So, as you well know, the legend says something like, "gifts shall be bestowed upon whomsoever takes it upon thyself, to crown a scarecrow with a fresh pumpkin head, on all hallow's eve…"
The legend does state this, does it not?
(okay, so maybe I just made that up)
But here's the deal.
If you look upon pumpkin babies as gifts, then putting a fresh pumpkin head on your scarecrow in autumn (and not cleaning the seeds out very well), may or may not lead to a self seeded pumpkin vine in late spring/summer. Not common around here, due to lack of rain fall. However, if the seed happens to fall, get covered by dirt, aaaaaand, there is irrigation nearby.
Then, this might happen all on its own. A gift indeed!
And it did!
Right at the foot of the scarecrow, behind and almost under the hay bale, not one, but 3 vines self seeded (with the help of irrigation water going to the surrounding pecan trees).
Of course I was thrilled.
Maybe too thrilled. But who really cares? There isn't a cap on how excited you can be about pumpkins, is there?
Anyhow…
The punkin' babe growing on the hay bale still needs some time.
BUT!
The punkin' babe growing behind the scarecrow, is ready.
There are oodles of pumpkins that I planted, growing in many places.
However, there is something sort of enchanted, about the ones gifted by the Pumpkin King. Wouldn't you say?
So, here he is.
My first pumpkin baby of the year, cut off the vine.
Complete with curls.
I am besotted.
To me, pumpkins are very special.
Of course, they are as special as anything else that grows.
But, I guess, I have a tender spot for them in my heart.
Meanwhile, many of the hand planted babes are coming along….
Almost ready…
I am so glad that I planted a couple extra pumpkin patches later (the first ones were planted in March).
So, hopefully, there will be more babies popping up over the next couple of months.
Vines are growing up trees, curling into the bark, crawling over everything, flowering in all sorts of places…
I love where vines meet other growing delights, like English Lavender…
Rather perfect timing, all this pumpkin stuff. (I'll take more pictures to share, of the proper pumpkin patches etc.)
I have had some Halloween projects, and must finish up this year's greeting cards too.
So, rain and orange round babies, sure do help to inspire.
I have also been rewatching childhood favorites like Something Wicked this way Comes.
Oh and, have you seen, or read, Tuck Everlasting?
I LOVE it.
(It is all around great, and the cabin in the woods is beyond words)
(sorry, wobbly photographs I took, straight off the television)
And, since I am on the topic of movies that inspire.
One I watch every so often, although super sad, is Cold Mountain.
Yes yes, I know, everyone jokes me that I am like Ruby. funny. haha.
But, what I want to say is….
The part where the old woman in the woods saves Inman? (love her)
First of all, her house/wagon is music to my senses, but the little bells on her goats make me want to faint from joy. It makes me crazy with love, that little fairy bell on goatlings.
Isn't her wagon shackling wonderful?
Also….
I want a goat, but we can't get one.
It will eat us out of house and home, not to mention, garden!
🙂
OH, how I want one!!
And a teacup piggy or ten, too.
Well, I best be on my way…
Here's something pretty for you, from my garden…
In keeping with this orangey post…
Tea Roses.
See you sooner than soon!
Love, V
ps: We had a massive monsoon raintstorm last evening. You can't imagine the amount of rain that falls in mere minutes. It was grand! Miles and Matty go all out in the mud and water factor. You should have seen them, my goodnessssss.
I almost believed that legend, Vanessa! Almost. Maybe a “ye” or “thee” thrown around in there somewhere. : ) I can’t believe you have pumpkins already! I wish that just seeing a pumpkin would make me feel cooler. The humidity here is just draining. I was thinking about you when I read about that dust storm. What a scary thing to see pictures of. Enjoy your pumpkins!
Oh, Lucky us, we are not really in the dust zone area, but thank you soooo
much for thinking about us!! 😉 It is waaaay humid here now too.
