FRANCIS'S BLOG 09/16/2026
A walk along the soybeans (video) 🌱
“Good morning, everyone. It just stopped raining.”
I know, little Chin. I’m holding a cat-cop’s raincoat:
I must admit, this Rhode Island Red is quite pretty:
All the spring chickens are getting in their combs and wattles:
Before you know it, they’ll be laying eggs. 🥚
Finally, let’s take a hike with Dukie:
Our friend Farmer Rich has planted field after field of soybeans. They’re used in everything—from chicken food 🐔, to horse food 🐎, to cat food! 😺
How about two “Release the Ducks” videos for a change!? 🦆
We’re all out, waiting to wish you “Good morning!” (and hurry up breakfast before it rains):
In the “cat department,” Security Chief Onslow is making sure their breakfast is coming, too:
Oh! Let’s check in with our Sophie and Anya in Mason City: They’re watching a horse show our Mary took them to yesterday ❤️! 
They’re waiting, so bring on the horsies!
Now let’s check in with the ducks! First, we put Severus and Sirius, our rouens (rouens are half-pekin/half mallard); then, Patrick and Aoife, our Welsh Harlequins, in the fenced backyard (because they can’t keep off the street):
Now, we let Paschal and Ferdinand out to wander where they please, because they never go near the road!
Don’t drag your webbed feet, ducks. The cat-cops want to get in those pens and clean them out—you spent all night splashing your water! 🐴
It’s a poopie-free morning (and 2 chicken videos) 🐴
Good morning! It was just 58 this morning, and only 71 at 12 noon!
I wish it was too cool for flies, but you know it’ll take a frost for that:
Dad is joining us for breakfast. You’re a new dad, Dad. The cat-cops saw at least one baby last night:
Last night was so cool we spent all night outside. How can you tell?
No poopies anywhere!
Just some chickens. 🐔
Speaking of chickens, I know you’ve seen “release the hens” videos before. But these 2 videos are from the perspective of inside the coops.
First the little coop:
Then the big coop:
The chickens told me, “Francis, make sure our friends know that we poultry love them, too!” 🐔❤️🐓❤️
We think Eva became a mother (again) 🐴
Good morning! Glad to see you (although you look a little spotty through the fly mask):
Yesterday morning, this was Tyrus in the living room:
And this morning, this is Tyrus on the mud room steps:
Are you ever right side up, Tyrus? 😺
Anyway, here’s a picture of Eva from September 1. It certainly looks like Eva was carrying extra passengers:
And here she was this morning:
When we see her latest batch of babies, we’ll let you know! 😺
Good timing, Rose 🐎
“Good morning everyone.”
Good morning, Toadie. You’re looking quite decorative today:
“Thank you, Francis. I was delighted to greet our friends!”
No problem, Toadie. Anyway, last night, Rose lost her right front shoe:
Lucky for her, this morning Travis is scheduled to do our hooves. Here I am waiting outside the gate to welcome him:
He put it right back on. It just needed some new nails:
Finally, the recent rain has left our creek babbling, and its banks lush with flowers:
And the flowers busy with bees!
Buzz-buzz! 🐝
A day to feel humbled and blessed 🐴
If you recall, yesterday I asked you what could be happening in his picture:
The answer is, I was receiving a Greek Orthodox blessing:
This past Monday, we were visited by His Eminence Metropolitan Nathanael of Chicago (Metropolitans are high-ranking bishops in the church), accompanied by our own parish priest, Father Peter. We received his blessing with a sprinkling of holy water (from sprigs of parsley):
How honored Ann and her family were to have such visitors:
Everyone with hooves instinctively knew to be good:
The cats were a little skittish. . .
But they were blessed, too. 😺
Finally, here’s a brief video of His Eminence with Stormy and Rose:
What a day to remember. ❤️
Hopefully, I will be able to tell you of a truly “blessed event” tomorrow. It happened this past Monday (and has nothing to do with Eva having kittens) 🐴!
Good morning! Stormy has a smile for YOU!
