FRANCIS'S BLOG 04/18/2026
We had work done 🐴
We were on lock-down yesterday morning:
Why? Because we were getting new gutters for the stable!
But, as soon as the drilling started we were taken out to the front pasture. . .
That sound was just too loud for our long ears (mine being the longest)! 🐴
But the result was gutters on both sides of the stable. Now the rain won’t run inside the walls and RC’s food dish won’t fill up with water! 🐎
The ducks say we better get a water tank under that downspout soon: It’s only a matter of time before I decide to scratch myself and twist it up. 🐴
And the duck garage got gutters, too!
You’ll also notice the soffit is repaired.
A couple years ago, we had to tear it open to let out a stuck cat! 🙀
Movie Time! 😺
Finn and Noodle use Farmer Rich’s hay loader to get into the barn.
And here are Mary and Jewel doing a pattern at the Mississippi Valley Fair:
Any more awards, and we’d need a bigger truck 🐎
Here are Rose and Mary, and Mara and Iris, just getting home from the horse show:
Here are Rose's and Mary’s awards:
And here are Iris’s and Mara’s:
Just look at all that first-place blue! 🐎
Sad Saturday 😿
Finn isn’t quite awake yet.
And what is this duck doing in my yard?
Speaking of ducks, this morning we discovered our beloved L’Orange had gone to duck heaven. She was the first duck to be hatched on the farm, and had been slowing down for some time.
Thanks for many years of being the best duck. We never had to worry about you crossing the street. 🐴
Busy Friday 🐴
Good morning! 🐴
We’re staying close to the stable today.
The vet is coming. . .
She’ll give us our shots and check our teeth. 🐎
Tux visits 😺
Good morning, Tux!
We get the hint. . .
You’re welcome to join us for breakfast! 😺
Oh, and here’s a very big moth:
We think it’s an Imperial Moth.
Morning activity around the “water coolers” 🐎
The pekins chat around their tub.
And Henry steps up to the horse fountain. 🐎
There’s something in the air 🐴
It’s that time of year:
The crop duster is buzzing around us.
We have enough things buzzing around us, thank you. 🐎
Duck detention 🙀
Lately, the ducks have been running across the road entirely too much:
So, they’re being placed in “time out”:
But as long as they have food, water, and splashing pools, they’ll be happy enough. 🐴
Julia visits! 🐎
RC grazes with the starlings:
And Julia, Ann and Bill get Rose ready for a ride:
Here she is riding with her Mom (on Chavez):
🐎
All the recent rain has left some very green grass 🐴
Major Tom makes laser-eyes at Evil Cat:
Uh-oh, the gate’s been left open:
Time for me to do some grazing:
I can’t talk with this mouth full of leaves. 🐴
More bird watching 🐦
We have kingfishers down at the creek.
While up in the yard. . .
We have worm-fishers! 🐴
A very busy morning 🐴
We’re all out watching the work going on:
We got a lot of grating done:
And new dirt for the arena floor:
It will be softer on our hooves. 🐎
A little bit of this and that for Wednesday 🐴
It’s a little cooler this morning. . .
but it’s still too hot for me. 🐴
The ducks are lining up for their morning bath.
We are having some morning hay. 🐎
Schrödinger has already eaten, and now just hanging out on the trailer hitch. 😺
The heat keeps coming 🐴
Baldy is a smart chicken. . .
He finds some shade and stays there. 🐓
I’m not sure why I’m back here. 🐴
At least the water’s cool. 😺
Rewarding fowl behavior 🐴
As you recall from yesterday’s post, the pekins ran off.
We’re hoping this pool will keep their attention, and give them a nearby place to clean up and cool off!
It seems to be doing the trick.
A clean duck is a happy duck! 🐴
Fowl deeds 🐴
We knew there was a problem when only L’Orange was around to have some breakfast worms:
Where was everybody else? Well, not only were they across Route 900E. . .
But they were 50 yards down the road, by Farmer Rich’s soybeans!
Just wait until Ann and Mary get back from New York!
You buzzards are in so much trouble! 🐴
Houdini horses 🐎
This morning we found Iris with her new best friend:
Rose opened her stall door again. She was fine and getting along with everyone, and sticking with Iris:
We think Rose had help getting her door open—by CHAVEZ!
The horses seem to get into mischief when it downpours and thunders, like it did all last night.
Our new drainage system around the riding arena seems to work nicely. 🐴
Another hot day 🐴
It’s another stifling morning at the farm:
Finn is getting her “laps” in at the pool:
Noodle and Pumpkin are getting their “laps” in, too:
There’s nothing like pool water before the ducks get to it! 😺
Horse Injury 🐎
Poor Jewel scraped up her forehead yesterday:
Luckily, it looks like her fly mask offered some protection, or it might have been worse.
We think it happened while she and Rose were chasing after each other under the hay barn. Oh, and we’re getting more work done at the farm:
I think we’re creating a new driveway to connect the two existing driveways.
Oh, and here’s Finn:
She likes her perch on the trailer hitch. 😺
A little bird watching 🐦
This is a brown thrasher (we think) down by the creek:
And up at the farm. . .
We always have our ducks in a row! 🐴
We love visitors! 🐴
Here are Kamery, Sophia, Grayson, Olivia, their mother, and grandmother, meeting Rose! (I’m sorry if I misspelled any of these nice kids’ names, but donkeys are not the best spellers 🐴)
The last time they visited, we didn’t have Rose. 🐎
But that’s ok. . .
The last time they visited, they didn’t have Olivia! Here she is visiting with me:
We’re all having such fun!
We hope they come back soon! 🐎
I can hardly wait to “lose” these in the far pasture! 🐴
I’m trying these fly guards today:
As you know, fly spray doesn’t last all day, and I can’t shake them off my little legs.
I look like I’m ready for dance class. 🐴
My water trough is NOT a bird bath 🐴
There are a lot of baby swallows this year, and some of them are getting into trouble! 🐦
We had to fish this novice flyer out of the water tank.
And the fuzzy fledgling on the right had been flopping around on the ground; but our Bill got a ladder and put it back.
Finn was not happy! 🙀
Our birds are brawny! 🐴
Noodle caught this unfortunate sparrow,
chewed on it,
and batted it around:
But Noodle turned his back,
and this tough little sparrow flew away! 🐦
Wednesday night was bath night! 🐎
Everybody got a refreshing hosing-down:
Misty especially enjoyed getting sprayed:
Say “cheese,” Misty:
Now here is a happy, wet horse:
Don’t worry about me. . .
I’m getting a bath, too! 🐴
Eighty degrees at eight o’clock! 🙀
This is a good day to find a place in the pool and stay there:
Charlie and Ukie can’t get over how hot it is:
I do believe I shall faint! 🐴
Don’t worry—I’ve not really fainted.
I’m just having a roll in the dirt. 🐴
Thundering hooves! 🐎
Iris and Stormy race each other in for dinner:
It looks like Iris is pulling ahead:
Stormy says he let her win:
There’s always time to pose for a picture! 🐴
Fifteen-degree-cooler Monday 🐴
It was 70 this morning, instead of 85, so that’s something. 🐴
The cats are having breakfast. 😺
Ferdinand, Daisy and Percy are being stealthy. 🦆
Jewel and Rose are already grazing—But the rest of us are not:
We are waiting for someone to get down here and open the darn gate! 🐎
Will we ever get a break from this heat? 🐴
After the sun went down yesterday, Mary and Mara gave us all a hosing down.
So Iris, Jewel and Rose were fresh for their ride this morning.
Here are Henry and I heading out to the field:
Nobody’s riding us today! 🐴