FRANCIS'S BLOG 10/06/2025
Let’s end 2023 with some Kitty Capers! 😺
Yesterday afternoon, Buttons found a nice place to sit and digest her dinner:
Sorry, Buttons, but tomorrow morning (today!) Ann and our friend, Jake, are putting it in the hay barn. It’s a nice coop we got from Bill and Sierra, but the snow this winter will destroy it where it is now:
You’re welcome to sit in it, in the barn:
And here’s Onslow, sneaking in the house:
Sorry, Onslow, you know the cat-cops won’t let you stay:
There are plenty of hideaways in the garage or hay barn that can be just as warm as the mud room. 😺
Let’s watch some movies! 🐴
Sophie, Nixie and Calla are ready for a weekend of fun:
Here I am being “escorted” out of RC’s stall:
Stormy is crunching his breakfast carrots:
Misty has her grain mixed with water so it goes down easier. She’s well in her 30’s, and has had problems with choking:
Onslow is having a drink:
And Ferdinand is performing his morning ablutions:
Ferdinand says, “Clean feathers make for healthy ducks! 🦆
Oh no! Mud and snow! 😾
Oh dear, overnight we had slushy snow:
Look at this mud! I’m going back inside:
Anyway, Iris says, “Good morning! I’m glad I spent the night in the stable.”
Rose says, “Good morning to you, too!”
“Last night, Iris and I slept quite comfortably on wood chips:”
You’ll notice that 3 of Jewel’s feet are off the ground:
Everybody that was cooped up overnight got some time to frolic in the riding arena:
It’s always sunny and dry in there! 🐎
Eggs—tra—ordinary! 🥚
All the kitties are present for breakfast:
Good morning. It’s beginning to snow:
Finally, what on earth is this? Ugh!
As you’ve probably guessed, it’s an egg that didn’t develop just right:
Don’t worry, it’s something that can happen, now and then, to any chicken! 🐔
Jewel, what big ears you have! 🐎
Good morning! Goodness, to think that all of those poopies come out of us in just one night:
Red has a slight limp this morning. Red, if you wouldn’t keep running away, the cat-cops would be happy to look at that paw for you:
Chezzie says, “Thank you for my morning carrot.”
Wow, Jewel, you ears look almost as big as mine:
Oh, it’s just an effect of the wide-angle lens:
A wide-angle is used to squeeze us both in the picture! 🐴
Happy goldfish! 🐟
Misty, Stormy, RC, and Chavez say “Good morning! Happy day after Christmas!”
All this rain has left our water crystal-clear:
Cooler temperatures are coming, but for now, the warm weather is bringing up grass and other plants:
Christmas may be over, but carrots make every day a holiday:
Finally, Security Deputy Betty is making sure this camera has the proper view of the driveway:
The Department of Horsefarm Security never sleeps! 🐎
Onslow likes his Christmas present 😺
Good morning! Muddy—I mean Merry—Christmas! We’re all inside:
Iris and Rose are with us, too:
The Christmas cactus is blooming, right on time!
And Onslow got a new garden hose for Christmas!
He loves it! 😺
Muddy Christmas Eve Morning 🐴
Good morning! Even though it’s muddy, the temerature is in the 50’s, and there are a few dry spots for some hay (the rest is inside the stable):
Oh, Stormy! You keep getting brushed, and you keep rolling in the mud:
You’re lucky it’s not too cold—we need our hair clean and dry for the most warmth. 🐎
We’re getting mud for Christmas 🙀
Don’t give the cat-cops such a “look,” Red. You have known for a long time that you’re welcome, and they’d love to be able to pet you (they would also like to take you to the vet, but let’s not tell him that):
As we expected, it rained all day yesterday, so Iris and Rose spent the night—nice and cozy—with the rest of us:
And finally, it was very foggy this morning, so. . .
. . .we have “chickens in the mist!”
Jewel and I will stay inside today, thank you. 🐴
Little kitties 😺
Good morning! Somebody (Stormy) needs a good brushing:
Speaking of mud, it’s supposed to rain all day. Don’t worry, Rose and Iris, if it does rain, you’ll be brought up to the stable:
Of course, it’s always cozy and dry under the hay barn. . .
