FRANCIS'S BLOG 04/21/2026
The little chick gets everywhere 🐥
I actually look forward to being in the convalescent pen with Stormy. Even when I’m let out, I want to go back in:
Chezzie (background) is joining Jewel today in the front pasture:
And the chick can easily hop into the grownup birds’ feed dishes:
Now let’s watch Iris, RC, Chezzie and Misty come in for dinner:
This video was made a couple days ago, when the weather was cooler and windy. 🐴
Dukie visits the farm! 😺
Onslow says, “Don’t forget to put out the trash tonight!”
And Dukie visits the farm:
RC says Hello:
And so does Misty:
It’s a beautiful day to be outside! 🐎
Movie Time! 🐎
It was even colder than yesterday (45℉), but the sun is making it feel much warmer. Iris, RC, and Chezzie are sunbathing!
I snuck out of the gate for some crisp green grass:
And Betty is showing off some lovely new blossoms:
Now let’s watch some horse high jinks!
🐴
Freezing Friday 🙀
It was only 47℉ and drizzling! But what can warm our hearts? Bill is visiting to help with chores!
Other than that, I’m afraid I knocked the salt block off its stand:
And Petra has scratched up all kinds of dirt (and even a rock) into the waterer:
Speaking of Petra, let’s watch a new video of her and her baby:
The new chick is getting new feathers! 🐥
Rain is on the way 😾
Boy, did I need a roll this morning:
I don’t know what the chickens got up to last night, but they knocked over their water jar:
But the chick is ok, so everything’s good:
Anyway, let’s watch Chezzie and Iris groom each other:
Share the love! 🐎
B. Y. O. B. 😺
The sun is blazing this morning, but it poured all night:
The new chick and Momma Petra survived the storm just fine:
Betty caught a bird and put it in her breakfast bowl. Unbelievable!
She ate almost all of it, too:
B. Y. O. B. means “Bring Your Own Bird” around here. 😺
Pretty daisies 🌼
We have pretty daisies this morning:
The chick has fresh water, food, and worms:
We couldn’t find Iris, Betty, and Chavez. They were behind the stable, of all places:
Come in for breakfast, horses!
Rose doesn’t have to be asked twice! 🐎
There’s always time for a chick-flick 🐥
It’s humid this morning, and the sun can’t decide if it’s in or out:
We’re deciding to spend a lot of the day in, and let the stable fan blow away the flies:
On a bright note, Bill and Sierra are doing chores this morning:
Rose and Jewel were on their best behavior! 🐎
Let’s finish off with another movie of the new chick!
🐥
What’s on the menu? 🙀
Our peonies are blooming:
Horse crime! Someone broke a fence wire overnight:
I’m having a carrot:
Jewel is having some clover:
And Rose is having a roll!
🐎
Fowl deeds 🐔
Some mushrooms are growing in the manure:
They don’t look very happy about growing in horse poopie and sawdust (we don’t blame them). 🐴
Iris, Chezzie, RC and Rose broke into the convalescent pen:
Why? Because it was there! 🐎
Finally, Petra is happy to show off her baby to the other chickens:
But she didn’t like the ducks looking at all, and they had a fight! 🙀
Poor Ferdinand! He didn’t mean any harm! 😿
Golden fish! 😺
Schroeder is being a bad kitty, as usual, and crossing the road:
Iris is ready to charge!
The new chick hopped out of the nesting box yesterday, so mother and baby now have a nice new pen with high walls:
Finally, about 10 little goldfish have been introduced to each of our water tanks:
They’ll help us by eating algae and mosquito larvae. 🐎
Muddy Wednesday 🐴
Betty is laying in some serious dirt:
This new wheelbarrow is impossible for me to tip over:
I don’t know if I like that, or I don’t like that. 🐴
All the cat-cops are still a-dither over the new chick:
Let’s watch it and its mother in motion:
🐥
New arrival! 🐥
It’s another dreary, rainy day. . .
But there’s something that can cheer us up, whether you’re a horse, cat, chicken, duck, or donkey!
A brand new baby chick!
Welcome to the farm, golden chick!
And good job, mother hen! 🐔
Rainy Monday 🐎
On a morning like this, Stormy figures it’s just as well he has to stay inside (he’s almost better):
Other than that, Astrid has company this morning in her nest:
We wonder who the eggs are under? 🐔
Sunny Sunday 😺
Security Deputy Betty is on guard duty:
And Deputy Finn is checking that the water in the automatic waterer is nice and clear:
We have a purple finch where the swallows usually perch:
Finally, Iris is out front with Jewel today:
Her “mommy,” Mara, is here today, so Iris needs to be easily available for a ride! 🐎
It’s a “share the hay” day 🐎
Come downstairs, Sophie:
That’s it, stay down here and keep Phoenix company:
It rained last night, and is raining still. The hen’s nest is getting a little wet in its current location:
So it’s been moved to a spot we know will stay dry:
Since everyone’s still in the stable, they’re helping themselves to Stormy’s and my hay:
But that’s ok. . .
We always like to share. 🐎
Doggies at the farm 🐺
Just look at all these awards!
Mary and Sophie stole the show!
And Dukie and Phoenix are down by the creek:
It looks like Chezzie would like you to move, Nyx-y:
Come back up the hill, Nyx-y. . .
And help us check the feed shed for cats, before we close the door. 🙀
Who needs a weed whacker, when you have horses? 🐎
Good Morning!
