FRANCIS'S BLOG 04/21/2026
Goodbye September 🐎
Nugget says Good morning!
My shoulder needs a scratch. . .
And so does my forehead:
Look at our lovely flowers by the creek:
Finally, let’s watch a video of a mouse that picked a bad place to hide!
I hope he didn’t eat too much while he was in there! 🐭
The hornets are down but not out! 🐝
It’s a clean mask morning, and the farrier is coming to put Rose’s shoe back on:
The people who put in the new utility pole have cleared out the weeds from the storm drain:
Onslow approves! 😺
The hornets were sprayed last night. This morning, the hole was full of those who had gone to hornet heaven:
But there are still a few buzzing around, remaining a danger to the cats (and the cat-cops):
They’ll get another treatment tonight. 🐝
Horrible, horrible hornets! 🐝
A morning carrot is guaranteed to light me up!
As you recall, Rose lost her shoe the other day, so we’re out in the front pasture again (so she doesn’t have to walk so far):
Now, this looks like an innocent hole in the ground, and while you can’t tell it from this picture—believe us!—it’s swarming with aggressive hornets!
Thank goodness it’s on the other side of the property, where it’s away from the cats and us! (The cat-cops will take care of these savage stingers tonight with some long-distance hornet spray.) 🐎
How did that happen, Rose? 🐎
Good morning! I think hot weather is coming back for a day or two:
What happened, Rose?
Why did Mary have to come out last night and wrap up your hoof?
Oh. . .that’s why:
What on earth did you get caught on?
Oh well. . . Anyway, Mary took the shoe off the rest of the way, and made sure there were no pieces of nail left in her hoof. In the meantime, we all get to go out in the newly-mowed front pasture so Rose won’t have to walk so far:
Travis will be out on Wednesday to put your shoe back on, Rose.
Slow news Sunday (except for a raccoon here and there) 🦝
Good morning! 🐴
When you’re a bright white cat, you tend to stand out:
It makes it hard to hide:
In spite of this, Betty still manages to catch more mice than any other cat:
Uh-oh, here’s another raccoon skulking into the cat's garage:
Why do we say “another?”
Because, a little later, two are leaving. 🦝
What happens when the sun goes down 🐎
The one good thing about autumn: Soon we won’t need fly masks!
Our friend, Officer Mike, mowed our whole front pasture. The weeds are gone and all that’s left is the grass:
We can’t wait to get out there. 🐴
Finally, here are two videos captured by our trail camera:
My nights are busy, aren’t they? 🐴
When the sun’s away, the raccoons will play! 🦝
It’s another glorious, cool day:
Iris is looking particularly lovely (she agrees):
Pumpkin and Nugget are both on their favorite perches, waiting to be fed:
The cat-cops have been setting up trail cameras at night, which I think is a gross invasion of my privacy!
So far, they’ve caught me tearing down the gate to the far pasture. I just wanted a scratch!
And here are the raccoons, playing on the damage:
Hopefully we’ll have a video or two for you soon! 🐎
Carrots are priceless! 🥕
We had yummy carrots last night with dinner:
I saved mine for dessert!
It’s good day to be in the sun:
It was only 48 this morning!
I told everyone I’d call them at the first sign of food. 🐎
Let’s watch a video of poor Jewel getting tangled in the fence:
She’s ok, just ashamed of herself for doing the same thing twice in two weeks. At least she didn’t get stuck. The cat-cops are going to work on re-electrifying the fence. 🐴
Awesome northern lights! 😺
Not much going on today, other than this big, spooky spider was in the farm house! 🕷
It was “escorted” outside; where, if it survives the ducks. . .
It won’t make it past the chickens!
Ann recently was on an airplane, where she witnessed the amazing aurora borealis, or Northern Lights. She took this picture out the window!
And here’s a picture the steward shared with her from the cockpit:
Amazing! 🐎
Rainy night brings a cooler morning 😺
Here’s a nice picture of the horses coming in for dinner on Monday:
It stormed overnight. There are lots of raccoon-prints in the mud:
Our poultry are grateful we lock them up when the sun goes down. The cats would be lonely without someone to share their breakfast:
Iris and I say Good morning!
