FRANCIS'S BLOG 04/22/2026
Deep snow, and a video 🐎
The snow may be a foot deep, and I may have cats on my back, but seeing you makes me smile!
Honestly, Patches and Smudge, you two should be on those heating pads—they’re set at 130℉, and I’m not nearly that warm!
But you all know the primary reason they hop on my back is so the cat-cops will feed them Goo-Tubes. 😺
Now, of course, I know you’ve seen videos of me with cats on my back, et cetera, but it shows you the snow we’re dealing with:
We’ll have our hay inside, please. 🐴
Our first snow is a WINTER STORM! 🙀 (and a borzoi video!)
Marbles sees his first snow!
In fact, it’s also a first snow for Tux, Mini, Patches, Juno, Schroeder, Luna, Dot, Nikita, and Smudge. I don’t think I missed anybody. We had a lot of kittens born this summer:
On the bright side, we got a fresh batch of peppermint hearts:
It’s the cat-cops’ way of saying they love us ❤️!
It’s even snowier in Mason City for our Mary and Sophie and Anya:
It’s Anya’s first snow, too! 🐴
No Thanksgiving leftovers today! (and a turken video) 🐴
“Good morning! If you were here, I would kiss you!”
Thanks for doing the honors, Rose. Now, would someone please give Dot and Patches their Goo-Tubes, so they’ll get off my back?
“Let’s appreciate the sun today, RC, it’s supposed to snow all weekend. Wake up!”
“I’m up, Stormy, it’s just the sun in my eyes.”
Finally, we were hoping Tom would give you a good-morning, cock-a-doodle-doo:
We had the camera rolling, and he was ready to go—but suddenly he got stage fright! What happened, Tom Turken?
“I’m sorry, I became self-conscious because, of all the people on the farm, “I’m the one who looks the most like a turkey! Let Thanksgiving pass for a few days, and then I’ll be over it.”
We have no turkeys on the farm 🦃!
Happy Thanksgiving! I’m sorry, we don’t have anything new for you, but here’s a link to our very first Thanksgiving post, way back in 2013. Click on the turkey 🦃!
Nasty wind, our latest YouTube, and a chicken video) 🐴
Good morning. With all this nasty wind, we’re having hay inside:
Betty and Onslow are sleeping off breakfast on the big heating pad, and Marbles and Tux are on the little one (and there’s a chicken looking for leftovers):
“We’re staying inside, too. That wind will blow our feathers off!”
Yesterday was downright balmy compared to today. Here the chickens were, enjoying a “pumpkin buffet!”
Finally, here’s our lastest YouTube, in case you missed it:
What I put up with. . .but it’s all for you! ❤️
Be cautious, cat 🙀!
Good morning! Would I like a peppermint heart?
Why, of course! Thank you! (You can keep the cat, if you’d like):
Stormy gets his “love. . .”
And so does Rose! (Watch out for the hooves, Dot):
RC, however, seems more interested in my crumbs:
Go figure. 🐴
We serve a guilt-free breakfast 😺!
Rose and I say “Good morning!” from the front pasture:
The chickens are stopping for a dustbath under the manure cart, before heading to the stable:
Once in the stable, some people get possessed to lay their eggs behind the feed cabinet. I guess the coops are just for sleeping:
And don’t look like you’ve been caught stealing, Not-Dad.
The cat-cops will let you eat all you want, especially if you let them pet you! 😺
Kitty Capers 😺 and Duck Doings (video) 🦆!
Good morning! Oh, Nikita! The cat-cops are making breakfast as fast as they can! Save the mealworms for the ducks!
I’m surprised at you, too, Dot! Poor ducks!
Anyway, here’s Betty, taking advantage of the gigantic new pet pad. I'll bet all the cats can crowd on it this winter:
Just last night, the existing pad was put by it, so the security camera sees both:
Betty appears to like it better. I wonder if the big one was too hot or too cold?
Finally, the ducks are enjoying all nice clear water, just poured this morning:
Danny Fairbrass is always first in the tub! 🦆
HORSE CRIME! (video proof) 🐎
Good morning! Looks like “management” is letting the front pasture recover (from our munching) today. No big deal, we’ll just head out to the far pasture:
Here we are a little later, close to Farmer Rich’s fence:
Uh-oh, a little TOO CLOSE!
Rose! That’s trespassing!
All good citizens of Ann’s Horse Farm respect boundaries!
That may be our fence, Rose, but that’s not our grass! 🐴
Let’s celebrate Friday with a cat-less video of lovely me! 🐴
“Good morning! It’s not really very cold—I’m just practicing my one-legged stand. . .”
“Don’t worry, the other leg will get equal time.” 🦆
“Smart move, Basil. Thanks for greeting all our friends!”
“Francis is being a very catty this morning.”