“Indeed I do, Francis!” ❤️
According to our rain gauges, whether they be the manure cart. . .
Or the puddle by far pasture, we had over 2 inches:
Finally, what on earth is happening in this picture?It’s part of the wonderful story I’ll do my best to share with you in the next post! 🐴
Leaping buzzards video 🐔
Good morning! I’m standing at attention, ready for food!
Tyrus is licking the egg off his nose:
Bolt is about to taste the mealworms on the water:
The manure cart is growing plants:
And the buff orpingtons are jumping for raspberries:
Sweet and juicy! 🐴
Snap, crackle, cats! 😺 (video)
Good morning! I’m not sure I need this fan this morning, it’s only in the 60’s. I think I’m just used to the comforting “white noise:”
It’ll still get over 80 today—but we’ll take it!
Anyway, come out of the hay barn and down to breakfast, Dad. . .
Two of your kittens, Tux and Charlie, don’t want to wait:
Your “I’m shy” act is geting a little tiresome, Dad:
That’s a little better:
Finally, before the canned food gets put out, the kitties have nothing to do but crunch the “hard stuff.”
The sound of good teeth! 🐴
Time to plug in the electric fence (2 videos) 🐴
Good morning! Eight kitties know it’ll be a good day to line up for breakfast:
They’ll have shiny clean pans:
And a freshly-opened bag of food:
Anyway, here I am, doing what a usually do every morning:
And Stormy is getting close to taking down some wires:
Hey, cat-cops, if you don’t get that fence plugged in soon, you’ll be chasing around 3 horses (and probably me!). 🐴
Bedtime for Buzzards (video) 🐴
Good morning! I haven’t been out yet, but the chickens have been telling me—not only is it still hot—there’s almost no breeze. 😾
That’s quite a scary look on your face, Rose (but you do have nice lower teeth). Are you overheating?
Oh! That’s just your “Why, I’d-love-a-molasses-heart” face:
Anyway, here’s a peek at the coop from 7:36 last night. Everybody is in, just as the sun sets:
It’s where the expression “When the chickens come home to roost” comes from. 🐔
Cute kitten video! 😺
Good morning! It’s still hot. Nobody here but us chickens (two of them at least):
”Keep spraying, please, it’s cooling me down.”
Me next, Rose. I see Luna’s keeping cool on the damp ground near the water tank (on the other side of the wall):
And is this kitten Chin or Bolt?
Watch this video, and you’ll see!
😺
Watch those feet, Stormy! 🐎
Good morning! Hmm, let’s see what’s happening today:
“I lost a piece of my hoof, Francis, if you need some news. It doesn’t hurt, and the shoes our friend Travis put on me should protect the rest of my hoof until it grows back.”
You certainly did, Stormy. We’ll all keep an eye on it:
Security Chief Onslow is meeting with Dad-cat. Hopefully he’s encouraging Dad to be less shy around cat-cops:
“All he needs is a push, Francis.”
It looks like there’s a line:
Now if you’ll excuse me. . .
I’m having a roll. 🐴
Rose gets an upgrade 🐎, and Tux gets bugged 🙀!
Good morning! It’s going to be another scorcher. Other than that, let’s have a heart:
“These hearts are still cool from being in the tack room:”
I wish we could all fit in the tack room, Stormy. Anyway, Tux has caught a praying mantis:
Last night, Rose’s feed bucket served it’s last meal:
Don’t worry, Rose. I opened a work order with “maintenance.” They’ll see what they can do. . .
“Thanks, Francis! I love my shiny new feed dish!” 🐎
Lots of stuff to start off September (and a Stormy video)! 🐎
Good morning! What do you have there, Rose?
Oh, it’s just a little leftover sawdust. Ann must have cleaned the coops last night:
And if setting my feed dish on me was supposed to be funny—I AM NOT AMUSED!
Anyway, it looks like Eva is planning to “bless” us again:
That was fast, Eva. They might be born before your previous “blessings’” first trip to the you-know-where, for shots and fixing:
Finally, it’s very important to keep this gate tied up. . .
Stormy checks it every day:
🐎