I didn’t get to the garden this weekend. There was too much going on Saturday, and Sunday was wet and cool. But I thought of some photos I took in late summer that I never shared because I wasn’t blogging.
The zinnias, joy and scourge of the garden, were such a lovely restaurant for birds, bees and butterflies.
The figs, not mine, were ripening on their tree.
And who can resist a sunflower?
But it’s fall now, and although it sounds like November outside with the wind and rain, it is still not Halloween. I had read about people carving all manner of vegetables, including turnips, for jack-o-lanterns. I did not have a pumpkin, but I did have a small acorn squash, which I thought might make a good little lantern. I cut the top off and carved out a good sized hole, emptying the innards. I gave it a nice face, plopped it over a votive candle in a saucer, and behold! A pointy-headed jack-o-lantern.
I gave it a little vent at the back, so the candle wouldn’t gutter.
And in the deepest dark, it really does gleam. I expect to enjoy it for a couple more nights!
Happy Halloween!
Happy Halloween to you too, Lisa!
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Thank you, Bruce. It really is the beginning of the slide into deepest fall…
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That is a very cute Jack’o’lantern Lisa. We don’t, as a rule, ‘do’ Halloween in this country – except for the kids who have climbed on the commercial bandwagon, but I’ve learned to appreciate it through my American friends enjoyment of it. I like looking at the books in your book case – such a wide selection! 🙂 And the zinnias and butterflies are gorgeous. The thought of fresh figs made my mouth water – wouldn’t that be something! ❤
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I need to get another votive in him and light it tonight! As for the zinnias, I miss them now, but they had their day this summer!
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How clever of you – a original style jack-o-lantern!
I’m sure the zinnias made many bees and butterflies happy. 🙂
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And me, too. I’m missing the bouquets!
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Great lantern! I admire your dexterity,.It is raining here too, but I do not mind it for now (providing it stops tomorrow )
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We had quite a storm, but a beautiful day to follow–hope you did too!
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Not yet
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Those zinnias sure earned their keep if they are attracting butterflies! There are figs on my trees too but they are still green. Happy lantern 🙂
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Glad to know you have figs forming. I love those things!
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Me too; I can’t wait to sink my teeth into the first fig of this season.
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Great improvisation, Lisa
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Thanks, Derrick!
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I’ll take these scenes/pix any time of year. Happy Hallowe’en to you.
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Thanks, Cynthia. It’s good to remember summer while snugging in for deep fall.
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It’s getting cold here now. We can’t complain – it’s been a very mild and sunny fall here.
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A Happy Halloween to you, too! Our autumn has been relatively mild. We had a couple of hard frosts, but nothing below 30, yet.
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It has turned crisp here, but so far been mild. Colors are starting to show in the trees. Time to snug in…
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We seem to be heading into an early winter here.
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Well, snug in with some of that pinot noir…
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Beautiful dear 🙂
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Hey, thanks for following!
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Welcome 🙋
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Lisa, I love your acorn squash carving. What a clever idea. Your summer photos are gorgeous. I never get tired of looking at sunflowers. Have you seen this Irish carving from the 19th century? https://www.irishcentral.com/roots/history/original-irish-jack-o-lanterns-were-truly-horrifying-and-made-of-turnips
That would scare anyone away. Happy Halloween
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I had heard a version of that story and seen some of the turnips. It used to be a much scarier holiday… As for that sunflower, I’ll be revisiting it for occasional looks in the next few months.
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I’m reading a book called Jitterbug Perfume, and beets (and turnips) are a staring role. It’s a quirky book, but captivating and well written. Do you know it?
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OMG. Tom Robbins. It is a hoot. I think I read it in my 20s amazed at the outsized libidos of his characters. There’s an ancient story line and a modern one, but I don’t remember a lot more…
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LOL! Yes, that does factor in. I’m just through three short chapters featuring Seattle, New Orleans and Paris, and now entrenched in the king’s second run for his life. Good fun!
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That is creative!!! I just ate mine for dinner tonight. I had a late meeting, so got home and it was still warm in the oven..next year, I should carve it-Great Idea.
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It was the perfect size. And I liked its pointy little head!
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me too! looked a bit like The Coneheads of saturday night live-LOL…
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I love the zinnia photos. And your little squash-o-lantern (although I admit my eyes were drawn to the books and I browsed your shelves).
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I miss the zinnias! Aggressive as they were…The little squash-o-lantern is looking a bit like a shrunken head. It will have to go into the compost tomorrow!
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Happy Halloween. In my youth (we are now taking fifty years ago) we used to carve swedes. That’s a rutabaga to you I believe, rather than a Scandinavian. Apart from American TV programmes I didn’t see a pumpkin until the mid-70s.
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That’s what I heard!!! Let me tell you a pumpkin would be easier that a rutabaga!!!
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Yes, I have trouble cutting swedes for stews, so the thought of carving one fills me with horror. 🙂
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Just like the carved one should…
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That should read “talking fifty years ago”. 🙂
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Happy halloween to you too!
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Ah, yes! The Lemon Jelly Cake! My mother read that book from a rolling cart when she was in the hospital when I was born. She later gave me a copy.
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Hey, thanks for coming by! I have that book because you told me about it.
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