FRANCIS'S BLOG 04/21/2026
Moving horses 🐎
Here’s a very short horse race: Charlie came in first, Henry second, and Iris third.
(Iris claimed she wasn’t trying. 🐴)
Henry is faster 🐎 but I can slip under the fence 🐴
Henry and I pose during breakfast:
It was cool again this morning. And we’re growing our coats to be ready for winter.
Being a cat isn’t what it used to be 😿
Luigi eats breakfast quickly while Pumpkin keeps a lookout for ducks and chickens:
Cooler weather 🐴
No sweaty horses here. It was only 57 this morning.
If only it wouldn’t get any colder. 🐴
Duck disguises 😺
L’Orange, Paschal and Pooter are trying out their homemade Halloween masks early:
Ferdinand, Percy and Daisy don’t seem to recognize them:
Of course, it doesn’t take much to fool a duck. 🐴
Duck danger 😿
Security Chief Luigi has a situation on his paws this morning.
Paschal has a plastic bag caught around her neck!
It’s a good thing she’s a pet duck and not a wild duck, or else she’d be in big trouble!
That’s why it’s important to properly recycle plastics in which animals can get caught.
Don’t worry, Paschal’s fine now. We cornered her in the garage and that nasty bag is long gone! 😺
Jewel pays us another visit! 🐎
Here’s Jewel in the riding circle. She’s dressed in her fly mask and fly coat.
She looks like she’s gift wrapped! 🐴
Here she is being ridden by Ann:
Ukie is watching Jewel and Ann do their patterns:
Mrs. Minas is a good rider, too. She and Jewel get along just fine!
Cat geometry 😺
The kitties tell me that three cats will always form a triangle:
Here’s another example, they say:
I hate to break it to them, but three of anything will form a triangle, unless they form a line. (But I guess cats couldn’t form a line if their lives depended on it. 🐴)
Let sleeping ducks sleep 🐴
The three ways ducks will sleep:
Although they should be doing it with their eyes closed. 🐴
Pretty daisies 🌼
The banks of the creek are lined with daisies and golden rod:
Aren’t they pretty?
Uh-oh, here come the weeds:
Although I must admit, Iris does have nice hair. 🐴
Charlie and I 🐴
Here, Charlie and I are munching on weeds by the barn. Charlie thinks twice about going in, in case the door shuts behind her.
I got my toes done today 🐴
The farrier came today. Stormy and Misty got their horseshoes re-fit so they’re nice and comfortable (they’re the only two who wear horseshoes). Stormy loves his shoes:
Look at the hole he can dig with them! 🐎
Henry says Hello 🐎
After being sick last Monday, Henry’s happy to tell us he’s been eating all his grain and feeling better.
He likes the cooler weather, too! 🐎
Julia visits! 🐎
Our friend Julia paid us a visit Friday. Here she is brushing Chavez:
Stormy gets brushed, too:
Here’s a video of Julia and Mary putting Chezzie through his paces:
Dust bath time 🐔
Dot, Gretel and Minnie have a dust bath. Now, we know you’ve seen dust baths before, but this one shows Gretel really getting the dust up in her feathers:
Super-soaker 🐴
Nasty rain all Wednesday night. But at least we’re all feeling ok, and can graze in the far pasture.
Iris and Henry were sick! 🐎
Monday night, both Henry and Iris were sick. Iris had colic, and Henry’s digestive tract blockage was back. Nobody was feeling good. 😿
But here they are this morning, looking much better. Henry still didn’t eat all his breakfast, but he and Iris both seem to be grazing in the front pasture with no problems:
We hope Henry eats all his dinner tonight. (Update: He did! 😺)
We always like visits from the girls 🐴
Our Mara and Mary get Iris ready for an early Labor Day morning ride:
Jewel spends the night 🐎
Jewel had a sleepover Friday night.
Here she is having breakfast in her pajamas:
Stormy didn’t mind her using his stall to spend the night,
but he didn’t like not having his usual place to eat.
In fact, Stormy kept hogging my food! 🐴
Fungus Amongus 🐴
All this wet has spawned the most interesting mushroom-type thingie on our tree:
It can even serve as a bird bath: