How do festivals translate across cultures?
Isn't it obvious what's happening here?
American's have some kind of squash fetish. I know I do.
They celebrate the miraculous appearance of faces in pumpkins.
Bigger is always better in America. Isn't it? Yum.
Until it's all consumed.
"Trick or Treat?
And, oh, by the way, I'm collecting for Unicef."
............
If you would like to read some of my ghost stories try A Spooky Tale of Treasure, Heavy Footsteps, Haunted Bells and Bowls, or the Dream of the Lost Souls series.
Happy Halloween!
The pumpkin photos were taken by me at the Circleville Pumpkin Show in Circleville, Ohio.
OK, the pumpkins with faces are a little weird. The things people figure out to do never ceases to amaze me.
ReplyDeletetoo cute!!! oh, and speaking of squash stuff - here in delaware there is this really really big deal thing called pumpkin chunkin' contests - yeah, a LOT of free time on the natives' hands here!
ReplyDeleteFantastic pictures! Enjoy these days while they're here. Some of my fondest memories about my daughter were centered around Halloween! & love those pumpkin faces.
ReplyDeleteThat pie is amazing! Hahahaha
ReplyDeleteLoved the pumpkin faces, and the cute little boy faces, too.
The pumpkin heads are really funny!
ReplyDeleteI wanted to let you know, I'm giving you the One-Minute Writing of the Day award for the 10/14 prompt. (I'm behind on naming winners and wanted to make sure you didn't miss it.) Congrats!
-C. Beth
The One-Minute Writer
Fun and interesting! your boys are so cute, I love that age.
ReplyDeleteThe squash obsession is here too, I can't get enough.
Happy Halloween!
Oh, I just saw you got a one minute writer award, I'll admit i don't know what that is, but it looks great and I wanted to say Congratulations!!
ReplyDeleteOh, how I love pumpkin pie...can't find any here in Japan...so so sad.
ReplyDeleteI love your geisha picture by the way! The obsession with blue eyes and blonde hair is still pretty much the same. That's why I like to dye my hair black! Not that I'm blonde... but everyone has their hair dyed a lighter shade of brown.
I have a squash fetish, too. LOVE SQUASHES!! Of all kinds, including and perhaps especially butternut squashes. I cooked one with risotto last night - delicious!!
ReplyDeleteHey you know why people carve pumpkins, right? Originally it was a western European way of honoring the dead. They used to carve turnips (I bet they were so cute!) The idea was that the dead could peer into our world for a little while through the carved turnips.
Bigger is always better here ... hence the pumpkins. Does this idea travel through other cultures? Don't ask me!!
Hello C. Beth, thank you so much for the award. I have put it with my collection. And the rest of y'all give it a try. It only takes a minute. Click on The One-Minute Writer award in my side bar and give it a try.
ReplyDeleteHi Tulsa, I used to buy cooked pumpkin in a can and make the pie myself while I lived in Japan. Here is the address of a great imported grocery store: Kobe: Kitano -- Kobe Grocers. 078-221-2838
This small corner store looks like it's been transported from small-town America circa 1950. The shelves are jam-packed with American and European brands seldom seen in Japanese grocery stores. *I'm so glad that you appreciate your beautiful black hair!
Hi Reya, thanks for the pumpkin carving info. Folks in Japan told me they do the same thing... they carve watermelons and make lanterns out of them. Somehow, I think it is a little different concept. I haven't really seen anything quite like Halloween anywhere else in the world. However, I have heard that visitors to our country are often terrified by the event if no one has warned them about it in advance.
Loved your pumpkins!
ReplyDeleteOnly in America
but I'm madly in love with them too.....
I will link to this site for tomorrow's halloween thing...
ReplyDeleteWow the pumpkins are enormous and I would love a bite from that big cake. Love the carvings
ReplyDeleteHere Halloween isn't that big yet. Only some the children go and do trick and treating. I've never eaten pumpkin before i lived in NZ. In Holland you can't buy any in the shops They just use them to feed the pigs
Have a great weekend
how I love pumpkins...loads of them.
ReplyDeletehappy to have discovered your site, am very interested in your business...off to read more!
What a great collection of pumpkins and photographs!
ReplyDeleteGreat post..I so love pumpkin pie..I've made a pumpkin cheese cake..Oh, yummy. Will post the recipe one of these days...
ReplyDeleteLove those pumpkins! Happy Halloween.
ReplyDeletePaz
These image collection is a lovely tribute to true Halloween spirit, wonderful storyboard too! I had to smile when I reached the half-eaten pumpkin, someone's having a feast, and I have never seen real pumpkin faces before. They must have created some see-through masks into which the pumpkin grew, or am I off entirely here?
ReplyDeleteHi Merisi,
ReplyDeleteYou are right on about the pumpkin faces. If you look to the left at the top of the image you can see the mold in which they were grown. The farmer told me that they start the pumpkin then put it in the mold for a week or so and then take it out so that it can get a good color.
I'm so sorry it has taken me so long to look at your Halloween post! Life interfers with my computer from time to time.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed seeing this so much! Fantastic photos! The pumpkin faces were amazing and a litlte creepy..lol!
I hope you'll visit my blog again wehnever you have a chance.
hey lady - just coming by to see what's happening at your place - have a wonderful evening!
ReplyDeleteThe pumpkin faces are striking. This is one day the pumpkins can call it their own, for the good or the worse.
ReplyDeleteOh thank you for the tip!!! I never thought about making myself...LOL
ReplyDeleteGreat pics! And you are right, there is something about Americans and squash ;)
ReplyDelete