For the past two mornings we have woken up to a white world, Jack Frost has been at work with his icy fingers. The view from our windows across fields to the Hawardian Hills is beautiful at any time of year, but when it is covered in frost or snow it is magical.

Everything, from a blade of grass, the hedges and trees, even the spiders webs are bejewelled with the white crystals of frost. It has been cold enough in the evenings to light a fire and even our cats are now spending more time indoors in the evenings and through the night. Much to their disgust, Tosh, the cat from next door has taken to sleeping on our bed, so they stick to the sofa in the living room.

Jim and Bob set off for Scotland at 5.20am this morning with a load of Trout for the Lochs and Reservoirs. It was really cold then. Later on, in the afternoon the warmth from the sun was strong enough for me to walk around without a cardigan or jacket, though the way some folk were bundled up you would think they were in the North Pole.

Jim and Bob got back around 4.00pm with a box full of Scotch Pies, delicious little mutton pies from a butchers shop in Peebles, their pies are quite famous and are sent world wide.