Well we have two mature walnut trees in the garden, and several productive hazlenuts, and since their nuts have been on the ground for a little while, I thought I should set about gathering them and shelling them.
I think that the squirrels must have found the walnuts first, judging by the number of split shells all around. They have nicked all the good ones too, because once I started cracking them, the kernels turned out to be almost all black and shrivelled.
The hazelnuts were a better story, and after half an hour's patient work with the nutcrackers I had a bowlful of sweet and crunchy nuts. Those that I didn't eat ended up in the nut mix that I have with my yoghurt in the mornings.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWlYXB3kYG18Uj3HAiJYQZWKcmnH26jqRKENny42daunvcC-5abhPi6aJVla2Q9EPWeBqIccqfeEm0VQuk0LH5de8qOi0UNQ10vjRWAR5s7tUOdewl_bnXeAwzmMQo0LGsW5u3hYLilF_m/s400/WalnutsSmall.jpg)
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