Pumpkin picking

I'm a little backlogged on blog posts. I want to post more photos from our hike and more photos from Wheeler Farm. But for now, now I'm going to post something I've been looking forward to doing since May.

In March or so I mentioned to my Grandma Barbara that I wanted to grow pumpkins in our backyard for James. She, sweet as she is, made sure to add "giant pumpkin seeds" to her next grocery list.

In May I planted the little hard teardrops. In June James and I watched them sprout and grown. July I watered them each day, and come August we tenderly cared for our four pumpkins.

And today, after waiting two months from them to turn from a dark deep yellow to a brilliant intense orange, we picked them. James was more thrilled about the wheelbarrow rides back into the backyard for another load than anything else.

That's ok though, I think we'll grow pumpkins every year. One day soon (next October?) picking and carving them will be the highlight of the Halloween season (and trick-or-treating of course!).

Above, pumpkin sitting. And they are really bright orange. A totally different color than grocery store pumpkins.
Fall colors.

Two harvested, ready for the front porch.
Two more.
Best part is the wheelbarrow rides back into the backyard!
Four huge pumpkins. We'll carve a little closer to the holiday.

And a special pumpkin we won't carve. I used a nail and scared the flesh of this pumpkin when it was still quite young. As it grew, the little name James wrapped around its now big flesh.