Misty and RC are checking out the recovery pen. This is the first time they’ve been in there:
Stormy’s feeling better, but not quite ready to join the herd:
And, look! We have lovely irises:
Finally, here’s Jewel, doing a little “trimming” on her way to the front pasture:
And so does Rose:
This little section of paddock, by the barn, has been closed off to the horses, until today:
You’ve got your work cut out for you today, horses. Don’t eat too much! 🐎
Slo-mo kitty! 😺
Baldy advises: “Look. . .” 
“Before you leap!”
Speaking of looking, what has everyone’s attention?
Oh! The friendly children at the school are playing outside:
And Buttons is learning how to catch birds:
Let’s watch her in a couple of fun videos!
Here's her fantastic leap in slow motion!
😺
Ducks and sparrows 🐦
Astrid has her breakfast of mealworms waiting right under her beak:
We hope she eventually has some chicks to show for all her efforts! 🐔
Is this a headless peacock?
No, it’s just Hansel, who’s wants to go back to sleep. He’s the only rooster we know who’s not a “morning person.” 🐓
And good morning Chavez!
Did someone go after you with the clippers? What are those bare spots on your chest?
Oh, Ann just brushed out your shedding hair. 🐎
Finally, let’s watch some sparrows clean up Ferdinand and Percy’s breakfast, while they finish up their morning grooming:
🐦
Kitty Capers 😺
The cats are saying, “If you aren’t ready to feed us, you can’t park here.”
Don’t lay on the pool, Betty, the ducks need their water:
They need that pool, too, Betty:
You’re not helping to hurry things along, kitty. 🐴
Patience is a virtue, not a horse 🐎
RC is ready to go out to the far pasture, but the gate is closed:
Hang on, RC, don’t try to jump it:
There we go!
Finally, let’s watch me having a dust-up!
🐴
Lovely Red Roan! 🐎
Baldy is having breakfast while a sparrow waits his turn:
Betty has a sparrow for breakfast:
Misty looks majestic at the top of the hill:
Stormy’s getting better, but still needs to keep his walking to a minimum:
He’s not supposed to have treats:
But just one can’t hurt, can it?
I’m happy my companionship is working:
And just look at radiant Rose!
Isn’t her mane beautiful? 🐴
Watch out, sparrows! 🐦
Misty is keeping Stormy company until I can come out:
I’m glad to keep Stormy company if it helps him get well. . .
Just keep the carrots coming!
Pumpkin can sleep through almost any noise. She’s still doing well, just getting older:
The sparrows are cleaning up the mealworms left in the water:
I wonder if they know they have an audience? 🐴
Finally, let’s watch a movie:
We can always watch the ducks have a bath! 🐴
Chilly Thursday 🐎
Stormy is getting used to his new routine:
I’m spending another day keeping him company:
Other than that, Sophie is with us!
And Percy and Ferdinand are getting comfortable by the cats’ water:
It should be muddied-up in no time! 😾
New construction 🐎
Oh my goodness, what is going on here?
Well, Dr. Danielle visited Stormy yesterday, since he had been walking very slowly, and laying down a lot:
She determined that he is foundering, which is a painful swelling of the hooves:
Other than medicine, vet’s orders are that he must be kept off his feet as much as possible for at least a week:
That is not an easy thing to do, even if you aren’t a horse:
So Mary and Mara worked very hard this morning to build a small enclosure (out of old sections of the riding circle) just for him!
So, why am I in here?
I guess I’m stuck keeping him company while everyone else is out galloping around. I don’t mind, anything to help Stormy get well!
And we’re so grateful that Mary and Mara are such resourceful people! ❤️
Lots and lots of rain overnight 🙀
Rose is making it apparent that she would like her carrot, now, please:
And is RC getting skinny? No, he’s just had all his shedding hair brushed out:
We’re deciding if we want to trudge through the mud to get to the far pasture:
I'll have a lick of salt while everybody makes up their minds:
Finally, Finn has caught a large, brown mouse:
And what happens to mice who are caught by our cats?
The cat puts them down. . .
And they scamper away! 🐭
Dazzling Sunday afternoon 🐸
This morning is gloomy, and it will probably rain. Baldy is hurrying to get in his dust bath, before the dust becomes mud:
The weather may not be the best, but Stormy always has a smile for anybody who needs one:
We’re still glowing from the beautiful weather yesterday. If I were a bird, I’d sing, too:
And guess who we met down at the creek?
Hello, Froggie! 🐸
Have fun in our brilliant creek! 🐸
Let’s watch a video from way back, last March. Here’s Jewel, accidentally kicking the legs out from under the hand that feeds her:
She was very sorry (she thought Uncle Bud was Stormy). 🐴
No news is good news! 🐎
There’s not much going on, but any sunny day is a wonderful day! Here’s a picture from yesterday—it looks like Stormy smells something bad:
And what is this creature? We’re not sure, but we think it’s a “thirteen-lined ground squirrel." It was a little bigger than a chipmunk, and had striped fur, as you can see:
It disappeared down this hole:
Whatever you are, little rodent. . .
Watch out for kitties! 😺
Hooray for May! 🐴
There’s blue sky above us:
The swallows are back in force:
Finn is on her way down:
Betty has found a good hiding place:
And Stormy has just heard a good joke:
🐎
And let’s watch Astrid get breakfast—delivered!
😺