Just as we thought spring had arrived in the UK, it started to snow again and our beautiful snowdrops, crocuses and daffodils were smothered in white. The bitter north-east wind has been blowing the hens’ feathers inside out and poor Molly’s furry feet have been collecting icy snowballs.

But look how beautiful it is…

I love the patterns it makes in the ploughed fields and how the trees appear ghost-like in the distance and, within an hour of the first snowflake, the churchyard at Stoke by Nayland was a glory in white.

But, all the same, I can’t help wishing for spring. It’s been such a very long winter…