FRANCIS'S BLOG 10/06/2025
Thank goodness! It’s cooler! 🐴
Good morning! Our friend, Travis, is trimming our toes. We have one toe per foot—it’s called a hoof!
We have beautiful flowers glistening with dew. . .
And plenty of pumpkins:
Gail’s chicks are behaving themselves well:
“Come on, chicks, let’s go look for bugs.”
And last night we had five eggs in the hay:
But the chickens graciously laid them all within easy reach. 🐔
My, my, more mud! 🐴
Good morning. I’m sorry I missed you yesterday. Here I am, trying to stay out of the puddles:
This chicken has found a dry place:
Oh, someone made a poopie through the gate:
As you recall, Dr. Dana wrapped Chezzie’s ailing leg on Wednesday. When Travis does our hooves tomorrow, we’ll take the wrap off and see how he feels:
Ok, why are you, Rose, Iris and Stormy—all crowded in RC’s stall?
Does RC ever leave any food? 🐴
Get well, Chezzie 😿
Judging from our “rain gauge,” we had quite a lot of rain last night:
I remember the lightning was scary. I’m glad it was a “carrot morning” to settle my nerves.
Our poor Chezzie’s leg still hurts, so our friend Dr. Dana paid us a visit.
She wrapped his ankle, and told him to keep taking his medicine. 🐎
Let’s cheer up by watching Momma Opal take her chicks for a dust bath:
And I’ll bet Momma Gail and her babies are finding a lot of tasty little bugs and seeds!
Yummy-yum! 🐥
Messy Misty! 🐎
“Good morning! It’s going to be another hot, hot day! I’m sorry I’m in your bowl, Francis, but it’s been on the ground all night and it still feels pretty cool.”
No problem, Onslow. I’m using my spare:
You’re welcome to spend the day with us in front of the fan:
The chickens are funny. They like to stand around the fan, but not in front of it (fine with us):
Anyway, it rained a little last night, and Misty did some big-time rolling!
If you think that looked bad, just look at her other side!
We’re glad that Ann is here to brush out the weeds. . .
And those “witch's knots!” 🙀
Ugh! Dirty duck water! 😾
Good morning! I better move before someone gets the bright idea to harness me up to this thing:
Betty says, “Just look at all this clean water, cold from the well on this hot day!”
“Schroeder, why on earth are you drinking that dirty duck water?”
“Waste not, want not. . .
“But you’re right, Betty, it’s pretty disgusting. I’ll be right over.” 😺
Anyway, let’s catch up on our 2 latest YouTube videos, in case you missed them:
🐥
😺
All kinds of kittens! 😺
Iris has a smile for you this morning!
“Thanks, Francis. I’m happy to tell everyone ‘Good morning!’ and show you the latest pictures and videos of the kittens!”
“First, here’s ‘the kitten under the coop:’
“She gets fed twice a day, like everyone else. We hope she gets tame before winter.
“And just look at how big the new kitties are!
“Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle!”
“When they no longer need to be bottle fed, they can stay safely in the tack room, just like Betty and Onslow did when they were babies:
“Can you believe this was almost six years ago?” 😺
Sunny Saturday! 🐴
Petra and Astrid say, “Good morning!”
There’s something other-worldly about this pumpkin blossom:
I’m sorry, I don’t think Martha and I have anything else to show you today. . .
What’s that, Martha?
Well, I think everyone’s been “chicked” to pieces, but you’re right; we do have a video of Gail and her brood from last night:
We’ll try and have different news tomorrow—but Gail and the gang did tell me to tell you, “Hello!” 🐴
Get better, Chavez 🐎
Good morning. We’re appreciating the cooler weather:
I’m sorry to report that Chezzie’s left front leg is still bothering him after a week:
“I’m hopeful I’ll be better soon. I’m starting two new medicines that should do the trick.”
“You see, Rose, my hay is being put here, so I don’t have to walk to the pasture.”
“I don’t need all this help eating it, people!”
And, goodness! Momma Gail has her chicks close to the road:
Let’s watch a video of what they’re up to:
I have no idea what has their attention. 🐴
Goodbye weeds! 🐎
Good morning! My “carrot sense” is tingling!
It’s never wrong!
Buttons says, “I wish that new cat would stopped being scared of people. . .”