But, I dont mind the curly hair. I am just glad it is normally so dry we
are jumping in vats of lotion 😉 High humidity regularly would
do me in, for certain! Warmest, V
Ohhh yummmm fresh pumpkin bread in the summer…now that is a treat!!!
Enjoy…
Sylvia
Love the pumpkin pictures. LOVE Something Wicked This Way COmes because Ray Bradbury is my favorite author. Him and Alice Hoffman are my top two. And Tuck Everlasting is magical. See if you can find more of Natalie Babbitt if you haven’t already. The book The Search For Delicious by Ms. Babbitt is also wonderful! And as for children’s literature have you read The Giver? You’d like it! :o)
Kathy
I thought for sure you were going to tell us last year’s pumpkin King was growing his own new head for this season.
So hard for me to picture anyone having ripe pumpkins at this time of year. We are lucky to get them in early October, except for the mini mini ones.
Never give up. There could be a pygmy goat in your future.
Those roses…
How nice! I once had a surprise pumpkin vine produce some super nice pumpkins that were decorations for just a short while and then they were some delicious pumpkin muffins. 🙂
I just recently saw Tuck Everlasting for the first time (hurray DVR)but I have never seen Cold Mountain.
A tad random, but I’m listening to it while I type. Have you ever listened to the Rose Colored Radio Show? Or anything by Emma Wallace? This one is particularly delightful and I think you might like it.
http://iamemmamusic.blogspot.com/2011/07/third-episode-of-rose-colored-radio.html
What wonderful pumpkins! You must be ‘blessed’ by the Pumpkin King himself!
For some kooky reason I thought of the movie ‘Legend’ with Tom Cruise, or maybe ‘Labyrinth’ with David Bowie…but he was the Goblin King…I love that kind of stuff!
Your photos sure remind me that fall is on its way…can’t wait! I have the book ‘Tuck Everlasting’ and I misplaced it before I could read it! I must find it, as I am running out of good books to read.
Next week…it is good-bye to Harry Potter. I do have tickets to the midnight showing where tons of people show up…it takes me back to the memories when people would line up at Border’s awaiting the next Harry Potter book in the series. BUT…J.K.Rowling DOES have some secrets up her sleeve with her Pottermore.com website coming up in October…and…July 31st is the date to sign up for more info on that. The site was swamped with people signing up early to leave their emails for more info.
Anyway, glad you had some more rain.
Ta, ta
Oh, you mentioned dreams a while back…I had a goofy one about you, after your post about being small and wanting to shrink among the garden fairies. I dreamt you and your mother were both three feet tall! It was a very silly dream…hee! hee! I dreamed more than that but I won’t post it here.
Have a lovely weekend,
Miss Teresa
Oh, did you mean pigmy goats…not piggy?
funny, funny….
I would LOVE mini goats, and teacups pigs. They are so cute!!!
Although teacup pigs, turn into pot bellied pigs, or so I hear!!
eeeks!
Oh, I love Cold Mountain and the Goat Lady so much! I wish I could have goats also. I do have and love my hens though!
Is it from one of my pumpkin vines? (Don’t think I would forget you said you would name some for me!) I love pumpkins too and you are so lucky to have such darlings already. Your garden is divine! I can’t wait to have more storms that are equally as large.
What a lovely surprise from the pumpkin king! I too would love to grow some but since i live in an apartment i can only settle for potted plants and flowers(love orchids!). Anyway, still can’t get over the Mad tea party I actually posted a thank you Blog Giveaway via my site!Its a thank you to all who visited plus its my moms bday we are celebrating it today. She would love to have her on own garden as well it’s her dream and I hope I can make it come true soon(working on it =)
my blog giveaway:
http://theweekendartist.blogspot.com/2011/07/blog-giveaway.html
Jealous jealous jealous!!!
