So, it was very cold and while there was less snow here than in some places, the garden had a good covering. Yesterday there was about 2 inches in the field area beyond the chestnut tree. It was really quite beautiful in the hazy grey light.

Walking in the snow in the garden also reminds me of the animals that share this space. There were rabbit tracks all over the garden, criss-crossing and even running in circles. Although I think this year, due to the cold, there were fewer tracks than in previous years.

As well as the rabbits there were two fox tracks in the middle of the garden and badger tracks down in the woods. The foxes appear to travel fast across the garden with foot prints at some distance from one another, while the badgers ‘potter around’ in the orchard.

I was tickled to see that the rabbits and badger use the path we cleared through the woods; all very civilised!

Snow days in the garden meant that there was no gardening to do at the weekend forcing me to do the indoor jobs like mending that I usually leave in favour of being outside. Now it is thawing I feel the urge to be outside again but after a lull in activity I am not sure where to start again. There is so much to do and with Spring on it’s way there is a growing sense of urgency that I am trying to stave off in my new attitude of approaching the garden as a ‘meditation’ rather than a ‘to do list’. I’m not really sure how to be more measured when it comes to Spring, as I usually get such a surge of energy that it almost feels like mania. However, for the time being the slushy snowy ground and the cold temperatures are keeping me inside.