23.9.11

bonkers for conkers


A couple of weekends ago we went in search of conkers for the Model. Each year she likes to collect as many as she possibly can and then have them sit around in various parts of the house for months on end until the day comes when I smuggle them out without her noticing. This year, being the good mummy that I am, I have provided a basket so at least they will all sit together.


Two or three days after they were brought into the house, however, we started having problems with the burglar alarm as it kept going off. Each time it was the same sensor that was being triggered and the alarm company said the fault could be something as simple as a fly or spider walking over it. It suddenly occurred to me that the fault area was also where the conker basket was and I started thinking we might be experiencing some sort of spider exodus. Perhaps there is some truth in the old wives' tale that conkers really do ward them off!


By the way, as we shared our conker stories, my Italian alarm engineer informed me that they made soap from them during the war. I'm not so sure we'll be trying that one, but I dare say there are now more than enough for the harmony and rosie family challenge this weekend.

Have a good one!

14 comments:

  1. love the title of your post... it made me smile.
    wishing you a lovely weekend Gx

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  2. Oh I just love conkers! The colours are always lovely, and there is something comforting about the smoothness of them, hmmm, does that make me sound weird!

    If there is any chance they ward off spiders, my house will be full of conkers before the weekend is over!

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  3. I love conkers Kate and your pictures are beautiful. I love your basket too come to that! x

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  4. It's daft I know, but we always collect conkers. The only use I have for them is, as you say, placing them around the house to keep the spiders at bay.

    Though I think the cat does a better job at hunting them down then gobbling them up.............brrrrrrrrr!

    Nina x

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  5. Wow! It must have been weird with the alarm going on.
    Wild chestnuts are the perfect thing to ward of moths. In the past people stuck them between sheets and cloths during winter, so there is truth in what you say about them warding inspects. The tea made from them is good for several health-related issues.
    Love the photos Kate!

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  6. I just noticed that my comment lacks many letters - I lost them on my way :)
    But I am sure you understand what I wanted to say.

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  7. I love collecting conkers too, something magical about opening the spikey case and finding a lovely shiny chestnut inside.
    Your little basket looks very pretty with it's treasures, very autumnal!
    There are so many spiders about, I have to admit they don't bother me at all. I have a gigantic one living in my greenhouse, I expect he's doing a good job in there!
    Happy weekend Kate,
    Vivienne x

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  8. I love the feeling of having a smooth conker in my pocket. I remember my mum taking us out to find conkers in the local park when I was a young girl. I could take you to the exact spot to this day!
    x

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  9. We don't see many conkers over this way, but, looking at your photos, I can remember the feel of them in my hands when I was about the age of your girl.

    Enjoy your weekend and all it holds. T x

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  10. Like Missy, I love a conker in my pocket. We have a horse chestnut tree right outside our house by the sea and now I know they keep spiders and moths away, they're definitely coming indoors with me when we're back there. I heard on the radio the other day that the spiders are so big this winter that people are calling the Tarantula Society. My worst nightmare! Cx

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  11. Oh, who can ever resist conkers, I'm bonkers for them too! There's something about that burnished rich redbrown colour ... I long for some of Ren's Fairysteps conker coloured shoes!

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  12. I've been painting conkers peeping from their cases - there is something magic about them newly 'hatched'.
    (Just caught up on your Canada trip - what a wonderful time you had)

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  13. Are you sure the spiders didn't come with the conkers? !!!Ugh!
    Cheers

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  14. Wow, that's a great crop of conkers! I remember we used to enjoy collecting them as kids from a nearby horse-chestnut tree. x

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