How I wish I had grown some pumpkins this year…
Pumpkins are one of my favorite things. Halloween is one of my favorite holidays and autumn my favorite season, so it stands to reason. Seeing pumpkin plants reminds me of my pre-adolescent days and early teen years, working summers on a melon farm. We would work all the way to Oct. 31st, picking pumpkins out in the field and loading them on trucks for people to make into jack-o-lanterns and pies. I cherish those memories.
Tuck Everlasting is a great story. I’ve read the book and seen the film. Just the other day I was digging through our movies to watch it and couldn’t find it. I need to go pick up another copy of it.
How amazing to be able to plant something in March! Back then we had snow up to our bellybuttons.
Adorable pumpkins <3
I'm in Rimini, Italy, and will travel to Rome tomorrow and then to Paris, if you want to do some vicarious blog travel along with me! Sitting in my hotel room right now looking a little bit too pink.
All hail the great Pumpkin King who hath bestowed this great honor unto she who has not tinkling goats! 🙂
I think after you educated me about such things, oh pumpkin princess, that i only have ONE pumpkin on any of my vines so far too! EEKS. but the day is young. did i write day? i meant season…but, maybe that int right either…anyhoo pumpkins yay!
by the pricking of my thumbs something wicked this way comes is one of one FAVORITEST EVER EVER. 🙂 and i am soooo in the mood for all the magic of hallow’s eve-oh! that’s another good one, a little scary but good-the legend of sleepy hollow with johnny depp and christina ricci. 🙂
have a an orange-y kinda day! xoxoviixoxoroo
I am also gleefully watching my pumpkin vines glow, but in south central PA, I won’t be seeing any pumpkins soon. Reading your post brings my mind to my favorite time of year – and I can’t wait for your party. I am new to your blog, and I completely love it. Just made some Alice in Wonderland cookies for my niece and wish I had done it in time for your tea party.
http://theenchantedoven.blogspot.com/2011/07/alice-in-wonderland-and-special-friend.html
Hugs,
Lisa
I loved the baby goats! They’re so cute! And I am a big fan of pumpkins. They say Autumn is almost here and that is my best creative time. They also signal the start of the holidays to me.
Something Wicked This Way Comes is one of the best books.
Pumpkins are MOST amazing, indeed! A sign of great things to come!!! 🙂 Pumpkins, pumpkins, pumpkins – I get so excited for them, too!!! I wish we owned a goat, too. I love them. I oh and ah over them every time I meet them. I read so many Ray Bradbury books when I was young. I’ve never seen Tuck Everlasting, but I’ll check it out. 🙂 I did see Cold Mountain but it was oh so long ago. Thanks for reminding me of it. 🙂 Hope you are having a super lovely weekend! xoxo
Yes, I totally understand your pumpkin excitement! I adore them. Here in France I have already spotted generous sized orange globes nestled among the yellow blooms and oversized green leaves. There are in the allotments, in my father-in-law’s garden, on the side of the road.
Their shape flls me with joy, the dreams they fill my head with and I relish cooking with them too in Autumn.
This is my first visit to your blog and I shall be back. You have flair, dear Lady!;-)
I love the gift the pumpkin king has bestowed upon you. Makes you bestow your happiness upon us.
I love all the movies you mentioned. And part of me wants a cottage deep in the woods with herbs and veggies and fruits growing all around. But then what would I do without all the modernities I love (like my dishwasher, internet, Directtv?)
Cold Mountain is a wonderfully sad movie. We live in an area rich in Civil War history and many sites where the war was fought.
I’m just rambling. I’m going to go make a post about all the pretty things blooming in my gardens. But not a pumpkin to be found anywhere.
(Oh and I know you know how much I love Halloween I guess because its so close to my birthday)
Pumpkins already…..I’ve been dreaming of Autumn….this hot humid weather is more than I can stand. I just ordered Cold Mountain from Netflix so I can see this Wagon House….It looks dreamy.
lovely post, all the way around 🙂
article that appeared good enough to be read so that adds to knowledge when reading
As night arrived at half past a rake,
The pumpkin King rose with a shake.
