FRANCIS'S BLOG 04/18/2026
Chilly, cloudy exit to November 🐎
We’re getting more hay to make up for the dwindling grass:
Betty and Onslow are having their morning tussle:
Hansel is checking out the hen house:
A little later, Pumpkin’s trying to decide whether it’s worth coming out. . .
Or going back to bed! 😾
Strange phenomenon! 🙀
Schroeder is having a lick with his bright pink tongue:
Pumpkin’s tongue is not so pink:
Betty is on the “balance beam” in the hay barn:
And Rose and I have the front pasture all to ourselves:
Oh! Look at this strange pattern of bubbles on our water: 
What made it? 🙀
Well, if you look carefully, you can see that the bubbles are right above the heater at the bottom of the tank:
Isn’t that interesting? My donkey brain will have to work very hard to figure out why the heating element would make bubbles like this on the surface. Hmm. . . 🐴
We’re moody today 🐎
Who’s way out by themselves in the front pasture?
It’s Stormy. Come in for breakfast, darn it!
Iris beat me to the hay this morning.
Onslow’s doing some climbing.
I don’t mind sharing, Iris. . .
. . .so long as you back up a little when you have to snort. 🐎
If you watch this video, you’ll see what I mean:
🐎
Stay away litter bugs! 😾
Evil Cat, Schrödinger and Finn practice social distancing at breakfast:
I’m getting in a scratch before I head out:
Jewel says Hello:
And so does Iris (between chews):
Now what’s that metal thing to the lower left of our hay?
Oh-no, it’s a pop-top ring! 🙀
That’s on its way to the garbage! Nobody wants that to end up in their stomach! 🐎
Let’s cheer up by watching the hens having mealworms and cracked corn (with Hansel joining them toward the end):
🐔
Sunshine for Thanksgiving 😺
What does Onslow see that surprises him?
Why, it’s those super-sized carrots in our Thanksgiving breakfast!
Yummy-yum!
Of course, I’ll need it broken up and fed to me piece by piece. 🐴
Oh, and what is Evil Cat having for Thanksgiving?
A mouse! 😺
Today’s wetter than yesterday 😾
You’re only having fun today if you’re a duck:
Baldy is staying in the garage:
Schroeder’s in the feed shed:
He has dirty looks for everyone—free of charge!
Betty and Evil Cat are keeping dry under the manure cart:
And we’re in the stable:
Like everyone, we’re looking forward to Thanksgiving:
We have ten pounds of carrots waiting for us! 🐴
It had to rain sometime. . . 🐎
After about a week of sun, a dreary day was overdue:
Onslow and Betty are doing their routine check of old boots for mice:
Time to come in out of the rain, Iris and Misty:
Chezzie needs a blow-dry, too:
We’ll all eat inside today. I myself am having the first grain I’ve had in a long time:
It’s the special low-calorie grain that Rose and Iris eat. 🐴
Frosty Monday 🐎
Onslow and Finn are waiting in the driveway for breakfast. They’re trying to hurry up “the bringing in of the trash can”—a Monday morning tradition:
Here’s a picture of Onslow basking in the sun. He looks happy, doesn’t he?
Speaking of happy, here I am, tucking into the hay:
Oh, and Misty says Hello. Here she is, waiting patiently to be let in her stall. She’s usually very good at going into her stall for meals:
Finally, the hens are checking out the brush pile. But where are the ducks? They usually nestle down and spend the day there.
It appears the ducks now favor the junk pile by the feed shed (the arrows point out the ducks inside):
It’s fine to get in there, ducks; as long as you can get out:
Wires are less forgiving than branches. 😾
Odiferous (or odoriferous) morning 😾
The cats don’t have much of an appetite this morning, because there’s a strong smell of skunk:
Don’t worry, Schroeder, we’ll move the food outside (He looks like he has lips, doesn’t he? But that’s just his tongue and gums 😺):
And what am I reaching for?
Why, a carrot!