“It will soon be too big to fit under the coop.”
And our friend, Officer Mike, mowed the near pasture.
Thanks for all the grass you’ve turned up, Mike. . .
When we finish the grass in the front pasture, we’ll move right over to the near pasture. 🐴
Busy cats 😺!
Chavez says, “Good morning! Don’t be offended by my tongue (I always stick it out at the camera), I’m truly happy to see you!”
Onslow has a sparrow. . .
And so does Betty:
Remember, cats, our policy is “catch and release!” 😺
The chicks are now free-range! 🐥
“Hey, Francis, tell everyone Good morning and come in to breakfast.”
Good morning! I’m on my way, Iris!
We’re grateful our friend, Officer Mike, mowed the front pasture, exposing lots of tasty new grass:
Finally, the chicks are done with pens and fences! Here’s Gail and her chicks out front, exploring the “world!”
And here’s Opal and her chicks among the cats!
Behave yourselves, kitties! 😺
What exciting news! 😺
Good morning! I know an exciting secret, but I promised I’d let Stormy tell you:
“Thank you, Francis, for letting me spill the beans. Ann found an abandoned litter of 6 kittens outside her house. . .”
“Poor babies!”
“Ann, and our Bill and Sierra, are bottle-feeding them. . .”
“And here’s one getting a bath after it poopied itself. . .”
“Poor crying kitty! But don’t worry, the water was warm.
“And finally, here we all are, just as Ann brought us home from the vet!”
“When they’re big enough to eat solid food, we hope they come to the farm!” 😺
Everybody love cat food (except me and the horses) 🐴
Good morning! This mud will never dry up if we keep having rain:
Onslow says, “This grass is so high, I need a safety cone to make sure I don’t get stepped on.”
Finally, let’s settle in, and watch the chickens finish off some cat food:
Of course, the chicks like it, too! 🐥
Kitties, chickies, doves, videos, and carrots! 🐴
Good morning! A carrot a day, makes the clouds go away (I hope):
Security Deputy Betty is on morning watch:
What do you see, Deputy?
Oh, it’s only the doves, waiting to share the chickens’ breakfast:
Speaking of breakfast, one of Gail’s chicks has a worm:
It’s a little dried-out, but it gets eaten, nonetheless.
Let’s watch the video:
Here’s another video, of our new kitty having breakfast:
Please get chummy with the cat-cops, little cat. They just want to take care of you! 😺
Mud, mud, and more mud! 😾
Turken says, “Good morning! When Ann is here to watch us, we chicks get to wander around the yard with our mothers!”
Misty is sporting a mask, fresh from the washer:
Stormy says, “I’ll make sure to get mine before I go out. Francis says the flies are fierce!”
That’s right, Stormy. The flies are fierce and so is the mud!
I think we’ve had enough of these overnight downpours. 🐴
300 bales of hay! 🐴
Good morning! Can you believe this is over 300 bales of hay? Farmer Rich, his helpers, and our Bill and Devon worked hard for hours to load it in!
It’s delicious!
I'm sad to report that Chezzie's hooves have been hurting him, so he’s having his hay inside:
Feel better soon, Chavez. We’ll get the vet if you don’t. 🐴
Who doesn’t love eggs for breakfast? 🐔
Iris says, “Good morning! I’m responsible for hurrying up breakfast today.”
Good job, Iris!
And the chicks get eggs for breakfast:
“Momma Opal, these are delicious! Where do they come from?” 🐥
The last clutch of the season? 🐦
Good morning! I have a beatific smile for you. . .
And this carrot!
Learn to fly soon, little birds. . .
Before you know it, you’ll be heading south!
Oh that Betty! 😺
Good morning. It’s a little rainy, but it’s supposed to stop soon:
We have enormous pumpkins!
And beautiful Black-eyed Susans:
How did you get out, little Turken?
Oh, a hole! “Management” will plug that up right away:
Finally—Opal, you better keep an eye on your chicks. . .
Betty is! 🙀
Fowl deeds 🐔
Good morning! What nice weather!
Patrick is enjoying a bath in a clean tub of fresh water!
