Picturesque as it is, “the white stuff” is the last thing we needed. Many small businesses suffered in the run-up to Christmas last year and I have just spoken to one of our customers who has a farm shop near Kirkby Lonsdale and she is worried the same thing will happen again.

It has already started to have a knock- on effect because Otley farmers’ market was quiet on Sunday, with very few people about and even less spending money.

Wholesale sales are beginning to calm down as most shops have stocked up for Christmas, and if this cold snap continues they are unlikely to re-order until well into January, so we are coming into a much quieter time. Probably a good thing though, because I don’t think we are going that far this week.

As I write, looking out through the office window the sun is shining and the snow is glittering. The road is quiet – the plough has not yet been through.

I have put out bird feed on the window sills to tempt the small birds and deter the jackdaws. It has worked and we have had a number of visitors, including robin, blackbird and wren, the latter giving a display of acrobatics as he proceeded to scoot sideways up the lintel. There is a spade stuck in the garden, abandoned a couple of weeks ago when I was putting in some wallflowers and ran out of light. The handle is covered in snow and a robin is sitting on top surveying the scene. I wish I had my camera because it is just one of those shots.

Stuart and Eddy are out fothering sheep and looking to see that there is no drifting on the top. At least at this time of year we know where everything is, as sheep are still all in-bye for tupping time. We do have two lots out on the wood top which is level with the moor, but there is plenty of shelter.

They will be in for “drinking” before long so I had better get the fire in the kitchen going as there will be plenty of gloves, coats and leggings to dry off and hands to warm. I can see they are on their way back – the tractor is coming back over from Raisgill followed by the bike and trailer, which is loaded up with hay. It will be a long hard day for them.

I have plenty of logs as Stuart and David had a blitz in the stick house yesterday and sawed up some old fence posts and some of the smaller branches cleared from fields when we were “meadow picking” earlier this year. The intention is to have a go at some of the bigger stuff with the chainsaw this afternoon.

We have to make a trip to Skipton this week, so I am putting together a list of what we need in case it is a while before we venture out again. It’s not a long list though because providing we have the basics – bread, milk and veg and a few tins as a standby – we can usually manage fine without most of it, and I’m afraid Christmas shopping will just have to wait!