Fecund with Little Pumpkins

Taken on yesterday's bike ride:

Didn't realize how terrible the quality was until I got home (thanks, phone!) so maybe I'll swing back by before the big night and snap some better pics. 

Could someone tell me if there a way to admire Halloween decorations and take pictures without looking like you're casing someone's house?

Pumpkins Spotted!

Caught sight of the first pumpkins for sale in my area at my local Walmart Neighborhood Marketplace.

Very tempting to buy and carve some now, but jack-o'-lanterns don't usually last too long in Florida. The constant heat, humidity, and rain causes them to kind of... melt.  

It's just as well, I suppose. After all, I ought to be saving up my pumpkin cash for the Great Pumpkin Project!

100 days until Halloween 2024!

As I've previously said, I won't be building a yard display this year. 

BUT, I am still quite excited for Halloween, as always!  Let's ride out the rest of summer together as we look forward to the most magical holiday of the year

Edited photo from Halloween 2021

“McLean, Virginia, December 1978”

By photographer Joel Sternfeld - click to enlarge

Click here for the backstory

First Pumpkin-sighting

Spotted at my local Walmart Neighborhood Marketplace.

I have neither the space nor funds to be buying pumpkins yet.  I am trying to take my own advice and not FOMO-buy.  I have this creeping anxiety that I have to buy pumpkins right now to take part in The Great Pumpkin Project, or because if I don't buy some now, all the good ones will be gone by Halloween (a ridiculous notion).

I put a lot of pressure on myself to maximize my Halloween experiences every year. I get disappointed when I have a "light" season.  I've built up this reputation in my head and amongst my friends, family, and peers that I am the "Halloween guy". If I see anyone else doing "more" Halloween-y stuff than me, I get a bad case of Imposter Syndrome.

It's unfortunate that such a beautiful sight as the one above is filling me with anxiety about running out of time for my yard haunt, or not doing "enough" for the Halloween season.  It should be filling me with excitement! I really am trying to find a balance between filling my days with Halloween plans and riding the natural ebb and flow of the season.  

I know the season feels like it goes by faster every year, but it doesn't.  That's just what big box stores want you to think (but that's a topic for another post).  Trust me, don't worry like I do. 

Next time I go to the store, I'm gonna give one of these pumpkins a hearty *pat pat*. That usually puts a smile on my face.

Chickens carve a pumpkin

Actually a pretty cool result.

Click below to watch

(from @itsbreellis on Instagram)

The Orange Ones

And they- the orange ones, large and small

who all sleep in their earthly beds 

will soon wake and open their triangle eyes

once the primordial fire spreads.

Photo and poem by @Obscura_Hortus

Halfway to Halloween

May 1st means we're over the hump!  Better get cracking on those Halloween plans, it won't be long now... 

Give a comment if you'd like to share some projects you've already started, I'd love to hear about them!

Here's some fun art by @joekeinberger_art. I'd like to imagine this fella as a Halloween hobo, just passin' through on his way to October Country. 

Bucket-heads

Yard haunt by David T Janasiak in Caledonia Wisconsin.  I love how overgrown this looks.

Photos are from his Instagram: @dtjanasiak

October Nights

Pumpkin-headed ghosts and string lights.  Simply perfect. 

Beautiful photo by Adam Czarnik

Halloween 2022: The Carver

Beware of The Carver
On Hallowe'en Night.
A sharp knife he carries...
He's really a fright!

Don't let him catch you
With a shadow'd embrace...
He'll scoop out your seeds,
and carve you a face!

Turns out I was so excited to shoot video for this year's display that I photos kind of fell to the wayside... But I do have plenty of footage with even better angles.

Until I get that edited, here are the best of the photos I did take.  

I'm quite satisfied with this year's theme, and I think it really came together. As with every year, I learned a lot (#1: When taking photos, make a shot list!). There's things I'll do again and things I'll do differently, but at the end of the day, I'm happy with this one.

My neighbor has already greenlit me for next Halloween!  I better get started...

Thanks to everyone who's been following the blog and my Instagram, your continued interest and support mean everything to me!  

Click here for the 2022 Yard Haunt video!

ONE day until Halloween!

Carving pumpkins for the Haunt tonight! I can't believe it's already here

Sunny Smile

Fairly pleasant Fall weather following Hurricane Ian. Low humidity and tolerable temperatures.  

The Great Pumpkin Project: October 1st 2022

Happy October everyone! Kicking off the month with a GPP placement beneath a roadside oak. 

The road winds through an only half-developed area, so there are still many trees and plenty of dark spots, but it still has lots of traffic. I hope this guy brings someone a little Halloween cheer.

I won't have the time (or the cash) to participate every night this year, but I'll definitely do as many as I can!

If you want to know more about The Great Pumpkin Project or participate yourself, check out this post of mine and follow @GreatPumpkinProject on Instagram!