Even the buildings have frozen

After several weeks of temperatures where the temperature has seldom climbed above -7C and has even hit -20C, the outbuildings are now so cold the stonework is sprouting ice crystals. And those walls are four feet thick. I did try to continue making a new door for the byre but had to give up when the timber froze and I chipped a chisel when trying to cut a mortice.

We usually store our vegetable harvest in the outbuildings but had to bring them into the house to prevent them freezing. We did lose some apples, which will now go for pig feed, but at least the potatoes, neeps, squashes and our Christmas pumpkin are safe. We’ve turned the heating off in the spare room and sealed the door, which should keep it cool enough to stop vegetables spoiling too quickly.