We’ve had a good two or three weeks of lovely winter weather now: plenty of snow, temperatures between –5°C and –10°C, and surprising amounts of blue skies and sunshine in between the flurries of snow. I love shovelling powdery snow on a sunny day.

The snow cover in the garden is so thick that I can barely see some of the smaller bushes. I only know to avoid stepping on them because I remember where I planted them.

Snow has piled up on tree branches and porch railings in precariously curling layers. In some places, it’s started slumping off whatever thing it landed on, but somehow still clings on in gravity-defying curves. I’m peeved that I can’t manage to take photos that do these shapes justice.