Conkers ... Also Known as Horse Chestnuts

 

It's that time of the year, the week or so when Alan walks the streets and around the local park looking for conkers.  This year while I was driving us home from visiting Mum, he spied a LOT of very large Horse Chestnut trees on the main road not too far out of town, so he has enjoyed a few walks and conker gathering trips over the past week as they are currently at their peak of perfection.

We now have them on all our windowsills and in the doorways, we have taken some to Mum's empty bungalow and distributed them evenly there too.  The rest, of which there are many, are double wrapped in bags in both our freezers.

WHY?

Yes, I hear you asking.  Well, Alan's Mum Jessie always had conkers as spider deterrents on all her windowsills.  She explained it all to me in great detail many years ago, when I plucked up the courage to ask about her unusual window decorations.  I sort of scoffed a little ... in private, never upset your future Mum-in-Law ... until I tried it for myself in our large spider infested farmhouse, which was situated in the centre of acres of farmland.

It worked, the spiders were vastly diminished, so I have done it myself every year since.  It keeps her memory alive in a very special way and seems to keep the spiders away too.

You can also use conkers to make an eco liquid washing detergent.  Nancy Birtwistle has a very good recipe for this.  https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1Bdnn2aAGu/

I've never tried this, maybe I should. 

https://youtu.be/4GaGw73LijM?si=w7K-apGtmTOKkbXr

Of course you could also do the traditional British thing of actually having a game of Conkers.  😄

Sue xx