Pumpkins

Some pumpkins come with personality. Others are given a personality. Here are a few shots of pumpkins in my neighbourhood. Happy Hallowe'en.

Pumpkins

Pumpkins, a photo by susanvg on Flickr.

I loved seeing these pumpkins climbing up the stairs. They speak of the combination of fall harvest and Halloween. I have fond memories of the pumpkins I carved with my children. We would usually shop together for the pumpkin. And then I would cover the table in newspaper as we cut and cleaned out  the pumpkin - I felt like I had pumpkin all the way up my arms as we scooped out the seeds. Then there was the aroma as we toasted seeds.



Across the street from these pumpkins sits an inflatable pumpkin pile. I just can't find the magic.

A Cat for the Season

A Cat for the Season, a photo by susanvg on Flickr.

I'm not into horror or excess. You can see another over the top Halloween display here. But this display strikes my fancy. I love the whimsy, the seasonal feel. Bring on the pumpkins and funny cats. Bring on the joy of children in costume!

But I won't be opening my door tonight - I did enough years of that when my children were young. No horror movies on my TV. I'll just sit with a good book and a real cat on my lap.

Too Much Halloween

Too Much Halloween, a photo by susanvg on Flickr.

Everything about our lives has become commercial. And it seems, in this case, more is better. It's hard to teach taste. I remember when my daughter was young, she loved abundance - if one china figurine was good, then eight was terrific. But she grew out of it.

I used to love Halloween - the notion of disguise and ringing the bell of the neighbours we knew. My kids and I would carve the pumpkin after first deciding on a design. We had a few store bought decorations, but would also make our own - cat silhouettes, ghosts and jack-o'lanterns cut out of black bristol board and taped to the window. We roasted the pumpkin seeds. Costumes were made from things we had, making the missing pieces with fabric, cardboard and whatever else worked.

Now Halloween seems to be about candy. I admit - I no longer answer my door. There are no young children on my block, so all who ring are strangers and they seem to get older and older - barely in costume, but with giant pillow cases ready to catch as many treats as possible. I do enjoy some of the less decorated homes - but creativity counts, not just quantity!

By the way - here is the same house last Christmas.

Market Madness

Market Madness, originally uploaded by susanvg.

As Halloween approaches the local market fills with pumpkins and crazy decorations. This year I've noticed more decorations that, though made with vegetables, are painted and shellacked. I love the way this one incorporates the vegetable display with the decorations.

I like the whimsy I see at the market - the creative ways they use the seasonal vegetables to create. The market always makes shopping more delightful.

Day 303: Ghouls

Day 303: Ghouls, originally uploaded by susanvg.

A number of homes in my neighbourhood have decorated for Halloween. No longer is a jack'o'lantern enough. Now people create elaborate displays. I like the ones that are creative, with scarecrow people and home-made decorations. The latest craze - large inflated decorations leaves me cold.

Halloween was simpler and fun when I was a child. My mother made us costumes or we improvised with what was in the house. We canvassed our neighbourhood, always carrying boxes to collect money for UNICEF - children collecting for children. There was a pharmacy at our corner and we always stopped there. The pharmacist requested a poem or song in return for which he gave us a 5¢ chocolate bar. I know I am dating myself.

When it was my children's turn, I made costumes; we carved the pumpkin together and sometimes created simple decorations we hung in the window. Then Hollywood seemed to take over as people put out more and more elaborate decorations and even rented costumes. Young adults put on, and sometimes pay for makeup with special effects. Fantasy turned wild. We all need some escapism from time to time, but I balk when consumerism takes over what should be a time for simple fun.