Momma Opal and her chicks had their cage moved over some new grass:
Don’t worry, Gail, you’ll get your pen moved soon. In the meantime, here’s an apple for you and your chicks:
Let’s watch them check it out:
If you don’t like it now, let it soften up for a day or two. 🍎
Fun in the field 🐎
Good morning! It’s nice and cool! I’m afraid this isn’t my most flattering pose:
Now this I think is a very flattering pose:
Let’s watch them come in to dinner:
Where am I? I’m back at the stable, first in line for food! 🐴
Idle Horses are the Devil’s workshop! 🐎
Good morning. I know two horses who don’t deserve their breakfast carrots:
Don’t give us that innocent smile, Stormy:
You bit poor Jewel’s shoulder! Those are your teeth marks!
And why are you in Jewel’s run this morning, Rose?
Did you break into this fence and squeeze through?
Rose says, “I admit, I did squeeze through; but you can’t prove I broke the fence!” 🐎
Kitty capers! 😺
Betty says, “Is breakfast ready? No?—then wake me when it is.”
Good morning!
Springtime-fresh, clean masks are always nice!
Betty says, “What a appetizing—I mean CUTE—little chick you have, Momma Opal.”
Speaking of CUTE, let’s watch the new kitty have breakfast:
So sweet! 😺
Cat geometry! 😺
Baldy says, “It’s a cock-a-doodle-good morning!”
Rose says, “I agree. This cooler weather has lifted everyone’s spirits.”
Here’s Betty, asleep in a circle:
And here’s Onslow, awake in a triangle:
Aren’t I silly this morning! 🐴
Is Chavez taking the “bait” or not? 🐎
Good morning! We’re so happy it’s finally cooler:
Momma Opal says, “I don’t think the chicks have seen it this cool in their 12-day lives!”
“Stay under my feathers, sweeties, until it warms up.”
And we're celebrating the weather with carrots (like we need a reason). 🥕🥕🥕
Here’s Stormy. . .
And Chezzie seems to need a carrot to coax him out of the stall. Wait a minute—is he spitting it out?
I don’t think so; I think it just fell out while he was rearranging it in his mouth. Nobody turns down a carrot! 🐴
We’re trying to stay cool 🐴
Good morning. I would welcome some clouds if they would cool us down.
Momma Opal is doing her best to keep her chicks in the shade:
And so is Gail:
I’d guess the kitty has it pretty cool under the coop, because of the ground:
Lastly, RC has a shiny new mask:
“Isn’t it nice? I can hardly wait to lose it where no one will ever find it!” 🐎
Chicks 🐥 and ducks 🦆 and swallows 🐦 and cats and me 🐴!
Good morning! I’ll be with you in a moment; right now I’m checking on possible suspicious activity. Oh, it’s ok, it’s just our neighbor mowing the lawn:
Now, I’m ALL YOURS! Let’s get started:
The latest brood of swallows has left the nest. Before you know it, babies, you’ll be flying south with Mom and Dad!
The new kitty seems to be happy with the food on the farm:
Get friendlier with the cat-cops, little kitten, and they’ll give you a cozier place to sleep than under the coop. 😺
Paschal and Ferdinand say, “Hello! We haven’t seen you in a while!”
Finally, here’s Momma Opal showing her chicks the basics:
Today’s lesson is: Scratching 101. 🐔
Oh, those chicks (and a new kitty video)! 🐥(😺)
Jewel says, “Good morning! I’m modeling my new mask, fresh out of the box! I can hardly wait to lose it in the pasture, or at least get it dirty.”
Uh-oh, Opal decided to jump the fence, and her chicks squeezed through the fence to follow her:
Stay in the fence, babies, a cat could be anywhere! 😺
Speaking of cats, let’s watch our “foundling” have breakfast:
Please let the cat-cops pick you up, kitty, they just want to pet you and make you feel welcome! ❤️
This new arrival is definitely not a chick! 😺
Nobody can say “Good morning!” like Baldy:
Oh my! Who is this?
Where did you come from, baby kitty? You shouldn’t be on your own!
Stay with us and be part of the farm family! 😺
The chicks go on a field trip! 🐥
Good morning! It’s a clean-mask morning!
Betty is watching the mosquito larvae in the water that’s everywhere from last night’s rain:
Gail thinks it’s time she takes her chicks outside:
Ann put a safety cage around the back door. We don’t want anyone getting lost (or eaten)!
Mom is showing us how to look for food with our sharp little eyes:
The first of many adventures on the farm! 🐥