤️
Good morning! While I’m getting up, I’ll let Stormy tell you the big news!
“Thanks, Francis. Hey Jewel, and everybody, our favorite dogs are here!”
“Sophie, Dukie and Anya are here!”
Let’s watch Anya frolic!
We’ll of course have more! Stay tuned! 😺
There are advantages to being short! 🐴
Good morning! Martha says, “Good morning!” too:
We have beautiful blossoms. . .
In time for Easter. 🐰
The front pasture is still closed, until the grass can grow lush and tasty.
Closed, that is, to everyone but little me. I can squeeze under the fence! 🐴
Morning of mystery (video)! 🙀
Good morning. The kittens are nestled, all snug in their cat bed, but, as you can see, they’re waking up:
How did RC and I get locked in this stall?
Were the cat-cops forgetful, and locked us in all night?
Not all night, but almost 5 LONG hours until the cat-cops arrived. Let’s look at the security camera:
Rose closed the door with her BUTT! Amazing! 🐴
Can’t get enough of baby kitties! 😺
Good morning. Nobody here but us chickens:
Sophie says, “Who’s been sleeping in my bed? It’s Anya, and she’s still there! That’s ok, she’s still a baby and needs her rest.”
Last night, Tails nursed her babies in the “cat-ear” bed:
Don’t they look cozy?
This morning, she’s nursing them by the tractor wheel:
Sooooooo cute! 🐴
What a relief (video)! 🐴
“Good morning. I’m worried about the baby cats this morning, and normally, we horses don’t worry about them at all.”
That’s right, Stormy. Tails is a good mother. . .
But last afternoon, she moved the kittens to the cat garage. Here’s a video of her nursing them by the tractor wheel (more after the video):
Spooky creatures, like raccoons and possums and weasels (oh my!), can get in through the cat door! However, there’s not much the cat-cops can do, because when Momma cat moves you, you gotta move!
But in Mom’s favor, there are a lot of places to hide:
But all is well this morning!
We’re all ok and playing peek-a-boo!
Everyday, they’ll grow bigger, and there’ll be a little less to worry about! We’ll trust that mother knows best! 😺
Happy Birthday, Ferdinand! 🎂🎉🎂
First and foremost, April 14th is Ferdinand’s Birthday. He’s ELEVEN, and going strong!
Patches says, “Good morning! I’m the friendliest of Tails’ kittens.”
“See? Here I am, posing with Ann. I’m going to tell my littermates, ‘The cat-cops are our friends!’”
Other than that. . .don’t get any designs on my breakfast, Fabio:
The other horses will “help” me finish it. 🐴
Fowl videos! 🐔🐓
Good morning! I’m happy to clean up RC’s leftovers, but not his hair!
Ann gave us all a good brushing, helping us get rid of mud and winter hair:
Our friend, Mike, did a wonderful job cleaning out the dead weeds in the chicken yard, and removing the fence (the chickens never stayed inside the fence, anyway):
With all the new ground exposed, let’s watch the chickens scratch around for food:
And let’s see what happens when the cat-cops throw them a broken egg!
It’s a feeding frenzy! 🥚
Never swim alone! 🐭
Unlike yesterday, Stormy is on all fours and wishing you, “Good morning!”
The kittens aren’t at all afraid of their big sister, Mini, but they’re not quite ready to come out into the yard:
Look at those baby blue eyes!
Finally, this mouse went looking for a drink last night, and fell in 😿:
Always be careful around water, especially when you can’t see the bottom. 🐭
Momma moves her babies (video)! 😺
Good morning! It’s going to be a beautiful day:
Get up and come to breakfast, Stormy!
“I will in a minute—but right now, the sun just feels so nice!” 🐎
And last night, Tails moved her kittens. Here she is, carrying out the last of her four babies:
Where did she take them?—under the shed where we keep the shovels, by the door to the hay barn:
This morning, they were all safe, and Momma was serving breakfast:
Soon, we’ll have to put out water, and buy kitten food. It will be a pleasure as long as we can keep them safe! ❤️
I see you (and a colorful “Mini” video) 🐴:
Good morning! Even though we’re way out in the far pasture. . .
I see YOU!
Anya is keeping lookout while Sophie wakes up:
We can’t wait for Anya, Sophie and Mary to visit the farm, and run around in our newly-green pastures! ❤️
Finally, let’s watch Mini bite feathers off her toy. . .
What colorful destruction, and time for a new toy for Mini! 😺
Sleepy me! (and a video) 🐴
Oh, my. . .wait a minute. . .
Sorry, I wasn’t quite awake yet. Good morning!
Meanwhile, in Mason City, aren’t Anya and Sophie getting along! Just look at them, snuggling together on the couch:
Finally, let’s check in with the ducks:
Mini’s checking in with them, too! 😺
Strange Brew 🙀
Good morning! We’re doing some pre-breakfast grazing (don’t ask me why I’m rooting around where there’s no grass):
And the indoor cats say, “Good morning! We’ve made you ‘cat toy tea’ for breakfast!”
“What’s ‘cat toy tea?’ It’s when we drop a cat toy in our water, and it soaks there all night!”
Yuck! The cat-cops need to change that water QUICK! 🐴
Let sleeping horses lie 🐎
Good morning. I’m keeping a lookout while Rose is still asleep:
Jewel and Stormy don’t look like they’re too awake, either:
It looks like while everyone was dozing, someone made a nest in our hay:
And this dandelion was growing under one of the ducks’ water pans:
Look how pale it’s become without sunshine!
Flowers and Purrs 🐴
Good morning! There’s a skim of ice on the water, but YOU being here makes me feel warm!
The flowers are doing their best to bloom:
Onslow is sampling the chicken water:
And finally, you might have to play this twice to hear. . .
But Momma Tails is purring to her babies. 😺
Come out, little kittens, come out! 😺
Good morning! I have a smile just for you!
It’s such a nice morning, Buttons is having breakfast outside:
Speaking of “outside,” the cat-cops have dug a hole for the baby kitties to come out from the wall. Momma Tails is calling them:
But, so far. . .
They aren’t budging. 😺
Security Chief Onslow reports! 😺
“Good morning! I’m investigating reports of chickens laying eggs in unauthorized places:”
“The hay barn doorway is no place to lay eggs:”
“Uh-oh, it looks like we have TWO violations in he duck garage. First, there’s an egg in the corner by Ferdinand's and Paschal’s pen:”
“And second, we have eggs by the door!”
“These are not designated nesting areas!” 😾
Release the hens (video)! 🐔
Good morning! I’m happy to see you; I’m not happy “management” locked me out of RC’s stall (and away from his leftovers):
Mary sent us some more Anya pictures ❤️:
She’s “all ears!” ❤️
Finally, let’s open up the coop!
Flying feathers! 🐓
April Showers 😾
Good morning. It’s an eat-indoors day:
The good news is that it’s supposed to warm up:
Gray-Stray and Mini get along well, don’t they?
The chickens say ‘Good morning,’ too:
Finally, let’s see what’s happening in Mason City. Sophie is keeping Anya company while Mary is getting ready for work:
She’s such a good puppy. . .
After breakfast, she went right to sleep! 🐴
The green is back (and an Anya video)! 🐎
“Francis asked me to say, ‘Good morning!’ He and the horses are in the far pasture.”
Thanks, Betty. Yes, the little shoots of grass have grown big enough to eat.
We must always mention when Farmer Rich empties our manure cart:
Thank you, Rich! 🐴
Finally, here’s Anya, zooming around Mary’s house:
Did you notice her zoom around Sophie at around the 55 second mark? It was quick. 🐴