Stark Adder Farm

It was stark in the shifting light. A great band of rain and snow swept in with a big clap of thunder that frightened Lucy, the tenant's dog, who got out of the garden and wanted to go home with the broad band chap in his warm car, even though it was a wasted journey.

The farm is a little potato farm on the other side of the valley - the Casentino is known for its spuds - but again everything is on a tiny scale that is only possible because of the Common Agricultural Policy.

My taking apart of the pond moved forward when I gave up on the siphon and used a big old aluminium snow shovel to cast out the muddy grot in the bottom.

GL and his dad came round to look at the under-roof. There was much sucking of teeth.

I heated food and water on top of the wood stove and left before it got too cold. Up on the pass it was minus 1 at 4.30 and I could feel the ice on the road.

Needless to say I did not even think about trying out putting on the snow chains for practice.