CONKERS!!

The first two conkers of conker season nestled in the hand of Miss EllaBelle - champion conker catcher and queen of Haddo's fabulous Conker Avenue* Lovely morning with the kids at Haddo - minor whinging aside - looking for conkers, finding conkers, throwing conkers, climbing trees (Philip), using sticks as weapons (Ella), racing back to the car because it was snack time (Hannah) and only hold the hand of Daddy because he's a boy too (Callum).

Autumn and Winter are my favourite two seasons - Scotland is a country designed to deal with the cold and Scots fare much better when the weather is a bit rubbish most of the time (gives us something to moan about) and then throws us the occasional glorious Autumn day (like today to cheer us all back up again).

If you haven't been to Haddo House, by Tarves, you should go - it's lovely, there's a great park for the kids, lovely walks round the estate and the most overfed ducks in the whole of the Shire. They also have the best conkers for miles round - but don't tell everyone...

*As named by us.