Pumpkin's for Fall!

WELCOME FALL
Growing up I always lived many hundreds of miles from both my grandparents. They each did special things to make us know that we were loved. My dad's dad and step mom always sent us the most perfect pumpkins for Halloween. They weren't just any pumpkins - they were ones they had grown and "Pumped" full of love throughout the season. As soon as the weather started to get cold - I knew my package would arrive soon. My grandpa continued this tradition with my children as well. Each year they couldn't wait for grandpa's pumpkins! Grandpa passed away last year at 97, and so my parents are picking up the tradition of sending the pumpkins to my girls....sort of!



A trip to the woods starts the pumpkin painting process. "Gumpa"
as my children call my dad, cuts some wood off a fallen tree, removes the bark and they are ready for orange paint. The orange paint is applied liberally on to the wood log (many coats are necessary). After the orange base coat he leaves the rest of the work to "Gumma", who paints on the faces!



My parents have these on an outside bench at the cabin, or they can be found in Virginia where I live, or California where my brother lives or somewhere USA. One can never have too many pumpkins for a scary October and a touch of Fall. Face painted pumpkins can be found on the inter-net or in pumpkin decorating books or your imagination. A neighbor stopped by last year and said to my mother she thought she might do a small fence for her child - the ones you see in gardening and landscaping sections of Home Depot that are about five inches tall and held together by wire. Cute!



I hope this prompts a walk in the woods and a "Paintfest" for your family!