Yornight

Yesterday evening, after my conker fest, I went into York for an event called Yornight. It was about the world of research and there were free activities happening across the city centre.

I went to a couple of talks in the Yorkshire Museum with my friend who was keen to discover the colouring of fossils. It's more complicated than it sounds... Honest!

Were was tonnes to join in with, great people to talk to and interesting activities to get involved in. Best of all, it was all free!

Conkers and more Conkers!

Today, I went conker picking for the very first time. I couldn't resist picking up every conker I found, they were just all so shiny!

I find Horse Chestnuts incredible, they grow so tall and are a life support for so many creatures.

And the leaf litter is just as important as the tree itself. Earthworms will turn it into soil and when collected into a pile, small animals such as hedgehogs will hibernate in its cosy warmth.

Most of the conkers I collected went onto the font decoration a few of my friends were making for the flower festival at my local church. It was conker-ific!

In total, there was 1827 conkers on this marvellous creation. Another friend of mine had to count them for the competition they set... It was oddly really nice to stroke too...

So this autumn, think about the environment and encourage the declining number of hedgehogs back into your garden, feed the birds and plant a conker for the future wildlife! I have, have you?

Scarborough and Fossils

Today, I went to Scarborough and explored a fossil event at the Rotunda Museum.
It was a small event with palaeontologists from across the country. It was fantastic seeing what they brought and how their career has developed into what most were currently researching.

I took part in something which all the children (and even some adults!) were making...

Trace fossils!

It is simply salt dough with coffee and tea granules mixed in to add a rocky colour. I made a dinosaur footprint for mine!

Of course, being at the beach only means you eat one thing; fish and chips! Or in my case, sausage and chips! I however needed help eating mine, I didn't want to get grease all over me, it's not easy washing it off you know...

Whilst letting the food settle, it was nice to just observe the landscape, animals and people around. It's fun seeing the waves form shapes and the gulls tying to avoid getting their feet wet!