… The stockings arrived in perfect order. What an extraordinary brain wave, to hide them in The Times! They are very lovely stockings, too, just the shade I like in the evening. One's legs are like legs by moonlight.

It's intensely cold here—colder and colder. I have just been brought some small fat pine-logs to mix with my boulets. Boulets are unsatisfactory; they are too passive. I simply live in my fur-coat. I gird it on like my heavenly armour and wear it ever night and day. After this winter the Arctic even will have no terrors for me Happily the sun does shine as well and we are thoroughly well nourished. But I shall be glad when the year has turned.

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Are you having really perfect weather (except for the cold)? It is absolutely brilliantly sunny—a deep blue sky—dry air. Really it's better than Switzerland. But I must get some wool-lined over-boots. My footgear is ridiculous when I am where I was yesterday—round about the pig-sty. It is noteworthy that the pigs have of themselves divided their sty into two: one—the clean part—they keep clean and sleep in. This makes me look at pigs with a different eye. One must be impartial, even about them, it seems. We have two more cows about to calve in three weeks' time. Very thrilling. Also the white goat is about to have a little kid. I want to see it very much. They are so charming.