And our security chief is checking the rafters for anything unusual:
“Nope, everything looks secure!” 😺
R. I. P., Mickey 🐭
Security Chief Schroeder investigates the articles left by the power company:
“Everything’s in order.” 
“They’ll pick it up soon.” 😺
Oh! Look at those nasty flies on Jewel!
Hey cat-cops! Get her sprayed and masked-up right away, like Chezzie!
Baldy and his friend in the bumper are having a nice chat:
And look!—a mouse had a swim in the ducks’ bucket:
Oh my. . . 😿
Let’s catch up on some movies! 😺
The end of summer still brings beautiful flowers:
It also brings more and more flies. I’m always first in line to be masked-up and sprayed (you probably know that already):
Rose is happy because she’s wearing a new mask, fresh from the box:
The masks get holes in them when we scrape against something, and the velcro straps wear out from use and washings. 🐴
Now let’s see some videos you might have missed:
🐴
Horse Crime! 🐎
Jewel just can’t keep her hooves off that lower fence wire. Notice that the bottom wire is on the ground:
She did the same thing two weeks ago:
Luckily, her foot didn’t get caught this time, and the fence is back up:
Other than that, the other cats (Onslow) were mean to Evil Cat this morning, so he’s getting his own evil breakfast where he can enjoy it in evil peace:
And we’re getting a new utility pole:
I didn’t know there was anything wrong with the old one. 🐴
Rodent rampage! 🐭
A clean mask morning is always a good morning!
Astrid has a nice perch:
Finn has a nice sparrow:
What has Baldy crowing?
He has a nice praying mantis “appetizer” before breakfast:
And finally—Oh no!—there’s a mouse in our treat bucket!
Those peppermint nuggets are for horses and donkeys only! 🐴
We’re getting our hooves done 🐎
Jewel is breaking a fence wire:
The truck and the open gate mean our farrier friend Travis is here:
So I can wander pretty much where I want:
The chickens are wondering what’s going on:
Farrier day involves a lot of waiting around:
It takes Travis about 2-1/2 to 3 hours to trim all our hooves, and refit Stormy, Misty, Jewel and Rose’s shoes:
But the end result is healthy feet! 🐴
We love our hand-made cards! 🐴
Last night, we had carrots with our alfalfa pellets. Yummy-yum!
This morning, it’s sunny and only 65!
Pumpkin loves sharpening her claws on tires:
Poor Schroeder has the feeling he’s not wanted in the duck yard😿:
And Stormy is helping hold the door where breakfast is kept:
Finally, let’s look at some lovely thank-you cards from our new friends! The first one is from Maizey:
And this one is from Vaida:
We enjoyed your visit, and you are welcome back anytime! 🐎
I spy, on Chavez’s little thigh, the eggs of a bot fly! 🙀
We were just talking about bot flies yesterday, and what do we find this morning? Oh no!
The picture we showed you yesterday was just a photo we pulled off the Internet, but these photos are the real thing on our poor Chezzie!
They’re only in one spot on his leg. The photos look different because the first one shows those nasty eggs SOAKED in bug spray.
Don’t worry, Chezzie, those evil eggs won’t get a chance to hatch! 🐴
Stop those Bots! 🐴
Hansel is looking brilliant this morning, isn’t he?
I’m afraid I don’t look very social, do I?
Don’t worry, I’m as cheery as usual!
And here’s a file photo of an innocent-looking insect that resembles a bee:
But it’s a bot fly, and it leaves nasty eggs on us, that can hatch into larvae and burrow into our skin!
HORRORS! Don’t worry, we’re all getting extra spray, and are checked every night for those tiny eggs. 🐴
On a more pleasant note, we’ll end with Rose kicking up dust as she hurries to join the rest of us. 🐎
We can always find something to talk about! 🐴
I’m afraid Jewel and I don’t have much to tell you, other than Good morning!
Do you have anything for us, Betty? How about you, Percy and Ferdinand? No?
