Pumpkin Carving Party

Each year we gather together one afternoon, 

a few days before Halloween 

to scoop pumpkin guts and carve them into spooky Jack-o'-Lanterns.

The designs can be as elaborate or simple as you wish.

This is my Jack o'lantern I carved back in 2010 using a pattern and the nifty tools.

We've been collecting those Pumpkin Master patterns and carving kits for ages.  I'll pick them up on clearance after the holiday.  The tools work really good even if you prefer to do a more retro look with googly eyes and goofy grins.

I just love the way our front porch looks swathed in twinkling lights, faux cobwebs and adorned with all our pumpkins carved into jack o'lanterns with a candle tucked inside lighting them up.

Family and friends are welcome, the more the merrier! 

We extend the dinning room table to accommodate everyone and cover it with newspapers or an old plastic tablecloth, also purchased on clearance.

 That's one of my best friends and her 2 daughters when we were all younger.  Sometimes I make a big batch of chili or soup to slurp for sustenance while we all carve away, having a few laughs and listening to some Halloween themed music.

I'm crazy about heirloom pumpkins with all the vibrant colors and interesting shapes.  And we always take a sample taste of the raw pumpkin.  You should try it!  It tastes good.  Toasted pumpkin seeds are delicious and nutritious so I always bake a few batches while we're carving.

Don't the Jack O'Lanterns look amazing perched on our porches, grinning and ready to greet Trick or Treaters?

I just Love the green pumpkins with the traditional orange.  

That's my daughter, Emily, dressed as Ciel Phantomhive from Black Butler.  She did a wonderful job creating this costume using some of my old/ vintage clothes & shoes that she then embellished.

All the photos were either taken by me, my awesome sister, Mary Ann 

or my Lovely daughter, Sarah. 

Visit her blog, Lostvestige for more of her fabulous photos.

Highlights of My Week

I've been Watching:

Call the Midwife & Mr Selfridge on Masterpiece Classic on PBS

Such great shows!

OMG the season finales were so heartwrenching!   Tears for both!
But now they are over with and PBS will be airing Masterpiece Mystery! which I also LOVE to watch.

Poirot, Endeavour, Silk, Law & Order UK

and some new mysteries that I've never seen called The Escape Artist with David Tennant, aka The10th Dr! That should be interesting and also a show called Breathless that looks retro, sultry like Madmen.

Who doesn't Love a mystery?

I've Been Reading: 

Another book in the good mystery series by Ms. Atkinson that takes place in the UK.  I mostly read at bedtime to relax and get sleepy, part of my bedtime ritual.  You do have a bedtime ritual don't you?

I've been drinking:

collecting my inspirational Oprah quotes & trying to earn some Bonus Stars during the Summer Star Dash!

New Nail Polish:

Cute new scented line from Revlon in these adorable bottles.  Have you tried them?  I bought Wintermint for the obvious reason, I ♥ mint green and this one is a very Lovely soft green with blue sparkles, very mermaid and summery + it has a slight mint scent for 1 day.  I feel Like I need to collect some more of these!

 Blooming in My Garden:

 This is a shrub called Mock Orange that has gotten quite big and is covered with these adorable tiny white bell shaped flowers that are lightly sweet scented.

 Little baby peaches that look so fuzzy & cute!  This is the most fruit I've ever seen on this tiny peach tree.  I've been doing a bit of pamepering to it, feeding, mulching, trimming and such.  I even planted a fig tree next to it recently so it has a fruit bearing friend.  It just so happens that this one area of my garden receives the most sun so I'm taking advantage of that.

This interesting plant has many funny names but I've always known it as Jack in the Pulpit.  I have a nice clump of it nestled in with the hellebores next to the pond.  I first saw this unique looking plant when I was child  we found it growing in the woods way way way behind our house when we lived in the country.  Sometimes in the summer we would hike down the dried up creek bed, be gone for hours & hours exploring the fields and woodlands.  Do you remember that, dear sister?

This is Memorial Day weekend, the official kick off to summer and all the flag flying patriotic holidays coming up.  I found my American flag and hoisted it up so it can wave from the veranda again.  I think it looks nice while honoring all the soldiers that fought and died serving our country. Give a jaunty salute!

I'm looking forward to lots of summer parties, graduations, BBQ, get togethers, vacations and family visits.

I Love spending time on the veranda, 

sipping a cold drink, working on my blog...
or reading & waiting to catch a breeze.  If you're lucky it will be sweetly scented by honeysuckle or magnolia blossom which I think has a slight lemony scent.
In the evening, it's a good spot to watch for fireflies or...
                                                                 just sitting watching the world go by.

How are you spending your Memorial Day Weekend?

Thanks for chatting,
XO,
♥ Michelle