Thursday, October 28, 2010

BUBBA JACK

Wednesday's little Art Project---the carving of Our Pumpkin---was changed up just a little---the Master of Carvery title was passed from Caro to Ganner, for she'd had a hard night at work, with loads of special orders, so she passed the torch (actually a new-fangled little electric pumpkin-carving whiz-bang which HE'D bought for HER). Parse that.

He suggested it, and was delighted, for he loves doing fun things with the Grands---we jokingly call me the Looker-Afterer, and him the Cruise Director. And showing a little child something special for the first time---that's an honor and a blessing.

We got started about nine a.m., with the breakfast table all cleared off and fresh white bags laid down to collect the debris.


First (with, I'm sure, our generations of pumpkin-carving forebears sending out a blanket sigh of resignation and dismay) they went to the Internet to find a pattern. Through pages of ghouls and ghosties and coyly arched cats and bats and moons, they persevered til they found what they were looking for: A plain old happy-faced Jack-o-Lantern, with goodwill toward all and nothing much on his mind:






He's all traced and drawn out (teeth added to the smooth smile by Ganner, who HAS to give a little tweak to the artistic process).

Herself, avidly helping and advising and reaching for pens, was given a small pumpkin of her very own, which she gravely considered from all angles, before drawing her own pictures thereon:


Chris laid aside the electric doohickey in favor of a little carving set we'd had since last year, still in the wrap. They must have had carving-with-kids in mind, for in addition to all the little orange-handled metal-sawtooth gizmos, there were three of perfectly safe plastic, almost like three versions of popsicle sticks, which delighted Small Helper.

But first, the ooey-gooey process of innards-removal---I'd figured any kid would have a wonderful time pludging around in those yukky pumpkin-guts, but ours RAN. And stayed away, whilst she peeked from between her fingers at the sight of her Ganner and me, as we plunged above-the-wrist into the unknown and emerged with dripping fistfuls of seedy goo.

All carved and candled:


Debris left in the operating theater:


There you have it---a Good Ole Boy pumpkin who will drive up and sell you watermelons off his truck. Or give you one. Or change your flat tire. That's what really lights him up.


And since he had a hat, Sweetpea's received a cute topper, as well---the lid from a container of candy corn. In all, a wonderful time. But it's just as well we serve our Thanksgiving dressing in a big casserole dish. I'd hate to have to stuff a turkey in front of That Child.

11 comments:

  1. Loved that huggable, loveable, squeezable profile of your precious Sweetpea! You are so blessed to have a Punkin Helper (even if she does shy away from "innards") And I would surely buy a watermelon from that Good Ol'Boy!
    Thanks, Rachel, as always you make me smile!

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  2. "...with godwill for all and nothing much on his mind." Love that! I know that there are all sorts of elaborate work done on pumpkins now. But nothing beats the simple jack! Besides some of those pumpkins take days to carve. I'm not about to spend that much time on something that will be at the rotting stage in a few weeks! I mean really! How smart to get her her own little pumpkin! It's fun, too, to cut eyes and noses and mouths out of duct tape and stick on. I know this was a sweet day for you all....even with the digging out the guts!

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  3. They both are so cute, sweetpea and good ol'boy. lol
    Patsy

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  4. Wonderful to read of sharing carving pumpkins after a couple of days of sharing with the aged mum! Now to get my Grand over here!

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  5. I'm not reading a future in medicine for that little sweetie. This is so cute.

    And, there is not pumpkin I like better than a Good Ole Boy.

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  6. What beautiful memories you and Chris are creating for your Little One. She is truly adorable, and her little personality is even more so (I loved reading about how she RAN when you started scraping the insides of your pumpkin). I know your heart spills over with love every time you look at her.

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  7. I love the jack in the hat -- the hat is the perfect touch! What a great old-school smiley punkin!

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  8. Thass sum punkin! Tell Chris that he might have the job for good now. He's done a wonderful job. We just got ours last night and cannot find the time together until THE DAY to carve. We'll be last minute-n' it. We got three big orange fellows and a little squat grey/green one - the kind I call a Cinderella pumpkin, but the pumpkin man says it's a SQUASH! And has lovely, orange flesh that you can cook and eat. I believe that he truly expects me to reenact the As The World Turns hubbard squash tradition. Not me, Buddy.

    Jessie-girl STILL won't touch the innards. Neither will Mike. That's Momma's job. Also raw chicken. But they handle the bugs, so I guess we're even.

    Mike and Jess do the fancy carving, but I like the classic Jack - triangle eyes and nose and a jaggedy smile!

    Happy Halloween to you all and your sweet girl!

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  9. Cute pics. Sh was grossed out by the innards, was she? Funny

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  10. We had a great time, but I think we're gonna have to cut one of the tee-ninecy pumpkins and cut out a new little set of square teeth---I've been lighting Bubba's candle every day, just for the atmosphere down here. When Chris came in the other day he exclaimed, "What Happened to his TEETH?? Did they fall off?"

    They'd dried over the several days in the heat of the little flame, and curved inward til they disappeared behind his upper lip!

    I think some little denture implants, stuck in with unobtrusive toothpicks, are in order.

    Sheila---I even SHOWED her pictures of your Jack, having such a great time with his hand in the pumpkin, (I KNOW he's her faraway Boyfriend, and once she called him her Brother) but she would not touch it.

    Maybe I should cut back a bit on the lessons about "Ladies don't . . ." and "Ladies always . . ."

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  11. Awwwww! Booful!
    Memories! We've gone from watching Grandpa carve a giant pumpkin he grew himself (age 2), to drawing for me to carve, and this year, she drew and carved her very own,and very competently too.

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