FRANCIS'S BLOG 04/11/2026
A cool, sunny Sunday 🐴
We have little white flowers by the hay barn:
I have a rooster pecking at my tail:
Misty’s sticking her head out to say Hello:
After breakfast, it’s a little slow getting out to the pasture:
I’m behind a Stormy-Henry traffic jam. 🐎
Dog doings 😺
These peonies remind us of roses:
Pumpkin is doing some sun bathing in the paddock:
I’m keeping an eye on Sophie:
She’s visiting today:
Yesterday, Dukie visited:
And she had a bath!
Then she “dried” in the sand:
What a mess! 🙀
Roosters on Patrol 🐓
I want to have a nice roll, but just can’t seem to work up the momentum:
Hansel and Baldy seem to be all over this morning:
Hansel stared at the cats for a while.
Then he and Baldy stared at us.
Pardon me, Baldy, but that’s my breakfast. 🐴
Dreary Thursday 🐴
It looks like rain:
Betty is blending in with the pekins:
We have more irises blooming:
This smaller variety is called a water iris:
Oh, and Onslow is about to get dive-bombed by a swallow:
He’s got you in his sights, kitty! 🙀
It’s that time of year again 🐎
We’re in our fly masks:
And we’ve also been sprayed:
We put out live traps for the possums, but we didn’t catch any (or any cats, either):
Hopefully with all the noise we made, they have moved on.
Let’s watch a movie from yesterday:
You’ll get to see Sophie play the part of “possum hound!” 😺
Possum problems 🐴
I thought it would just be another morning. I’m on day two of my green pellet diet:
The swallows are gossiping on the fence:
But—oh no!—we have possums! They’re in the yard, acting like they own the place!
There are at least 3. Here’s one in the roof of the duck pen:
Here’s one on the old fencing:
There are three of them hiding under it:
We’ll try the live trap. But we don’t think we can get rid of them unless we move all this junk. Possums and ducks don’t mix! 🙀
I’m on a diet 🐴
Schrödinger and Onslow are enjoying the cooler, breezier morning:
Although it’s not farm related, here’s a picture of a giant snapping turtle, walking along a sidewalk in Silvis. They are occasionally seen migrating from pond to pond:
And what’s this? My food is green this morning! They’ve given me a breakfast of grain and low-calorie hay pellets:
Actually, it’s not too bad—so I’ll eat it. 🐴
The first hot day of the year 🐴
It will get close to 90 today. This morning we have our first peony:
But all the excitement was yesterday, when we met Napoleon, the pot-bellied pig!
He belongs to Bill’s friend Alex, and he is one-and-a-half months old. Here he is snuggling up to Alex:
Security Chief Schroeder checked him out, and welcomed him as an honorary member of the farm:
But the ducks don’t want anything to do with him:
Let’s watch a video of Napoleon exploring the grounds:
What an exciting afternoon! 🐷
Finally, a little sun 🐴
I’m actually casting a shadow this morning:
Our irises keep blooming:
Breakfast was late, so everybody was out waiting:
And Baldy is helping clean up the cat food:
It’s his favorite flavor—chicken! 🐓
Itchy horses are lucky! 🍀
An iris is blooming:
Schrödinger has his arm around Onslow:
Iris is scratching herself on the drainpipe (which explains why it’s almost torn off):
Here’s evidence that I’ve been doing some scratching, too:
How lucky are we?
We not only have four-leaf clovers. . .
We have five-leaf clovers! 😺
The squash are blooming! 😺
It’s still cloudy:
Pooter is on lockdown because he’s been picking on the other ducks. He needs a “time out.”
Onslow is nosing around in the stable:
And we have a squash plant that’s blooming already:
They make pretty flowers, don’t they? 🐴
Jewel does not like cats! 😾
It’s cloudy today, but hopefully no rain:
Betty is eating the duck corn and chicken layer feed:
I wonder how many eggs we’ll get out of her?
Now, let’s watch Jewel make the cats scamper!
🐎
Maybe it won’t rain today 😾
Stormy and I are surveying the mud:
Schroeder is in the road (bad kitty!):
And our friend, Officer Mike, did some weed-wacking for us yesterday:
That left us with a lot of freshly cut greens to eat! 🐎
Welcome to Mudville 🐴
It’s another wet, muddy morning:
The ducks are finding lots of worms:
The geese are on their way back to Canada:
The only place that’s not muddy is in the far pasture, way out over the hill:
I’m out there, too, far left:
Here I am:
They promise it will be dryer tomorrow. 🐎
Rain all day! 😿
This is a good day to stay in the stable, unless you’re a duck:
Speaking of ducks, they had their pen moved over fresh grass:
It will take a while for the old spot to recover:
With all the rain, the creek is running fast and muddy:
Oh, and I’m having my portrait painted:
I think it says “Francis!” 🐴
Busy swallows 🐦
I’m looking forward to a nice day:
And so are the ducks:
The swallows are zooming around the stable:
The one on the right has a strand of hay:
Some nests are under construction. . .