Of course! 🐴
Sunny Saturday 😺
I’m ready to eat, but Iris, Misty, and Stormy are taking their time (don’t trip over the ball, Misty):
Now that these three are in their stalls, I’m free to sneak out the gate:
Sometimes I think about walking over to say hello to the cats, but they never look up from their food:
The funny thing about me is, I like being outside the fence while the gate is open, but as soon as it’s closed behind me, I feel locked out, and worry that I’ll never be allowed back with the herd:
There’s safety in numbers! 🐎
Anyway, let’s watch 60 seconds of me munching on grass this morning:
🐴
No news is good news 😺
Not much going on today. Betty caught a mouse:
And I snuck out of the gate:
That’s about it (other than it’s nice and warm). 🐴
Hay and eggs! 😺
It’s going to be warmer today, but windy. So Jewel and I are having hay inside:
Poor Chezzie has a cut over his eye. Don’t worry, we’ll put some medicine on it:
Onslow and Schroeder are enjoying some eggs:
Uh-oh, look who’s coming:
Sometimes Baldy will share, and sometimes he won’t:
Let’s watch him share with Betty (after he ran off Onslow and Schrödinger):
The wail you hear at about the 10 second mark is me!—hee-hawing for breakfast. 🐴
Beautiful afternoon 🐎
Let’s not bemoan that it’s chilly and windy this morning. Let's look forward to a beautiful afternoon in the far pasture, like the one we had yesterday!
Don’t I look like I’m having a good time?
Jewel and Onslow certainly are:
So is Rose. . .
And so are Misty and Stormy:
Iris has gone from singing. . .
To yodeling!
It’s so nice, RC and Chezzie are having a snooze!
Let’s sneak up on them, without waking them, and see if we can hear them “sawing wood:”
😺
Egg-cellent day! 🥚
Betty is hiding in her “duck blind:” 
When they leave, she can have the morning egg. . .
Provided Baldy doesn’t come along 😾:
Stormy once again demonstrates why we sometimes have poopies in our feed bins:
I think we’ll have our hay on the ground today:
🐴
Lovely morning, with no wind! 😺
Pumpkin is enjoying her breakfast in the sun:
Phoenix and Sophie are playing in the yard:
The horses weren’t hanging around the stable waiting to be fed, they were out enjoying the morning, too:
Later, here I am “asking” Jewel to give me my space:
I am always ready to share, but there’s a lot more hay in other places:
Finally, the ducks didn’t mind that there was a little ice on their pools:
They’re just happy that today there is no roaring wind.
Here’s a video from yesterday, showing the poor ducks just trying to stay on their feet:
😾
Where were you, Schroeder? 😾
Last night there was a nasty storm, and this morning there are 50 mph winds.
So we’re eating hay inside:
Oh, and Schrödinger decided to join Zelda and Pumpkin for breakfast:
We haven’t seen you in two days, Schroeder. You gave us quite a fright! 🙀
Movie time! 🐴
Let’s watch the horses come in for dinner, yesterday afternoon:
This morning, as usual, the ducks are having their mealworms:
The hens are having cat food:
And I’m having a scratch:
🐴
It’s ice-breaking time 😾
It was only 25℉ this morning. I’m glad I’m getting fluffier every day:
Finn has found a spot in the sun and out of the way:
Jewel’s watching Ann pull out the tractor. Someone’s coming soon to fix the exhaust system:
Now she’s checking out a bucket for food:
Don’t worry if it’s empty, Jewel.
We’ve got loads of extra hay because of the cold. 🐴
Stormy, Iris and Chezzie check out a flying piece of stable 🐴
Guess who snuck out of the gate?
Evil Cat and Percy are taking in the sun:
Onslow has just taste-tested the salt lick, and decided it’s not for cats:
Schroeder has a drink:
And Jewel is keeping an eye on the farmers, hard at work on the fall harvest:
As you remember, last Tuesday night, the storm blew off a piece of the stable. The security camera caught Stormy, then Iris, and then Chavez, sniff and tramp that poor piece of fiberglass:
🐴
We have a new window 🐴
Betty says Good morning:
Pumpkin is helping herself to some chicken water:
Oh—and, hey! Rose! How’s the view?
Apparently this piece of fiberglass fell off last night, which is kind of odd. . .
