Early this evening, my chosen pumpkin, "Roy," will make the ultimate sacrifice for the upcoming holiday. He will be carefully scrubbed of all dirt-from-the-field, and then the cap circle will be drawn. Then I shall get out the same small knife and flat-bladed ice cream scoop to do the necessary evisceration (a pile of newspapers also, of course). I shall clean him out and scrape him clean and let him sit until tomorrow (this will soften the rind a bit, and make him easier to carve). I have the parrafin ready to melt with which to stick in his (orange) candle for his first night of glory Friday night, then another for Saturday, and a third for Sunday. Happy Hallowe'en, everybody! And especially Mr. Bradbury!

If you cut the circle from the bottom of the pumpkin and punch a whole for smoke on the top behind the stem you'll not get the warping of the cap that has spoiled many a pumpkin.

jkt, I like the warping, especially as Roy ages and develops character!

quote:

Originally posted by Viktoria:
jkt, I like the warping, especially as Roy ages and develops character!

You know best. I'm the type who smears the cuts with Vaseline to keep in the moisture. Then I dust the inside with allspice to get that pumpkin pie smell going while the flame is lit.

Somebody sounds like an expert.

quote:

Originally posted by Doug Spaulding:
Somebody sounds like an expert.

Did the Dremel and the woodcarving tools give me away?

Dremel is a good word.

j, I know that one about the vaseline, and had considered it, but decided against it. I want Roy to age and collapse and draw gnats and drain liquid and all that-- However, the suggestion about the allspice sounds good--I think I'll do that this year! Thanks for the tip!

quote:

Originally posted by Viktoria:
j, I know that one about the vaseline, and had considered it, but decided against it. I want Roy to age and collapse and draw gnats and drain liquid and all that-- However, the suggestion about the allspice sounds good--I think I'll do that this year! Thanks for the tip!

If you don't have allspice you can use cinnamon...some much prefer it. I wish I'd age gracefully like Roy will.

Geesh, you guys are making me change my mind about that pumpkin I got for pies...maybe it should be a cinnamon-allspice jack-o-lantern. I guess it could still be a pumpkin pie after that....

fanboy, I had read long ago about people who recycle their JoL into a pie. I guess you could do that if you take it inside immediately after the Day, but if you leave it out too long, the gnats will come, and the prospect of making something edible out of the JoL doesn't sound too appetizing LOL. (Roy is at this moment sitting in my kitchen, candle inside, waiting patiently for evening--)

Mog the Dog here.

Sounds like you're all set for Halloween, Viktoria.

I took a plastic pumpkin that had been sitting in an attic box since the 1960s, cut a hole in the bottom and slipped my head through:

http://home.comcast.net/~brickpig/lop/halloweenmog.jpg

I'm all set, too.

MTD

You look really cute, Mog! At this moment, Roy is burning for All Saint's, and tomorrow I shall insert another candle for All Soul's. I believe in getting my money's worth out of him! And, as I always do, I once again read "Tricks! Treats! Gangway!" and let Mr. Bradbury take me back to that very special Hallowe'en of 1928--