As our children were growing up, they loved carved pumpkins at Halloween. Their Dad was very good at carving. One year we decided to save the seeds and plant them. We spread them out on the garage floor on newspaper to dry. The field mice came in and ate them.

The time of late October was always a time when children got sick with colds and such. If they weren't sick at Halloween, it was a miracle. I have a picture of our oldest daughter carving a pumpkin with her Dad at the kitchen table. She is wearing a bathrobe and pajamas because, yes, she was sick. I have another of her in her Halloween costume on the front porch, after the fact. She missed the school party because, yes, she was sick. That was the bad part of Fall in Indiana, a lot of illness.

There were years though, when they weren't sick. I have a picture of our youngest with a tiny pumpkin that was just the right size for a 3 1/2 month old baby. She was all smiles.

Our oldest daughter, who is now 45, threw some seeds out one year. Some landed in a hollow tree stump. Now, every year she has a big pumpkin in that stump. She couldn't believe her eyes when she saw the first one.


Pumpkin Time


It's pumpkin carving time in Indiana again,
Also the harvest and the grinding of the sugar cane.


The time of year is here for falling leaves and Carmel apples.
We had cider and not all the flavored Snapples.


Candy corn and scare crows were to be found all around.
It was time for haunted houses and Ghost Town.


Some years were warm, others were cold.
The flu and viruses were uncontrolled.


Costumes, candy and parties were part of the fun,
But the main attraction was the great pumpkin which was always number one.

By Norma (Twi1ite@sbcglobal.net)

Hands on a Pumpkin Face

You unfinished playful pumpkin,
Hide your silly grin,
You’re a great surprise,
For a little boy named “Ben.”


He’s coming home from Buffalo
You’re going to be his window light,
To cheer him from his long ordeal,
We’re having a party for Ben tonight.