FRANCIS'S BLOG 10/22/2026
Let’s go to the Capital of Scotland 🐴
Good morning!
On my first two days in Scotland, before I hit the Highlands, I clip-clopped up and down Edinburgh’s Royal Mile. It was lined with colorful shops. . .
And an occasional person in kilts:
There was also the spooky cemetery at Greyfriars Kirk (church):
Less spooky was the statue of Greyfriars Bobby. Everyone wanted to rub his nose. He was a faithful dog who guarded his master’s grave for 14 years:
At one end of the Royal Mile is Edinburgh Castle. . .
And at the other end is the Scottish Parliament building. . .
And just next door, Holyrood Palace:
Here I am in Mary, Queen of Scots’ bedroom:
I better not make a poopie in here! 🐴
Stormy’s lightning-fast tongue (video) 🐎
Good morning! Not a cloud in the sky, because you’re here!
Even Eva is here, and we haven’t seen her in 2 days. It’s not like you to worry the cat-cops, Eva:
I’m afraid I’ve been teasing ‘catering.’ I’ve been flipping my bowl, just before they try to put food in it (and then I cry about not being fed):
Speaking of food, Charlie is hogging Betty’s. And, to add insult to injury. . .
He’s on top of the heated cat tent—that’s Betty’s special place as a senior member of the farm! 😾
Anyway, let’s watch Stormy make short work of RC’s leftovers:
No pellet shall be left behind! 🐎
“I’ve got breakfast all to myself! (2 videos) 🐎”
“Good morning! I’ve about finished my breakfast and nobody else is in sight.”
“Oh, wait a minute. . .”
“Here come Stormy and RC (more after videos).”
“Come on, Francis. You’re upsetting the cat-cops. . .”
Don’t worry, RC. I guarantee the cat-cops will be happy!
Did you notice? There’s not a poopie this morning in the entire stable!
In fact, they’re so happy they don’t have to shovel anything. . .
We’re all getting an extra long brushing! ❤️
Let’s go back to the Fairy Glen! 🧚🏼♀️ (video)
Good morning! You make me smile!
Now, let’s return to the Fairy Glen, near the village of Portree, on the Isle of Skye, which is one of Scotland’s Inner Hebrides islands.
These conical hills were formed in prehistoric times by lava. The lava would gush up, each time cooling into successively smaller disks of stone:
Did you see me on the left? Let’s try illustrating how the lava cooled after each “spurt:”
When the ancient Scots saw these strange hills everywhere, they could only conclude that the fairies made them!
Makes perfect sense to me! 🧚🏼♂️
I do believe in fairies! 🧚🏼♂️🐴🧚🏼♀️
The prodigal Tux 😾
Good morning! I’ve certainly got the sun in my eyes today. It’s also quite chilly, about 35℉.
Two sparrows spent the night in the big chicken coop:
And where have you been, Tux? We haven’t seen your half-white nose in a whole week!
Oh, finally, here I am, back on the Isle of Skye, posing in front of where fairies are purported to live!
I’ll tell you more about this later, as I have to gather together my photos regarding this magical “Fairy Glen. ” 🧚🏼♀️🧚🏼♂️
Another COO video, and the colorful village of Portree 🐴
“Greg here, wishing you ‘Good morning!’ from the bathtub in the farm house!”
It looks cozy, Greg. I have Rose, RC and Stormy in charge of “lighting a fire under” the cat-cops to get us breakfast:
If you’ll notice, Stormy is stomping the ground:
Boy, do we need a “cleanup in aisle 2!”
Anyway, here I was, Sunday, Oct 11, scoping out some more of the Hiland’s hairy “cOOs!”
These hungry “gingers” were on the mainland near Loch Lomond:
They sure look like they eat well in Scotland. What a mountain of hay (more after video)!
When I was on the Isle of Skye, I stayed in the town on Portree:
Here it is on the map:
Goodness. . .
But those Scottish cat-cops like their bright colors, don’t they?
Very picturesque! 🐴
Fairy Pools of Skye (videos) 🐴
“Good morning! It’s a dreary morning, so I’m keeping cozy in here. Francis has some pretty waterfalls to show you.”
That’s right, Luna. Here I am at the famous Fairy Pools on the Isle of Skye:
It’s a mountain stream, creating misty waterfalls and crystal ponds. . .
One after the other. . .
If it wasn’t so chilly. . .
I’d have been tempted to dip my hooves:
Oh, by the way, we had to take a ferry boat to the island:
Very exciting! 🐴
Glad to be home with YOU ❤️ (video)
I loved my vacation, but I’m so happy to be back at the farm, I can’t stop smiling:
So, where did I go? The Scottish Hilands! Here I am, visiting with the Hilands’ most famous citizens—the Hiland Cows! (By the way, the Scots pronounce cow, “coo.”)
You won’t see cows like this in Geneseo.
I’m only beginning to sort out my hundreds of pictures and videos; but, let me start with Scotland’s finest:
What a lovely pair of redheads! 🐴
I’ll be back on Wednesday, October 14. 🐴
Good morning! I’ll be on vacation for about a week. I wish I were happier. . .
But I can’t stop thinking about how much I’ll miss YOU 😿. If I could only take my blog with me, but my “Hee-haw to text” feature won’t work on a laptop or iPad. I promise to share all my adventures when I return! ❤️
Sunday Potpourri!
First, let’s watch the hens beat it to the leftover Little Friskies (more after video)!
We’re all out in force to say Good morning to YOU! ❤️
Patches and Luna are playing “tree tag.” Patches is “it” and the tree is “base,” but you can only stay up there until Patches counts to 10!
So hit the ground running, Luna!
Finally, we’ve been trying to determine which one of the spring chickens has been the first to start laying:
It’s one of the Rhode Island reds!
Hopefully more of your “generation” will start laying, and your eggs will get bigger, little Red! 🐔
Let’s come to life with two videos! 🐴
Good morning! It was a little below 50 this morning, so (as our friends know), we’re standing sideways to soak up the sun!
The cats are sunbathing, too:
Stormy and Rose are already on their way to graze:
Now let’s watch Patrick and Aoife, then Severus and Sirius, come out of the duck garage, and then come Paschal and Ferdinand. You may know the ducks are separated this way because (1) they sometimes fight, and (2) only Paschal and Ferdie can be trusted not to cross the street (more after video)!
Finally, this second video is lovely me eating my pitifully tiny scoop of breakfast (more after video):
Please don’t think the cat-cops are starving me. I make up for it by eating Stormy’s leftovers. . .
And RC’s!
Yum! 🐴
Finally, no rain 😺
Good morning! Can you tell that my hair has received a lot of rinsing? It looks like I’m wearing a bustle:
“Your tanks have been completely refilled, Francis. I see the new baby goldfish I’ve heard about:”
“The hens and I really appreciated the stable during the rain—it was the only place where the dustbaths weren’t mud baths:”
I know kind of what you mean, Tom. The stable floor was the only place where we could knock the mud off our hooves. I think even the ducks were getting tired of it:
“Not really, Francis.” 🦆
No monkey shines 🙊, just donkey shines 🐴! (and a cat video 😺)
Good morning! It’s pouring. I’m reporting from Stormy’s stall:
It’s what happens when Management neglects to drop the lock in:
“Permit me to ‘escort’ you out, Francis:”
That’s alright, Stormy, I can find my own way:
Anyway, here’s one cat plus one raincoat:
It adds up to mischief:
Don’t worry, Luna, that cat-cop was not about to let you pull that wet raincoat onto that dusty ground. 🐴