Easter Baking - Creme Egg Brownies

I don't bake half as much as I'd like to.  It's one of the things I don't allow any time for.  Perhaps I need to change that.  The last time I had baked was before Christmas, yes, Christmas, that was over 3 months ago (I did tell you I don't allow much time for it)

I've seen pictures of Creme Egg Chocolate Brownies for the past few years and have always told myself that I would attempt it, but up until now, still hadn't done anything about it.  I've no idea why because it was so easy.  I'll definitely be making them again because they tasted lush.

I got the recipe from the BBC Good Food website here.  It was really easy to follow and turned out really well.

So if you have thought about making it yourself, do it, your missing out if you've not tried it yet.

~ Gem x

A Weekend of Lambing

March turned out to be a real busy month for me.  I think I'm going to need the whole of April to recover.  I'm still playing a bit of catch up here on the blog.

Those of you who have followed my blog for a while will know that each year myself and James head down to Pett (near Hastings) to Freshwinds Campsite.  We have lost track of how many years we have been visiting now, but we think it is about 4 years.

We have become really friendly with the owners Tim and Anne and had arranged with them to visit out of season this year, to give them a hand with lambing season.

I wasn't quite sure what to expect or how I would be with the whole thing.  I worried that I would be a bit grossed out but it all.  I have been known to be a bit squeamish about things before now, I just hoped this wouldn't be the same.  All that aside though, I was keen to arrive and get stuck in.

I needn't of worried.  I was fine with the whole thing.  I loved it, every second of it.  Even having to wake up during the early hours of the morning to fill in for the night shift, making sure the ewes were alright, checking on any new births and bottle feeding the orphaned lambs.

See how happy I am to be awake here at 1am (would never happen at home haha)

It was an amazing experience.  I won't be forgetting about it any time soon.  I honestly didn't want to come back home.  I could quite happily of stayed to help out for the remainder of the season.

Me and James have often talked about having our own little small holding one day.  This has helped us to realise that it is a lifestyle that we could happily settle in to.  It wouldn't be easy, far from it.  The weekend was really hard work, and we only really see a snippet of what life on a farm is like,  There will be ups, there will be downs (a lot of downs, I'm sure) but having this experience was really good for us.  A little bit like a try before you buy kind of thing.

As well as enjoying the whole lambing experience, we were also lucky enough to get to try out their Shepherds Hut, we have not yet stayed in it before.  It was rather quite fitting for the occasion too, don't you agree?  It was so cosy, I loved it.  The nights were really cold but as soon as the wood burner was going it soon warmed up.

The views, as they are wherever you stay here, were gorgeous.  Undisturbed countryside views in every direction.  A home away from home.  And some friendly faces.

We'd seen the Shepherds Hut on previous visits so I had made a little gift to leave behind.  It was relatively easy to make and I was so pleased with how it turned out.  It fitted in perfectly. Fortunately there was space right above the bed, as if it were there waiting especially for my little dream catcher.

It went down really well with Anne, and hopefully the guests will appreciate it too :)  I've already started making more.  No idea what i shall be doing with them but they are just such a joy to make.

So that just about sums up our lambing weekend.  It sounds as though we timed it well though.  Anne text me the other day to say one of the ewes had delivered 7 lambs (who knew that was even possible), I'll bet that was a hectic day.

Love Gem x x x