We think Chavez is telling us to check the flowers by the creek, but it’s hard to tell with his mouth in the feed dish:
Well, the banks always have lovely daisies:
But here are some pretty orange flowers we haven’t noticed before:
How beautiful!Thanks for telling us, Chezzie! 🐎
Our cameras are back! 🐎
This time of year still brings us lovely daisies:
And goldenrod:
We’re all feeling a little more secure this morning. . .
Why? Just look at all the satellite dishes!
Our latest acquisition is fast, radio-wave internet (our old internet service went out weeks ago):
The cat-cops are now back to watching us remotely at any time!
No one will dare steal me! 🐴
Lickety-lick-lick! 😺
Remember “Lucky,” the cardinal Ann rescued from the last big storm? Well, he’s been released into her backyard and was welcomed by the other cardinals!
But he still comes down for a treat:
He hasn’t forgotten his “people” family:
Other than that, here’s our friend, Pumpkin!
She waits patiently every morning for the cat-cops to deliver clear, fresh water:
She’s always first!
Don’t kitties have bright pink tongues?
😺
We’re always ready for breakfast! 🐎
Good morning! You might notice that my legs look dark. That’s because they have just had a heavy dose of fly spray:
My little legs have longer hair than the horses, so those nasty flies can hold on tighter, and make it harder for me to shake them off:
The neighbor’s dog (right) is quietly watching Iris and Stormy:
Finally, we’re in such a mood for breakfast:
Our noses go in before the food:
Pull out your nose, Misty!
You can’t get your food if your face is in the pan! 😺
Movie time! 😺
It’s a good day to eat outside—only 55℉!
Or, you could be like Onslow, and spend the day in the hay barn:
The ducks are enjoying the day out of the backyard:
Now, let’s enjoy a video from the horse show last Sunday!
🐴
Slow news day 😾
Not much happening today, so here’s a couple pictures from the horse show. Here’s Mara and Iris waiting for the judge’s decision:
Here’s Mary and Rose waiting to enter the ring:
And here’s Iris, Jewel and Rose—all packed up for the ride home:
We’ll try to have more for you tomorrow! 🐎
Never kiss a chicken! 🐔
This might be a good day to stay in the shade:
Buttons is showing off her latest catch (mouse at bottom of picture):
And the chickens are pecking away at poopies! 🙀
Never kiss a chicken! 😺
Anyway, let’s look at a video from the horse show: Here we have Rose, Jewel and Iris listening to my voice on the phone:
They’re looking around and yelling, “Where’s Francis?” 🐴
Horse Show Sunday! 🐎
Sophie, Nixey, and Callie are waiting to be let out!
I wonder where Rose, Jewel and Iris are?
There are at a horse show! Here’s Mary with Rose:
Mary with Jewel:
And Mara with Iris:
We’ll share more photos and videos from the show throughout the week:
We didn’t come home empty-handed! 🐴
Jewel should stay away from fences!
I don’t know what Onslow’s stalking, but it’s about to get pounced on:
I’m about to “pounce” on breakfast!
Astrid and Petra are having mealworms, while Hansel keeps a sharp lookout:
And Stormy is just looking handsome!
What a nice smile! 🐎
And let’s watch this video from 8 days ago:
Try to stay out of trouble, Jewel! 🙀
Farmer Rich and his helpers are great friends! 😺
The chickens have been busy lately:
There are 9 eggs in the duck house:
And 3 eggs under the hay barn:
So the cats supplemented breakfast with a dozen eggs!
Finally, remember that branch that fell on the chicken coop?
It’s all gone! Farmer Rich and his helper chopped it up and took it away:
What caring friends! 🐎
Our “Orphan of the Storm” is almost grown! 🐦
Good morning! It’s only 65℉, and with the recent weather we’ve had, that almost qualifies as chilly!
Percy and Ferdinand look happy this morning:
And Nugget’s perching on top of the duck house:
Finally, do you remember the little cardinal we rescued from that nasty storm last month?
Well, look at him today!
You’ll be set free soon, little bird. 🐦
September already? 🐎
I’m sorry I don’t have much news for you this morning, other than it’s cooler, and it rained all last night:
Oh! Now that I think about it, I know what we can do!
Let’s watch a video of the cats having breakfast:
Good eating! 😺