It’s almost half way through January and we’ve got our first snow. OK – it’s hardly deep but the dogs ate their dinners less than half an hour ago and there is snow in their bowls that’s fallen in a short time. In a way, I’m glad we’ve not had any snow before now – we do get snowed in from time to time – but it still feels like a long time to go until the end of winter. I’m glad it was my turn to drive today because that means DM is the one to face the conditions in the morning. Still, at least we have winter tyres on the sunshine bus.

In two days’ time, it’ll be half way through the winter months, if we think of winter as December/January/February. The nights are already drawing out a little bit. I’d say the hens will start laying soon, but we’ve only got one since the fox strike and she’d been laying right through…