Bonfire party in Quainton

Quality night-time photography doesn't come easy - there's a lot of faffing and fiddling required to achieve anything near the atmospheric and often dramatic effects of a little light in darkness. Here's my best shot of my Daisy, taken in Quainton on Saturday, at the brilliant bonfire party on the village green. This is the first year my two children haven't run for the hills - or under their duvets, to be more accurate - at the mere mention of fireworks - so I was delighted to be able to introduce them to the very English tradition of celebrating Guy Fawkes' thwarted attempt to blow up the Houses of Parliament hundreds of years ago - in a very English village with family, in a genteel and family-friendly way.

Here you can see what Daisy was gazing at - a huge and lovingly assembled bonfire complete with burning effigy of Guy Fawkes atop (we didn't draw too much attention to him, naturally). As the fireworks started, in front of the village's windmill - did I mention just how quaint Quainton is? - both children responded with the prerequisite ooohs and ahhhs - and absolutely no screams of terror, thank goodness.

Hearing the patter and pops, fizzes and bangs of London's numerous firework displays tonight, we sang a Fireworks song of my own devising (to the tune of Frere Jacques, should you wish to partake) during bath-time. My children still need a song or game to help them tip their heads back while I rinse their hair - and this one was perfect for tonight. I've used it - and variations of it - at play sessions at the Geffrye Museum and the British Museum, so my children know it quite well. It's a great call-and-response song, and of course it can be sung in a round should that tempt.

I see fireworks, I see fireworks

Sparkling bright, sparkling bright

Multicoloured starbursts, multicoloured starbursts

In the night, in the night

I hear fireworks, I hear fireworks

Whoosh, whoosh, fizz. Whoosh, whoosh, fizz

Crackle-crackle, bang-bang. Crackle-crackle, bang-bang

Wheee, pop, whizz. Wheee, pop, whizz.

Happy Bonfire Night!