Happy Halloween

I didn't dress up today, nor will I. I did however dress up last Friday for our Harvest Party. As you can see, my costume was a low-budget production, but it did get some laughs and won me the prize for best adult costume. Considering I was pitted against four other people who also spent nothing or next to it, this was quite a prestigious award.


I also carved a pumpkin today, a tradition I consider absolutely indispensible. There are very few simple joys that bring greater pleasure and fulfillment than cleaning out and carving a pumpkin, and of course baking the seeds (mine were promptly devoured by the teens in the drop-in center).

My only real question is, what else would you ever do with a pumpkin? I know they have limited use as food, but really, they seem almost entirely dedicated to this pupose. Every year you see vegetable stands loaded with these things and I don't know anyone who buys one for any other reason. Have pumpkin farmers just been reinforcing this tradition to boost sales? Did they invent all the stories about its supposed origin? Or are they just really lucky?