An Autumn Story…Mr. Pumpkin’s Hide Away

Leaves are falling from the trees and Autumn Gold is here now all ablaze as we wait for

Winter White’s snow.

Only the pumpkins dot the garden with their orange color…round, oblong, big, small, medium…

So many sizes of pumpkins in abundance everywhere.

Summer Blue planted pumpkins this year in her garden and just before she left and before Autumn Gold

arrived, she told me this story about one smart, special pumpkin.

 

I thought you would like to know about Mr. Pumpkin and his Hide Away but before I reveal Mr. Pumpkin’s story at the end of this G.A.B., I want to share some important facts with you about pumpkins.  

Be sure to read “the end” for Mr. Pumpkin’s story.

Did you know that raccoons like pumpkins to eat?  So do cows and many other animals.  I am sure it is because of how nutritious and good pumpkins taste.

Keep this in mind because there is more to this story about raccoons and Mr. Pumpkin.  

But first, even though Summer Blue has left and gone away, she and Autumn Gold asked me to share some Fun Food Facts about pumpkins from the Science Kids website:

Pumpkin Facts for Kids

Enjoy our fun pumpkin facts for kids. Learn a range of interesting information about everything from pumpkin seeds to jack-o-lanterns.

How large can pumpkins grow? Are they a fruit or vegetable? What are some different ways we eat pumpkin? Answer these questions and much more with our fun pumpkin facts for kids!

Pumpkins are usually orange but can sometimes be yellow, white, green or red. The name pumpkin comes from the Greek word ‘pepon’, meaning ‘large melon’. Pumpkins have thick shells which contain pulp and seeds. Scientifically speaking, pumpkins are a fruit (they contain seeds) but when it comes to cooking, they are often referred to as vegetables. Pumpkins are usually shaped like a sphere (ball). They vary in weight but an average sized pumpkin might weigh around 13 pounds (6 kilograms). Giant pumpkins can be grown for competitions, with some weighing over 1000 pounds! (450 kilograms). In 2010, the world record was 1810 pounds! That’s huge!! Pumpkin plants feature both male and female flowers, with bees typically being involved in pollination (the transfer of pollen). Over 1 billion pounds (450 million kgs) of pumpkin are produced in the US every year. As a food, pumpkin can be baked, roasted, steamed or boiled. Pumpkin soup is popular, as are roasted pumpkin seeds. Pumpkin pie is a sweet dessert that originates in North America and is traditionally eaten during harvest time and holidays such as Thanksgiving and Christmas. Pumpkins are popular decorations during Halloween. A carved pumpkin illuminated by candles is known as a ‘jack-o-lantern’. The tradition is believed to have come from Ireland, where they used to carve faces into turnips, beet and other root vegetables as part of the Gaelic festival of Samhain. 100 grams of pumpkin produces around 26 calories of energy.

(From the onegreenplanet.org website)

You will like visiting the links below:

Though it’s unofficial and the methodology is highly unstructured, we’re going to go ahead and officially confirm the hypothesis that people are cray cray for pumpkin. But this pumpkin passion isn’t relegated to mere humans! Animals like them too, which provides us with such adorableness that we kind of can’t even.

So, munch away furry friends! We’ll be right over here

(Great recipes here made with pumpkin) doing the same thing!

These Animals Are Just As Crazy About Pumpkins As You Are

Here is Mr. Pumpkin’s story

Just before Summer Blue left her garden, she went to find a special pumpkin.  

When she got to her garden, the special pumpkin she went to pick had been eaten by the raccoons who come visit her garden at night.

Summer Blue was surprised and sad because she had wanted to carve the pumpkin to sit on her porch for the holidays .

Summer Blue stood there wondering what to do now when something caught her eye…something orange was hiding behind the place where the other pumpkin had met its doom.

She looked longer and deeper and saw that Mr. Pumpkin had quietly rolled into a “hide away” where he couldn’t be seen by the raccoons.

Now, that is one smart pumpkin Summer Blue thought to herself.

She parted the leaves, branches, and ground cover to discover a brilliant, large pumpkin waiting to be picked by her.

I will name you, Mr. Pumpkin, said Summer Blue with delight.

She took Mr. Pumpkin and sat him in a corner where she hid his face from sight.

You definitely won’t be a pumpkin carved that is full of fright…I shall carve your face appropriately…sunny and bright.

Mr. Pumpkin’s face  is yet to be revealed so watch and before the Autumn Gold Holidays, Summer Blue will take his picture for us all to see.

Keep checking in for…Mr. Pumpkin’s face…a face that’s yet to be.

Happy Halloween and Thanksgiving from Mr. Pumpkin who is now waiting to debut soon for you and me.