Monday, October 13, 2008

Bonkers for Conkers


We love conkers! or if we call them by their proper name, Horse chestnuts. Even though the children are getting older, they still want to go and collect conkers and get excited about finding them, especially the one's that are still enclosed but just beginning to peep out of their green spiky shells, which I think look like elf hats. I love the colour of them and their rich waxed wood appearance. We went to collect "just a few to string up around the porch" but came home with a basket and carrier bag full! ( this is NOT all of them in the picture)
I asked " What are we going to do with them all??"
The reply I got was "Plant them" :)
I think we will be giving away young Horse Chestnut trees from our garden gate in the near future. About 300 or more!!

The Autumn sunshine brought us a visitor........

When we had searched for him back in the holidays by the river, he was no where to be seen! And now here he was, glittering lace wings displayed, almost on our front doorstep!

And finally a sample of some of the finished hangers that I have been working on. Some will find their way to Etsy, others to a little local shop.

14 comments:

  1. We have a black walnut tree over our bedroom roof that drops its treasures this time of year, and oh, what a noise when one happens to hit the roof and roll down,down to the ground. Edward is not fond of this by any means and lifts his voice to the heavens in protest!

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  2. That's one hell of a lot of conkers - you must be able to get a few growing from that lot! That's an incredible photo of your visitor, so magical looking :)

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  3. conkers!? What a delightful name for them!

    And great shot of the dragon fly, I think he was posing for you!

    off to visit your etsy shop for a closer look :)

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  4. Wow! My kids are deeply envious of your conker haul.
    Your new hangers are beautiful :)

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  5. Yep, I agree with all your commenting visitors. I love conkers for their leathery-ness and laugh when I think about what the boys at school used to say about boiling them in vinegar or whatever, so they could win at the game, weeing on them even(!)but now conkers is banned I think. Fantastic Dragonfly pic, the best I've seen. X

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  6. Thanks for your comments,I love to read them :)

    Lizzie- I had a visit from the electrician back to finish the heating today, he saw all the conkers lying by the front step and guess what he said!
    "I hope you're not planning on boiling them in vinegar! Thats cheating!!"
    I think he must have encountered those boys you knew! :)
    And yes,sadly conkers are banned from school. :(

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  7. Hi Karen,
    I just wanted to say to anyone who may be reading this, the wooden animals that you make are beautiful beyond words. I am the proud owner of one of your hares and a polar bear and the attention to detail is a delight. I love the little sparkle that you paint in the eyes, all the little jewels, keys, crystals, just lovely!

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  8. Thankyou so much Valerie! :) I'm glad you like them and that you received the parcel safely.

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  9. What a lovely post Karen :)
    I used to be obsessed with collecting conkers as a girl ... and what a lovely visitor that it. I like your hangings very much.
    Rima x

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  10. what a pretty dragon fly we saw mummy

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  11. Hi Karen. I just love the way seasonal stuff creeps in on people's blogs, and sometimes it's the opposite of where you are and sometimes it's the same! Conkers on my blog too! And a 'How-to' on Dandelion Songs.

    Yes. We too are bonkers for conkers! :-D

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  12. (I must be missing out on something. What happens when you boil them in vinegar?)

    Horse chestnuts are beautiful, but always make me salivate for the actual chestnuts...

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  13. Apparently if you boil them in vinegar, the conker turns very hard and then is difficult to break in a game of conkers.
    I've never tried it :)

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  14. Hi Karen, I had to laugh, reading about the conkers! When my boys were younger, we used to collect them. I saw some under some large horse-chestnut trees in town the other day, and automatically picked a few up, until I remembered that the boys are now 18 and 23, and probably don't want them anymore...(now I know I'm getting old and decrepit!!).
    Nia.

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