But you guys always love going out in the rain—whether it’s good for you or not! 🐎
Finally, this stray tabby comes to Ann’s porch with her fluffy babies. Here she is looking in the window, with one of her kittens on the settee:
Now let’s see her other two. As you will see, they are quite skittish:
We hope they will become friendlier each day, so they can go to the vet, and get all the things they need to be healthy and safe! 😺
Leave pigeon food to the pigeons 🐔
The kitties are all present for breakfast:
Good morning! I’m about to have one of several carrots!
And the other day, Ann saw pigeon food at the store, and thought the chickens might enjoy it. Well, they didn’t. They especially don’t like those brown, hard “peas” (we think they’re millet):
So, she tried boiling it up into “pigeon food pudding:”
They seem to like it a little better:
But we don’t think we’ll buy anymore. 🐔
Happy Duck Bath Time! 🦆
About two thousand blackbirds say, “Good morning! We’d love to hang around, but we’re on our way south!”
Let’s listen to them chatter:
Martha says, “So many of us are molting, I’m glad the temperature will be mild for the next week. . .”
“We hope our feathers grow in before it really gets cold.”
Finally, let’s watch Paschal enjoy a bath:
A clean duck is a happy duck! 🦆
Paw prints! 😺
It looks like Onslow’s been “skating!”
Good morning!
We’re feeling good today, even though it’s nippy:
Ann gave us a brushing. When we’re brushed, our hair fluffs up and makes us warmer. 🐎
The chickens were nestled, all snug on their roosts! 🐔
Here are the big chickens from last night—everyone, all nice and cozy, up on the roosts:
Iris says, “Good morning! It’s windy and only in the 20’s—I’ll wait until I see my breakfast in the bins, before I go out:
One good thing about the cold, as you know, is that it freezes all the recent mud:
Our hooves will be less messy, although it will be a little rockier walking around. 🐴
Onslow is in the “house!” 🐔
Good morning! It’s not too cold, but dreary and muddy from all the rain yesterday. Let’s cheer up with my Christmas picture:
Whatcha lookin’ at girls?
Oh, Onslow is visiting:
He likes to balance himself on your perches:
I guess that makes him a “roost-er!” 🐓
Rain, all night long 🐴
Chavez says, “Good morning! It’s dark and drizzling, but it’s in the mid-40’s:
Dukie is visiting us:
She says, “Good morning!” too. 🐴
Movie time on a slow news day 😺
It’s a very nice day. The chickens are “taste testing” some new crumble:
We are eating our hay. Oh, I forgot—Good morning!
And Schroeder is taking a swing at the chickens:
The cats will share, chickies, but let them eat first. After all, it’s their breakfast! 🐴
Share and share alike 🐔
Iris and Jewel say, “Good morning! There may be frost here and there—but we’re looking forward to another afternoon in the 50’s!
We’re all enjoying the sun and lack of wind:
Hey, horsies!—you’re blocking my view!
Anyway, the chickens don’t mind helping themselves to duck food:
But they only eat a bit:
If the ducks could fly into the chicken yard, the chickens would gladly share their breakfast back; they know that when “catering” serves meals, sometimes the ducks get chicken food, and sometimes the chickens get duck food.
Let’s watch them in action:
We all take care of each other on the farm! 🐴
It’s never too cold for a dust bath 🐔
Something has my attention in the field across the road:
I’ve requested breakfast outside, so I can keep an eye on it:
Finally, the cat-cops have been trying to find a place for our Bill and Sierra’s old chicken coop. Until then, Martha has decided it’s a good place for a dust bath:
Let’s watch her in this video:
Whether you’re a chicken or a horse or a donkey, rolling in the dust feels great! 🐴
I’ve got a Christmas picture for you! 🐴
Good morning! It’s chilly and crisp, and just below freezing:
It looks like, on cold mornings, “The Fluffy Butt Hut” is the place to be:
I’m sorry, but if they don’t serve carrots, I’m happy where I am:
Oh!—just look at this too-cute Christmas picture Ann made on her computer! Isn’t it amazing? See the snow and the tree and the penguin? 
