Nature always amazes me.

I saw some fabulous Canadian Fall (autumn, to you and me) photos on a blog I follow yesterday, where the autumnal colours are really vibrant and I realised that, although we are in October, our trees and hedgerows are still green and only just showing signs of turning. http://journeyandadventure.blogspot.com/2010/10/october.html

Last year in Spain, I remember commenting on how the trees there don't seem to go through a colour change but simply seem to drop their leaves over night, and looking out of the window now, all I can see is the heavy gloom of an October morning where the sun has a lot more work to do to burn off the damp clouds.

While out walking with the dogs yesterday I heard a 'thump' as I passed a row of trees and looking around I found this had just fallen. Yesterday, the outer case was still green and overnight it's turned a rich brown and the case has split revealing a shiny new conker. I remember playing conkers as children, getting bruised knuckles and wrists and friends giving all sorts of vinegar related recipes to soak them in, looking for a way to make your conker harder than your competitors. I was never very good but some people would have conkers that were multiple winners, a sixer or more.

So, I 'Googled' conker and discovered that the World Conker Championships are held in the UK, this coming Sunday, close to the ancient town of Oundle, in Northamptonshire. I'm amazed that there is such a thing as a Conker World Champion, but I suppose I shouldn't be - I wonder when it will become an Olympic Sport?

Anyway, here's a link http://www.worldconkerchampionships.com/

And this morning as I opened the blinds in the kitchen my attention was caught by the tree stump we have in the garden. I'm not sure what tree used to grow there but it was just a stump when we moved in. Neil mowed the grass around it only 2 days ago and there was nothing to be seen but this morning, there is a whole village of mushroom houses.

Maybe one of these mornings when I am up early with the dogs, I will be able to see the fairies who live there playing in the garden!