October holiday

At my front entryway
there is 
no pumpkins to be carved

Carving a face pumpkin was
so enjoyed by my
late husband.
Since his passing there 
are only decorative pumpkins. 

A friend recently visited and brought me three miniature pumpkins she grew in her garden. She shared that the seeds came from a pumpkins she was given. Perhaps I will save seeds to plant in my garden next year. With some searching the name of this miniature pumpkin is Jack Be Little*.

*Each flattened, deeply ribbed 

fruit measures only 5cm (2") tall

and about 13cm (5") across the top. 

If cured fully on the vine, 

the fruits will last as ornaments 

for as long as twelve months! 

Jack Be Little makes perfect 

little bright orange pumpkins 

for fall decorations, 

and each plant produces 

up to eight fruits.

One of my long time local friends celebrates her birthday on this holiday. She has had Halloween parties in the past where she encourages everyone to wear costumes. I recall Dwight often attended while I stayed home. Since I am naturally a very early riser I go to sleep quite a few hours before my late husband did.

When we as youngsters of course we use to canvas our neighborhood for candy and other offered treats. My mother use to make candied apples to hand out or sometimes popcorn balls. Either were deliciously tasty! When we lived in two different Iowa towns all the kids flocked to our house early for their Halloween "trick or treat". They did not want to miss out on whatever my mom made that year.

For all of you birders out there, I have recently read a fabulous book. The title is Better Living Through Birding: Notes from a Black Man in the Natural World by Christian Cooper. which I highly recommend reading. I must confess that I kept National Audubon Society The SIBLEY Guide to Birds (written and illustrated by David Allen Sibley) within easy reach to look up the birds he mentioned as he often traveled about our planet, Mother Earth.

Asarum caudate
(Western wild ginger)
along the North side of my house

While hanging clothes out on my retractable clothesline earlier this month I looked at the plantings along the North side of my house. There in all it subtle glory was a flower on the Western wild ginger that my friend in Pt. Reyes Station invited me to dig up. Not wanting to have only one I dug up two clumps. One of the clumps is quite challenged where it is planted. Hopefully next year it will have settled in more and also have a flower blossom.  

As this October holiday arrives may we each enjoy a belly