Oh, HA-HA, Stormy! You’re just jealous because I’m the only one that can walk out of the gate whenever it’s open. 🐴
Speaking of that, here I am last night, under cover of darkness!
(The gate was open because Ann was delivering food. ❤️)
Last stop before the far pasture! (video)🐴
“I’m so happy I finally get to say, ‘Good morning!’ to you. Until I get an official name (which can take forever around here), call me ‘Not-Dad.’”
Thanks, Not-Dad. The cat-cops tell me your breakfast is about ready, and they’re also glad you get less shy every day. I’d say there is plenty of food to go around!
We’ve had breakfast and are already out in the far pasture. What do you know?—there are no cats on my back!
Patches has the sense to jump off now, but Dot still wants to think about it:
We might be out there all day, Dot. 🐴
Another morning with “Klingons” on my back 🐴
Good morning! Please put up with me. I know you’re bored with cats on my back:
A little earlier, Schroeder and Patches were supervising the duck water:
Patrick is “air drying” his wings:
“The water’s still pretty clean, Danny Fairbrass. Hop in!” 🦆
Muddy horses (video)! 🐎
Good morning! It rained most of last night. Since it wasn’t too cold, I was out in most of it (you can probably tell by the hair on my forehead):
Anyway, as you imagine, I’ve picked up a cat (Patches, to be specific. I must admit, it’s a nice photo):
I’m so annoyed with the cat-cops, because every cat who hops on my back gets rewarded with a Goo-Tube. Here’s Luna with a box of the infernal things now:
“Good morning, everyone. I demand my right to a Goo-Tube without weighing down poor Francis!” 😺
Thanks, Francis. Here’s a quickie video of a muddy Stormy, RC and Rose, kicking up their heels:
It’s very short, but management only got to them just as they were finishing their “show.” 🐎
Business as usual (and a Betty video) 😺
Good morning!
Let’s start off with pictures our Mary sent us from Mason City, of Sophie and Anya having a walk in the park:
The park has a stream!
Of course, you know how things have been going lately: It’s only a matter of time before these cats are off the ground and on my back.
What did I tell you?
Why are you eating mealworms, Betty?
“Cats eat meat, Francis—whether it’s beef, fish, or worm!” 😺
65℉ yesterday 😺, but 35℉ today 😾 (and a Stormy video 🐎)!
Good morning! I’ve picked up Patches, and Luna’s on the way:
Dot’s checking out the sparrows. Their old nests fall everywhere:
I’ll put in a “work order” to have the cat-cops change the water, Dot. 🐴
Finally, look at those lips and tongue fly!
Stormy cleans up leftovers quickly and efficiently. 🐎
Mystery kitty. 😺
Good morning! It’s cloudy and a little breezy, but 65! We’ll take it!
This warm weather has to have awaken some bugs; so, get out of the stable and start hunting, chickens:
And once again we have a visit from a cat that looks exactly like Dad. Remember our post about it on Oct 24 (click here)?
I’ve come to the conclusion that this is a different kitty, and not Dad:
Don’t you agree? 🐴
Goo-Tubes are to blame (and a video)! 😺
Good morning! I’m heading down to join Stormy, Rose and RC:
I’ve already had a heart (with Luna using me as shade):
You may have seen me recently with a bunch of cats on my back. It’s the cat-cops new way of amusing themselves:
They lure them up there with Goo-Tubes, which explains why they’re always licking their lips.
Oh, and here’s a video of kitties eating, very noisily:
It’s crunch time, people! 😺
Open house! 😺 (and a video 🐦)
Good morning! I advised Assistant Security Chief Betty that the cat-cops have kept us waiting entirely too long for breakfast:
“Please put down that cell phone, come out of the car, and feed us.”
Anyway, after breakfast, the cats were treated to a tack room “open house:”
And this video is another sign of the season...
A sky full of migrating black birds! 🐴
Aurora borealis! Amazing pictures! 🐴
Good morning!
It seemed like we were in for a normal night. Here we are at sunset taking on a delivery of food:
But just a few hours later. . !
Oh my hooves!—did we get a show!
Our Mary saw them in Mason City, too, and sent us this picture:
The red plume soared over our heads!
Northern lights, as they’re also known, are caused by magnetic storms that have been triggered by solar activity. I’m not sure I understand it, either—I just know it was exhilarating! 🐴
Getting ready for chilly weather (and a video 😺)!
Good morning! It’s only 29℉, but seeing you warms me right up!
But it’s quite windy, so we’re having our hay inside:
You know the cats have had this little heating pad. . .
Well, now that the cat population is SIXTEEN 🙀, we got another one!
It’s super-sized! Hopefully, as it gets colder, it will have more customers than cute little Puff!
Of course, no one’s on them right now...