And with a lil’ dance and a ringing slide-
He sang to all the pumpkins to come alive.
And as he sang a tune arose,
That told of a girl who danced on her toes.
She merrily danced across garden
And lawn, sparkling lightly well before dawn.
The pumpkins were delighted with such a sight,
The babies and biggies squealed with the night.
And then on the breezes whispering a light-
A band of fairies out of roses took flight.
All the flowers opened and petals set free-
Wee lil’ fairies flying on the whispering breeze.
The Pumpkin King sang to his brood under the moon,
And the fairies danced across pumpkin tunes.
When all of a sudden from out of the trees
Dropped candy dew drops and honey bees.
A silent shadow suddenly appeared, long and looming with a muzzle and large ears.
And there right beside it another shadow light, with a muzzle and tail wagging left and right.
Dancing partners for the King- 2 dogs, a stone frog, and fairies in a ring.
Oh this pumpkin patch did rock with dozens of pumpkins some known and not,
as they wriggled and jiggled and danced just the same,
“To be loved by V. is to reach pumpkin fame!”
And then with a bark it all quieted down and the evening carried on so very sleepy and sound.
Warm workings and magic from our pumpkin patch to yours. Opening the gardens lil magic doors.
Blessings to you Miss V.
Oh, I well remember all your pumpkins aplenty of last year! I didn’t realize they would start making appearances in the midst of sizzling summer, however! Oh, all this talk about pumpkins and Halloween and greeting cards . . . . We must all get to work right away on our prep for the upcoming fall/winter festivities. I have started, but once September hits, oh there is such a snowball effect, and time gets away from us soooooo. Ooooooh, and lavender. I love lavender. : )
ooooh how wonderful to be gifted such things. I love pumpkins too. Love the film cold mountain as well. Hugs Sara
Oh, so many, many wonderful things to respond to! The cottage is wonderful; a true dream come true. But that dream came through with hard work and persistence. I love your garden. It’s an inspiration. I just started a few small gardens last year on coastal Maine. I ate my first garden tomato tonight. I was silly excited about it. I noticed Linda Diane mentioned how much she loves lavender. I do too, and I am going to add lots and lots more to my garden. As for books, I teach 4th grade and Tuck Everlasting is one of my all-time favorite books. If you love that magical realism, I recommend reading Skellig by David Almond. It is dark and light, quiet and hopeful and moves between the magical and mundane seamlessly. The prose is poetic. A beautiful story. I almost forgot! I bought that issue of House Beautiful; my house is a tiny 260 year old cape. I worked hard to take it from dark and cramped to light, white, and fresh. I like the coziness of a small home.
OH Sarah, I ate my first garden tomato last night too!! Right off the
vine, standing in the garden under the moon!!! 😉
There is something about pumpkins that make the world right. Don’t you agree.
I have that same rose.
~elaine~
I never did see the movie, but the book Tuck Everlasting is one of my favorites. I read it over & over as a child. Perhaps I’ll have to get my adult self a copy to read & re-read this summer. ^-^
And you wee pumpkin baby from the Pumpkin King himself fill me with glee!!! =D Pumpkins are especially wonderful & I too have a special place in my green, leafy heart for them. ^-^
XOXO
I’m planning on making one and putting one of those pins that have shilouttee of a woman on it I can never quiet remember what they are called but I so adore them
My Heavens Sake! I’m WAY behind. I’m so far behind I may be ahead!
When ever I read about bloggers garden’s, especially yours, I think I need to extend my garden farther along my fence. Right now I have roses planted to close to a tree so they rarely bloom. I knew better but still had them planted there. Anyways, I want to extend my drip line farther and plant more stuff. You make pumpkin planting so easy, maybe I’ll try that. I’m just afraid of it taking over the whole yard. Katharine P.S. I’m thinking about a new silly video for the Halloween party.