On the Hunt for Holly

So I have arrived safe and sound in Lancaster after a bit of a train misadventure involving a lorry crash on the tracks and a lovely wait in a tunnel. The family I am staying with live in an old complex of buildings that used to be an insane asylum. Their particular house belonged to the warden, or whatever his title would have been, and therefore, did not physical house the 'crazies'.

The frosty view from the kitchen window.

I love their rustic-looking kitchen. Big, heavy pots and pans, proper handmade brooms... God I can't wait to have my own kitchen....(but really, I think I'd settle for a shared one at this point, as long as it were clean...)

Notice the Delia Smith cookbook in the background. I will be assisting in cooking Christmas dinner, along with the two boys in the family, so any ideas you have for a traditional British Christmas dinner - I'm all ears!

The view from their front door. Lots of hills, covered in snow... Looks like I may get a white Christmas after all!

Lancaster is a lovely little town, from what I've seen so far, which, to be honest, has mostly been hillsides and the inside of pubs, but still. Its rather cold here too, even with my fluffy jumpers and authentic wellies.

The front of the building complex. Theirs is a section of this building (no, its not all of it.)

Today the weather was quite snowy and made driving far distances difficult so we decided to simply go for a walk in search of proper holly for decorations. I've never seen proper holly before and despite the wicked wind that swept across the hill, I was excited to do something that seemed so quintessentially 'Christmasy'.

After a brisk walk up the hill.... a holly bush!

Apparently the bigger and brighter the berries, the worse the winter is expected to be. Great?

....aaaannnnddddd SHEEP!

'kay so who's reminded of the Diablo Secret Cow Level from these staring sheep? Just me? ...Buller?