Today the Beast from the East returns! Jared has been telling me all week that it was going to snow this weekend. I was listening but I was just like 'yeah that's nice, it's not really going to snow again'. 

Even when it started snowing yesterday and we had a small dusting I didn't think we were going to get anymore than that. So when I woke up this morning to a good couple of inches of snow I was pretty surprised!

When it snowed a few weeks ago, it was so cold and the wind so strong that it was a battle just to walk up to my parents house (through waist high drifts), look after the horses and wade back through the drifts home again. I didn't have the energy for enjoying the snow other than a brief snowball fight. 

So today we have actually had fun with it. I've been up to my parents house and we have done something we haven't done since we were kids. We went what we like to call Bonneting. Sounds mad? That's cos it is. 

We have the bonnet off of one of our old cars that we hitch up with a long piece of rope to whatever vehicle we have capable of towing it, take it out into the field and it makes an excellent sled. 

Then you basically go donuting in the 4x4 and swing the bonnet at high speed. It sounds crazy but its incredibly fun. The more you do it, the more you flatten the snow like an ice rink and the faster you go. 

So that's what we like to do when it snows, regular sledding is too dull. Gotta make the most of that farm life ;)

When we finally came back inside to warm up my sister made us hot chocolate (have I mentioned her hot chocolate is the stuff of legend?) and cookies to warm up with. Mmmmmnnn.

Now I plan to spend the rest of my Sunday relaxing while I get over the illness that has bugged me for the past few days ready to start the rest of the week. 

Hope you're also enjoying the snow! 

Thanks to my Mum and Tiggy for the pictures :)

Bonfire Night Party

So last Sunday was Bonfire Night, which is personally one of my favourite things about the nights drawing in.

My family live on the outskirts of our village so we don’t have close neighbours so we had our own Bonfire Party.

My Dad built the bonfire and one of my sisters made our Guy Fawkes (complete with very historical curly wig and baseball cap).

One of my other sisters made us homemade hot chocolate with whipped cream, marshmallows, chocolate flakes and hot salted caramel. This was quite possibly one of the best things I’ve ever had and it doesn’t matter what Costa or Starbucks have got on their Christmas menu, they won’t be able to make something as good as that.

Standing around in the freezing cold, wrapped up in warm hats and gloves while sipping a cup of this magical hot chocolate is what Bonfire Night is all about.

We lit the bonfire at 6pm and watched our Guy Fawkes go up in flames before having some fireworks.

Mum, Jared and I had been hard at work preparing Bonfire Party food to warm us up. We had baked potatoes with mango chutney curry, butternut squash and chorizo pizza, vegetable crisps, honey mustard sausage rolls and cheese straws. We made mulled cider to drink along with plenty of wine and beer. For pudding we made toffee apple crumble with salted caramel sauce and chocolate and marshmallow roasted bananas. 

I sadly didn't get a chance to take any pictures of the food as everyone was too busy scoffing it, but I'm sure you can imagine it.  

Some of the recipes we just made up, such as the crumble which I never use a recipe for and just do it by eye (and taste). However I've linked any recipes that I did use, or was inspired by in case you fancy making some of them yourself.

Everything was quick, easy and filling and crucially we prepped almost all of it the day before to make life easier.

It was a great evening spent with family, enjoying each others company and tasty food.

Did you celebrate Bonfire Night? Or make yourself some seasonal treats? Let me know!