Conkers

Summer is getting thin.  I can smell Autumn in the early morning air.  The childers and I have found Horse Chestnuts on the ground, in their spiky sharp pods. While researching if these were the kind of chestnuts you can eat, we found that they are not.  The sweet chestnuts that are edible come in a much spikier ball.  So what good is a chestnut you can't eat?  Well, you can make them into a fun game of Conkers.  The rules seem fairly easy to follow, but you have to remember how many other conkers you have broken.  And you have to realize your conker may be broken.  Tears may ensue, and knuckles bruised. We may have to keep a notebook with scores if any of ours survive.

Horse Chestnuts in various stages including our Conkers on the left.

 Here is the process in pictures...

Soaking

Baking

Cooling

Piercing

Pierced

Measure the string

Thread the needle

Threading the Conker.

Pulling the needle through.

Knot the string and viola a Conker ready for play. 
Find directions for your own here.