Pumpkins

You may remember the saga of my pumpkins earlier this summer. Well, first of all, in case there is any confusion, let me tell you this is not one of my pumpkins.

I had my first pumpkin patch this year and it was looking quite wonderful in my backyard until the squash bugs arrived. They came one weekend when I was gone and destroyed my pumpkins before I had returned Sunday evening. I was not a happy camper about it. Frankly, I’m still not.

Before the arrival of the pests, I decided I would enter some pumpkins in the fair. I even did the paperwork online and printed it out. I was all excited. I did not expect to win anything, but I thought it would be fun to see my pumpkins there with the others.

Well, when I was at the state fair, I went and looked at the pumpkins. This was the grand prize winner and it was perfect. I mean, perfect. Beautiful orange color, perfectly curved stem, gorgeous. If somewhere in the back of my mind I had any delusion about one of my pumpkins netting any kind of ribbon, it was quashed. Soundly.

I was glad I had not forced this shame upon the two pumpkins I managed to save from the bugs. They may not be beautiful enough to win a purple ribbon, but I love them just the way they are.

And I’m mighty impressed by this perfect pumpkin. Very impressed.