Halloween with the Apples
Call me easily amused. But I’m really enjoying Halloween this year.
We follow the same routine every October. But, for some reason, I decided to shoot our pumpkin preparation this year.
Sharon always takes care of step one — cut out the insides — before I decide on a face.
This year, however, we were blessed with a particularly strange set of shapes. I thought I’d play off the stems to form misshapen noses. We’ve talked about this but we’ve never actually tried it before.
I asked Sharon to hollow out the largest pumpkin from the top down — as usual — but to turn the smaller ones on their sides. She took care of all the sloppy stuff Monday. So as soon as dinner is over Tuesday night, we are ready to begin.
I always sketch out a few faces. I try to play to the shape of each pumpkin. To me, a pumpkin looks sad or frightened or playful even before I touch them.
Once I decide how to bring out each pumpkin’s natural face, I take my Pentel pen directly to the pumpkin’s face.
I used to carve them myself, but long ago, I found I developed such severe hand cramps that I’d lay whimpering in bed for days afterward.
Not really. But damn, it’d hurt.
Sharon, apparently, has much more hand strength than I do. So she not only carves the pumpkins, but also she does it quickly, cleanly and without snapping knife blades.
Therefore, I design and she carves. That way, there’s much less whimpering.
I get a little unnerved watching her work. She enjoys using a knife a little too much — if you know what I mean. Sharon and Lorena Bobbit may have a lot in common.
Observe her unbridled glee as she jabs her blade into the pumpkin’s eye. Believe me, you don’t ever want to piss off my wife.
Sharon takes a break, from time to time, to roast pumpkin seeds in the oven.
I’m not much of a pumpkin seed nut. But Sharon and Elizabeth love ‘em.
Even Mr. Spock, our cocker spaniel, loves pumpkin seeds. “Give me some, Mommy…”
Sharon gives Spock a treat, but not before humiliating him by making him dance and beg — much like the Platonians did the real Mr. Spock in episode 67.
You’ll notice the absence of my daughter, Elizabeth. She decides she has to wash her hair, so she spends the entire evening giving the hot water heater a workout.
Or, perhaps she saw the camera come out and smelled a blog entry.
When we’re all done carving and baking the seeds, it’s time to clean up. Here, Sharon checks the prostate of the poor little fellow on the right.
The expressions on the pumpkins are dramatic and amusing — so mission accomplished.
But how will the pumpkins play in the dark? It’s time to light the candles.
Not bad. Not bad at all.
It’s a shame Halloween only comes around once a year.
On the other hand, I’ve not actually tried carving a face in a bunny rabbit. Or a turkey carcass.
I hope your own Halloween will be a fun one. Go give out some candy!
October 31st, 2007 at 9:46 am
Thank you for the pictures of Mrs. Apple carving pumpkins. Will you come an help us do ours next year?
October 31st, 2007 at 1:35 pm
I was listening to BBC’s “All Things Considered” and apparently, a Celtic celebration devoted to Pomona, goddess of apples, is one of the major historical roots for the holiday.
So I guess this would be Apples celebrating apples?
(Posted from my Apple)
October 31st, 2007 at 2:52 pm
A few years ago I was in Moldova (yep, check the map. It’s a country) and my local co-worker decided to invite the resident Halloween expert–me– to her kid’s pumpkin carving party.
Seems she’d been in the US during Halloween and wanted to import a bit of it back to Moldova (yep. already told you. It IS a country).
When the carving began I went outside to check everything out. I saw this: Parents talking in groups; small kids with big knives.
I don’t have kids so that usually works against me when trying to give advice to parents.
But I couldn’t help myself. I said to the one standing closest “That’s a pretty sharp knife. You think we should, uh, help him?”
“No,” said the parent. “They practiced yesterday.”
November 2nd, 2007 at 12:59 am
The Apples do gourds.
Priceless.
Well, except for the part about the teenage daughter being embarrassed by her parents. I am living that part of life now.
Godspeed and good luck.
And I would bet she loved the pumpkins if she “hadn’t had sooooo much homework or hair to wash.”
I think the part I like the best is measuring the gourd to the face. Using the stem worked very well. I think Sharon selectes pumpkins to give Charles a challendge.