The sun came out soon after lunch, but just for a short while, Maria and I and Zinnia and Fate went out to the far pasture for a walk. The air was cold – 31 degrees – but the sun was melting the ice, making it easier for me to walk. Zinnia and Fate had a blast. Fate rushes around the sheep, Zinnia tries unsuccessfully to keep up with her.

You are not a border collie, I tell her, you can’t keep up with her. But she keeps trying. When we came back up the hill, the two dogs were ahead of us, waiting patiently for their instructions.