Country diary 1920: early morning frost at the bottom of the great down

6 March 1920 The rough cocksfoot and spear grass along the lane ditches bent over as with a light fall of snow, while the horses shivered down their quarters

Surrey, March 4
Hoar frost fell heavily in the early morning - it came from the south in a mist that clouded the moon; the rough cocksfoot and spear grass along the lane ditches bent over as with a light fall of snow. Cattle turned on to the pasture land smelt the air and stopped to low; when, a little later, the horses were set, some to the harrow and some to the drill, they shivered down their quarters; the labourers at each turn of the field swung their arms and called cheerily. The sound carried a long way; it roused an old sheep-dog in his kennel, and presently the ducks called to each other while they waddled about the farmyard.

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