FRANCIS'S BLOG 04/18/2026
Slow news Sunday (no news is good news) 🐴
There’s not much going on this morning, other than it’s very, very hot.
The clover is growing in back of the riding arena, and there are a few purple blossoms.
There are a lot of white blossoms on the clover in the far pasture! 🐴
Another muggy morning, but at least it’s sunny! 🐴
Uh-oh, what did she do now?
Rose has thrown a shoe—good thing the farrier will be coming in about a week.
In the meantime, the kitties are lazily waiting for breakfast:
And yesterday afternoon, our farmer friends mowed the far pasture!
There’s a lot of good grass out here. And now that it’s shorter, two fly masks were found! 🐎
We have lots of baby swallows 🐦
Here are four baby swallows that have just left the nest:
Here are some younger swallows that want to leave the nest too early:
You can see in this video that one of them got in big trouble:
Luckily, it was rescued. 🐴
Looks like Kanna sharpened her claws for nothing. 😾
It’s 80 already this morning! 🐴
I’m out with the girls (until I decide to slip under the fence):
Baldy takes some time to talk with Hansel:
Then he has a chat with another rooster in the bumper of Mary’s car:
And look at Betty:
She’s not in a safe place! 🙀
Horse crime! 🐎
Well, look what we have here:
How did this happen, Jewel?
You don’t know?
It wasn’t you?
Then who made all these hoof marks on the inside of your door? 🐴
It’s drier and breezier this morning 🐴
Betty gets a headstart on breakfast:
Onslow has some clean duck water:
Jewel, Rose, and Henry got some nice masks this morning. They were stashed away in the tack room:
There are hidden treasures all over the farm,
Because no one puts anything away in the right place! 🐴
Betty is busy 😺
Betty gnawing on a mouse:
A little later, she is seen guarding our freshly laundered fly masks:
As for us, we look like we’re minding our own business, just eating hay. Actually, we’re watching the gate for a chance to escape:
We weren’t successful (this time). 🐎
It is a very muggy morning 🐴
Jewel and Rose are already out to pasture:
I’m waiting by the gate (I’m in the mood to sneak out):
Betty is entirely too close to the road (notice in the upper left corner that Jewel is having a roll):
Onslow and Major Tom are waiting for someone to open a can of food:
Poor Major Tom has a sore eye. 😿 You should listen to the other cats and let the cat-cops take you to the vet!
Slow-motion ducks 🦆
It's pleasant and cool this morning and we’re ready to eat! 🐴
Let’s watch the ducks wolf down their morning mealworms in slow motion!
Kitty capers 😺 and horse happenings 🐎
Betty in the grass:
Betty in a pan:
This fly mask is entirely too big:
That’s because it belongs on Iris:
Let’s watch a movie of us coming in for dinner last night:
Concerned kitties 😾
Why do Onslow and Betty look worried?
Because I’m about to eat their “perch.” 🐴
Let’s watch me in action:
Greener pastures 🦆
The duck pen has become less grassy and more muddy:
So last night we moved it under the tree:
Lots of new grass for at least a week!
We’ll put grass seed over the damage. 🐴
Speak of the devil 😺
I’m back—looks like everybody survived without me:
And look who showed up for breakfast!
We haven’t seen you in months, Evil Cat! 😺
I’ll be back next week 🐴
Finn says Hi.
I say, I need a break.
I’ll be back next week around Thursday. 🐴
In the meantime, let’s watch a video of jumping carp at the Hennepin canal!
Rub-a-dub-Horse 🐎
Yesterday Jewel got a bath:
This morning, she and Rose are out front as usual:
Iris is waiting for some of us to move out of the stable:
Everyone wants to enjoy the breeze.
I’ll admit that it’s pretty warm this morning. 🐴
Bird Business 🐦
Ferdinand, Percy and Daisy have the yard to themselves:
All the other ducks are in the pen:
Oh, and here are a pair of swallows:
(We admit it’s a slow news day.) 🐴
This and that 😺
Major Tom says, Hi!
Iris itches her chin:
Why is Betty better at catching sparrows than the other cats?
The birds just think she’s another pekin! 😺
Sunny and dry Saturday! 🐴
The ducks are enjoying their mealworms:
Betty is enjoying the ducks’ mealworms:
Paschal is hiding in the peonies:
And Charlie and I are masked, sprayed, and ready for the far pasture:
🐎
Pretty flowers everywhere 🌼
We have more flowers by the duck garage:
The ducks themselves are enjoying some yard time:
Yesterday afternoon, Jewel and Rose were enjoying the sun:
But today it’s cloudy, and most of us are just hanging around inside:
Me included:
I’m making it hard to clean out Jewel’s stall. 🐴
Oh, and the cats have been busy, too. 🙀
They have owls in England, too! 🦉
Mary and Bill are enjoying their last day in England by visiting some owls:
Meanwhile, back in good old Geneseo, it rained all night, and now more rain is moving in:
Trust me, horses. . .
I didn’t leave anything! 🐴
Rain overnight but a sunny morning 😺
We have pretty roses in front of the house:
We have a pretty schnozzola in front of Stormy:
And we have swallows in their nests:
Baby swallows are on the way! 🐦
We had apples and carrots for breakfast 🐎
Are you expecting an earthquake, Charlie?
Other than that, Henry says “Hi!” 🐎
And in duck doings, these ducks are behaving:
Unlike the pekins, who will remain locked up until Ann gets home from vacation:
They must learn to stay off the road. 🐴
You cannot argue will dry and sunny 🐴
I’m not where I’m supposed to be (of course):
Rose’s door is knocked down (again):
And the swallows are waiting for us to clear out:
They want to finish up their nests. 🐦
Another dry morning! 🐴
Now this hasn’t happened in a while—Rose’s door got knocked down:
We’re glad it’s dry enough for us to get out to the far pasture—there’s a lot of new grass and clover!
Let’s watch a movie of us from last night—the first time we’ve been out there in 5 days!
🐴