Pumpkins 2013

It was a rough year for pumpkins at our home this year.  We picked some out at a farm a couple of weeks ago, figured we'd keep them safe and cool on our front porch until Halloween week.  Well, out of the four we picked out one was smashed by vandals, and two went bad.  Luckily,  Ms. L got a "bonus" pumpkin went her class went on a field trip to a pumpkin patch.  Whew...we still had two viable pumpkins.
Naturally the vandals smashed the largest pumpkin and the two that rotted were the smallest of the lot. So this left a couple of medium sized pumpkins to carve.  Oh, and there was one of those teeny tiny pumpkin/decorated gourds, too.  I decided to carve the teeny tiny pumpkin, much to Patrick's chagrin.

It's always a gamble on who's going to do what when it comes to pumpkins.  In past years neither kid has had any interest in the gutting process and much interest in the carving, but very little patience or skill in that arena.  So... I was curious to see who would do what this year.

Ms. L was totally into the gutting:

N, not so much:

However, when it came to the stencil and the actual carving, that was a different story:

There are no photos of Ms. L carving, because she didn't do any carving.  Now, in her defense the stencil was being stubborn and her pumpkin was very thick and hard to carve.  But, still I don't think it was really her thing this year.   So, I did the stencil and Patrick did the carving of her pumpkin:

You'll note that it originally said L and then it said Daddy.  When Patrick's pumpkin got smashed by vandals, L wanted Daddy to have her "bonus" pumpkin.

The pumpkins turned out great and both carvers were proud of the results:

What's that?  You're wondering how the teeny tiny jack-o-lantern turned out?  Well, I'm glad you asked.  Despite the doubters in the room, I did indeed manage it:

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Writing

I took a break from my normal day to day activites today and I took a writing workshop.  It wasn't quite as dynamic as I hoped it would be.  It was me and a bunch of 70+ year old women.  Now, let me tell you these women were great and they all had their own stories to tell.  And I enjoyed my time with them.  But, most of them will be back at the community center tomorrow taking another workshop on batiking (is this 1978??)   They were there for the fellowship and the chance to do something different.  I was there to get a good kick in the motivation department and maybe pick up a new writing buddy.

Good news is I got a good kick in the motiviation department and I cranked out about 9 pages of writing today.  Most of it will end up in the recylcing can one day.  But, if one paragraph or even one gem of a sentence is a keeper then it was a day well spent.

She held me in her arms and helped me off the ledge by singing songs of long ago chuch campfires.  She sang to me of bullfrogs on the banks of the Hanky Panky and of Fire and Rain.

A Few of my favorite (Autumnal) things

Canning.  Look at all that Apple Butter and Apple Pie filling.  It's gonna be a good winter.  Who knew all those years of canning tomatoes in 100 degree Iowa summers would yield the know how to do this?

Someday I'm going to go on a trip and all I'm going to do is take photos of trees.  Live trees, dead trees, tall trees, short trees...but for now I'll settle for a random tri-color tree.

Pumkins.  Let's be clear about this, I don't like  pumpkin pie or pumpkin bars.  Don't give me pumpkin scented candles or pumpkin flavored ANYTHING.  But, if you wanna see me smile, give me a pile of pumpkins for carving.  

Corn maizes.  They remind me of Iowa.  It's that simple.  

Hairy Eyeball

I'm not sure you've really lived until you spend an evening practicing your hairy eyeball  looks:

This is his Fierce Hairy Eyeball

Her Tough Girl Hairy Eyeball

The Classic, "hmmm"

The ever popular Squint!