It’s all magically inside the stable! 🐴
Cat on a Cold Tin Roof 😺
There’s sparkling frost everywhere:
Betty says, “Good morning! It’s a good day to stay in the sun.”
I’ll be in the shade just long enough to sneak some grass:
Onslow is having some fresh duck water (his was frozen):
And Buttons was treated to breakfast in the barn. She was slow to wake up, and the cats were having hot salmon! The cat-cops didn’t want it to get cold:
Now that’s service! 😺
Someone new to see you! 🐴
Here’s a pretty woodpecker, saying, “Good morning to you from Bettendorf!”
But back here in Geneseo, most of our birds are staying in their coop:
And Jewel and I are eating hay from a net. It’s supposed to slow down our eating:
It’s always good to eat slowly. 🐎
A Christmas Video for you! 🐎
Good morning! Excuse me, I can’t seem to stop yawning:
It rained all last night. Misty, RC and Chezzie are assessing how much new mud we have:
Finally, the horses have made a video Christmas card, just for you!
“Prancers” and “Dancers” in the snow! 🐴
Lots of news today 😺
Chavez may look grumpy, but he’s really not, and says, “Good morning! Nice to see you!”
Another warm day is on the way!
Iris says, “We’re celebrating with carrots!”
And Onslow is keeping our hay warm for us!
Come on down, Red! You know better than to be shy:
That’s better, but no need for that wary look. We’re all your friends—you have been here long enough to know that:
Finally, if you look closely, you can see three chicks by the little coop:
I wonder, do they ever go in the coop?
Well!—that answers my question! 🐴
A clean kitty is a happy cat! 😺
Good morning! It’s going to be a nice day! The mud is still with us, so we’ll have at least our breakfast hay inside:
Speaking of hay, please go someplace else to lay your egg, Jane:
And Betty is cleaning up after breakfast:
That’s a cozy spot, Betty, on a top shelf in the feed shed. 😺
Let’s watch her in action. I know it’s not that exciting. . .
But I find it peaceful, and therefore relaxing. I hope you do, too! 🐴
Fowl deeds 🦆
Good morning.
One of the ducks lost a very lovely feather:
The chickens have been dust-bathing, under the manure spreader where the dirt is dry:
And these chickens are having apples:
Only a few are left on the tree. 😿
Cat roll call! 😺
Good morning! Sorry, not much news. But Betty, Schroeder, Onslow, Red and Buttons are all present and accounted for!
As you call, we had a picture of Jane on the manure cart. Well, let’s watch her in action!
And here’s a video of the chickens having a peaceful breakfast:
I find it soothing. 🐴
Muddy Monday, and Jane climbs a mountain! 🐔
Oh my! We wish it were a little colder, just enough to freeze this mud:
Good morning. I think I’ll spend the day inside:
And Jane (I think it’s Jane) is at the top of the manure cart!
She surmounted the manure mountain! 🐔
Another night of rain and snow 😾
Good morning. Oh my, another night of very wet snow. At least it’s above freezing, barely:
It looks like the chickens are out already:
Oh, Iris and Rose! Why are you outside? You should be under the hay barn!
Well, you’ll both spend the day in the stable, and get dry:
Just like yesterday. 🐎
I’m so sorry I missed you! 🐴
Good morning. Yesterday it was very muddy and rainy, but it didn’t stop our friend Travis from doing our hooves. While we were waiting our turns, I helped Chavez finish his breakfast:
Then I helped RC finish his breakfast:
I’m a very civic-minded donkey. Anyway, remember on Thursday, we saw Martha checking out a bucket? She was looking for places to lay an egg. Well, she must have been talking to Frizzle:
Frizzle agrees it’s a good place to lay an egg:
I mentioned how nasty it was yesterday, so Iris and Rose spent last night up with us:
We were all nice and cozy. 🐴