Because everybody's eating! 😺
Just me 🐴, and a couple of cats 😺, and a video!
Good morning! Tiger has no idea who tore up the instructions to the laser pointers and dunked it in the water dish (that’s his story and he’s sticking to it):
Other than that, it’s another day of me with cats on my back (that’s Smudge with the tongue):
Apparently the cat-cops think it’s cute.
Smudge mercifully hopped off, but Dot decided she liked the view:
She did hop off when I went to the far pasture. 🐴
Snow, cats, and a wonderful new book, starring ME (free download today)! 🐴
Good morning! We picked up a slight accumulation of snow!
And I picked up a heavy accumulation of cats:
The cat-cops got the bright idea to feed them those newfangled goo-tube treats after they’ve jumped up on me:
That’s why Patches is licking his lips. 😺
And as promised, here’s a beautiful new book about yours truly, and my mythical adventures in Donkeyton, England:
Here’s the back cover, summarizing my colorful tale:
And here’s a picture of the real me, right in the book, so everyone knows I’m the star!
Click on the link HERE to check it our on Amazon. For today your can download it to Kindle for free, but of course it’s available as a real live book! 🐴
Dreary day 😾, but seeing you brings out the sun! 😺
Let’s start off with a “Hello!” from Mason City!
Sophie wanted to show you her new tag:
“I got one, too!”
Good morning! We’re all already way out in the far pasture:
How did you get out here, Dukie?
“Give her a sniff, Francis, to make sure it’s really our Dukie.”
Oh, it’s Dukie, Rose. Ann is the one taking the pictures. 🐴
New Duck Dormitory 🦆 (and a video, starring ME 🐴)!
Good morning! Apparently I’m a great place for cats to clean up after breakfast:
Here’s the video (more afterwards):
Our friend, Devon, worked all day yesterday to clean all of the feathers and droppings out of the garage:
Now, you could actually park a car in there! Anyway, the ducks are happy and secure, each “gang” in the their own compartment:
Oh, and Rose is sniffing Dukie:
“Yep, that’s Dukie alright.” 🐎
It’s official: Puff 😺 (and a video)
Good morning! It’s barely 10:30 and we’ve already been out to the far pasture:
We checked out the creek. With so little rainfall recently, it’s been pretty low:
We’re not happy to see winter coming, but for now we’ll relax and enjoy the color:
And the cat-cops have finally given Gray-baby his official name: Puff 😺
So here’s a video of Tux, Marbles and Puff!
Battling babies! 😺
Donkey kisses for Dukie! 🐴
Marbles and Gray-baby say, “Good morning! Tux is still asleep, or else he would be greeting you, too!” 
“We took our first trip to the vet, got our shots, and found out that we’re all boys.”
Well, hi there, Dukie!
How about a kiss?
Everybody loves you, Dukie.
Especially me! ❤️
Lip-smacking good (video)! 🐴
Good morning! A peppermint ❤️ for me? You shouldn’t have! 
The cats have shiny clean bowls this morning, waiting for Kit-n-Kaboodle, topped with poultry paté:
Speaking of poultry, I don’t know why everyone’s roosting in the duck garage on such a brilliant autumn day. . .
Even the sparrows:
Anyway, here’s a video of RC and me:
Who do you think is the loudest lip-smacker? 🐎
Hot time at the farm (and a duck video)! 🦆
“Good morning! Is breakfast ready yet?”
Oh, Tyrus! You lazy indoor cats! Anyway, ‘Good morning!’ to you and all our friends. Once again, I slipped under the fence to get to the front pasture, and forgot how to “slip” back:
One of our Eurasian collared dove friends is visiting:
And we are burning some fall rubbish:
Notice the big pile of lettuce? I don’t know why the chickens won’t eat it (it looks good to me). 🐴
Finally, here’s Ferdinand and Paschal having breakfast, then moseying over to the tub for a bath:
Did you notice the sparrows swooping in to get the leftovers? 🐦
Playful Puppies, Vocal Rooster Video, and Latest YouTube! 🐴
Good morning! Just an hour earlier, the fog was a super-duper, pea-souper! But now, the sun’s about to shine:
Nixie and Anya have the zoomies in the backyard:
And Dukie is waiting patiently for Ann to take her walking in the far pasture:
Tom slows down just enough to crow Good morning:
Finally, here’s our latest YouTube, in case you missed it:
Did Gray-Baby just “bark”? 🙀
Dog days at the farm! 🐴
Good morning! I see you! We are way, way out in the far pasture—right up against Farmer Rich’s corn!
Mary and Mara are visiting, so the backyard of the farmhouse is full of doggies! ❤️
But where was Dukie?
She and Ann were walking in another of Farmer Rich’s fields, where the corn is already harvested! 🐎