It hadn’t fallen down during the nasty storm that blew through yesterday afternoon, leaving us very wet. . .
The storm must have somehow weakened it, and it fell down overnight. Anyway, it has temporarily left a window:
Don’t worry—it will be fixed soon.
But for the time being, we’re enjoying the view! 🐴
Rain clouds are all around us 🐎
Good morning!
It’s warm, humid and breezy—just like summer when a heatwave is about to break. 
Hey, Schroeder, do you think we’ll finally get some rain?
It looks like Schrödinger is not in the mood for idle chat. 😾
There’s a change in the weather 🐴
It’s windy this morning, and that tells us cooler and rainier weather is coming; but, after a week of sun and warmth, we can’t complain. So I’m feeling great:
In fact, how about a kiss?
No kiss? Oh well—I guess, then, I’ll start on the hay with Jewel:
Other than that, Onslow is having his duck egg:
Finn is starting to think that from the ceiling of the stable is too far a jump:
And Hansel and Baldy and chattering around the coop:
They are reminding us to let out the hens. 🐔
Get well, Jewel 🐎
Betty is nice and cozy in the leaves:
Evil Cat has a blade of grass in this tail:
Hansel and Betty are out with the girls:
I’m having a carrot (of course):
And Finn is about to take Chezzie for a spin!
Finally, what’s going on with Jewel? Well, she has a swelling in her hock. A “hock” is the joint in her leg that points backward (see the red circle):
Why did she get hurt? Because she likes to kick the walls of her stall whenever someone’s next to her, like Iris:
You have to learn to tolerate company, Jewel:
But for the time being, you’re out here getting your injury soothed with cold water, and you’ll get medicine until your leg is healed. Horses are high-maintenance! 🐴
Let’s walk around the paddock 🐴
I don’t have too much to tell you, other than it’s another warm and wonderful day:
How about we do this?
Let’s have a “roll call” on this beautiful day. Everyone’s out enjoying their breakfast hay! 🐴
Warm Friday! 😺
Let’s look at some pictures from yesterday afternoon. Here, Jewel takes a lazy drink:
Speaking of lazy, Betty, Onslow and Schroeder lounge in the setting sun:
And later, when all the cat-cops are gone, here’s Pumpkin, under the watchful eye of the security camera, enjoying the peaceful twilight:
As for this morning, it’s another day of wonderful weather. Zelda says Hello:
And so do Hansel and the girls:
We’re all looking forward to another sunny day in the 70’s:
If we could only be this lucky all winter! 🐴
Another warm day! 😺
Betty caught yet another bird:
Evil Cat is joined by his breakfast-pal, Baldy:
And why am I not eating? It’s almost 9 o’clock, and I’m not eating:
Oh, I now see why. . .
It’s such a gorgeous day, that Chezzie, Iris, Stormy and Misty are taking their sweet time coming in! 🐎
Farrier day 🐎
Betty has a bird:
She’s about to put it down, to admire her catch, at which point it will fly away (they always do):
Our friend Travis is trimming our hooves today:
Chavez (top) and Iris are good at being still, and not fidgeting while Travis works. It can take about 20-30 minutes per horse for a complete “pedicure.”
Finally, let’s watch Evil Cat and Baldy share breakfast:
Everybody’s favorite flavor is chicken. 🐓
60 degree morning 😺
It’s warming up nicely this morning!
It’s a great day for a bath:
Whether it’s a water bath. . .
Or a dust bath! 🐔
Sunny Monday 🐴
It’s a good day to stand in the sun:
Or just crunch some cat food:
Oh no! Another mouse drowned in the duck water:
You must be careful around water and ice!
Don’t be like this poor mouse! 🐭
Let’s cheer up by watching the hens:
🐔
November first is windy 🐔
I’m eating hay inside because the wind is roaring:
Later on, we discussed how nice it was for Mary and Mara to top off our breakfast with apples, for All Saint’s Day:
It’s cold today, but we know colder weather is coming, so the hens’ house is now in the garage:
Finn and Pumpkin are wondering, What’s in the box?
Let’s see. . .
Nobody here but us chickens! 🐔