And some nests are in use! 🐎
100% chance of mud today 😾
Hey, Iris, throw me out a little dry hay:
Betty is staying high and dry in the wheelbarrow:
And the ducks are hunting worms in back of the stable:
Don’t go over the hill, ducks. If you discover the creek, you won’t want to come home! 🐴
Stormy morning 🐴
A nasty storm just blew through. We had lots of scary lightning and power outages:
Schroeder plans to spend the day inside:
Let’s cheer up by watching Misty and Stormy groom each other last Saturday when it was nice and sunny:
🐎
Raccoon problems 🙀
As you can see from this movie, we have an unwelcome raccoon. Here he is, skulking from the barn to the garage (where there’s cat food):
So we decided to set up a live trap. And last night we caught it!
Unfortunately, the “it” we caught was Betty! Sorry, Betty, but we hope you’ll know better next time. 😿
Oh, and Onslow caught a sparrow, which he’s about to let go. 🐦
Sophie, Mary and Bill visit 🐴
Bill is getting our hay this morning:
We have a lovely iris in bloom:
The other lovely Iris is keeping an eye on Sophie:
And so is Rose:
🐎
Horrible invaders! 🙀
Poor Iris picked up half a tree in her tail!
Oh no—just look at this enormous mole!
Get away from it, Betty! It’s going in the trash!
And just look at this! Last night, the cameras caught a raccoon, prancing around like he owned the place!
Time to get out the live traps! 🐴
Chilly, drizzling Sunday 😾
Here we are yesterday afternoon, enjoyng the sunshine:
This morning, nobody’s happy. Poor Pumpkin is marooned on the well cover, because the grass is cold and soaked:
Iris broke a strap on her fly-coat. She should be ok until Mary or Mara can check it out:
And here is a sparrow’s nest that blew down overnight:
Look at all those white duck feathers! 🐴
Icy May 😾
Here I am in the far pasture:
Here are some pretty flowers by the creek:
Iris is grazing at the bottom of the hill:
Chezzie is finishing her breakfast for her:
And there was ice on the duck water:
There should not be ice in MAY! 🐎
We had visitors yesterday! 🐎
Get up, Chezzie! Time to eat!
The swallows are taking a break from the nest:
And who are these horses? 
They belong to our friend Alana. She brought them to work out in the arena:
Above, is Ariel, the Gypsy Vanner.
And this is Selah, the Arabian! What fun! 🐎
I need my “me” time 🐴
Here I am at dawn, enjoying my quiet time:
Here’s another picture of Onslow among the blossoms:
Finally, let’s watch Iris and Stormy showing each other they care:
🐴
Sunny day with 100% chance of mud 🐦
The ducks are frolicking in the sun:
I’m hee-hawing at Misty to come get breakfast:
Onslow and Finn are in the apple tree:
Believe it or not, Onslow tried eating the blossoms (we couldn’t get a picture of it 😾):And the swallows are on the nest:
They have plenty of mud to work with! 🐴
Rainy and cold 😾
Not much going on today. It’s much colder this morning—only 40.
We’re having our hay inside.
The cats always have their breakfast inside.
Unless that breakfast is a mouse. 😺
Chilly May morning 😺
Onslow’s among the blossoms:
I knocked over a water bucket:
For more bad behavior, let’s watch Rose storm the paddock:
🐴
Sunday visitors! 🐶
Sophie and Phoenix are here today!
Iris found the scissors!
More lovely apple blossoms!
Oh, in case you have forgotten and want to know. . .
Phoenix (next to me) is part Australian cattle dog and part Australian shepherd, and Sophie is a Borzoi (Russian wolfhound). 🐶
Sunny and warm Saturday 😺
Onslow is trying to get the ducks out in the open air:
It’s certainly nice today. All the mud is gone:
And who’s this in Misty’s stall? Why, it’s Sophie!
Don’t worry, Sophie, Mary’s coming to let you out. 🐺
The trees are green again! 😺
The leaves are almost out:
I’m on my way out to the hay:
Stormy is basking in the sunlight:
And Zelda is fitting nicely in her favorite window sill:
Finally, let’s watch the ducks get a mealworm treat:
🐴