I saw this pumpkin my cousin’s daughter carved and thought it was absolutely charming. Then as I studied the glow coming through the carved nooks and crannies, it appeared haunted and alive with the expectation of Halloween.
Thank you to my cousin’s daughter for permission to post her little masterpiece.
How about your house? Will it be haunted? charming? both?
Update on the “limoncello”. It’s turning more yellow every day.
Whether it’s haunted or charmed, I won’t know! I’m in McAlester, Oklahoma, heading to Kansas City to visit my aunt and I’m about to experience a real cold front! It’s going through OKC in an hour, and I’d best shut this down and go find some warmer clothes in the trunk of my car!
The jack-o-lantern is marvelous! They surely have improved on the art since we thought triangle eyes and a snaggle tooth were their height of Halloween creativity!
Oh, safe travel. A cold front? I wonder if it will come here within the week. My recollection is usually it’s finally cold around Halloween as I seem to remember the girls needing coats that hid their lovely costumes.
Closer to charming than haunted, I’d wager, but just barely! Then again, there’s enough “creepy” on my neighbor’s front porch for a whole block.
The most charming one at your house will be “Li’l D” dressed as a pirate I seem to recall. Remember mama, act scared, delightfully scared.
BTW, I wish I could create such wonders with a pumpkin and a carver!
Aren’t these amazing all the creations folks carve with a really sharp blade? A former secretary in our office used to carve the most amazing likenesses of people just from a photograph. I was astonished at what she created and that she was moved to do it! Halloween can bring amazing creativity. I’m with you. I wish I could be so talented.
That’s an amazing Jack-o-lantern – your cousin’s daughter is very talented. I guess our house is charming – no scary things: just pumpkins, mums, corn shocks and a few stalks of cotton. I’ll share a photo of our fence tomorrow!
I’m looking forward to your post tomorrow. Your daily journal takes us so many places, especially the places of the heart. btw You know you inspired the title, i.e. Barn Charm. Thank you.
Oh, it’s nothing but charm up in my hizzle. (even I don’t know what I mean by that)
My kids and I are creating little bats and ghosts later today to put in the windows. We’ll have pumpkins lit on the porch and spooky cobwebs in the trees. I love Halloween. Hopefully we won’t get that hurricane. Can they cancel Halloween?!
hizzle? hurricane? What? But one thing’s certain, it’s that time of year again…don’t you love it? You leave me spinning with questions. You are already having fun at your house! I think it would be fun to climb a tree to place the cobwebs. shoreacres commented she’s facing a cold front on her road trip north of here…ooo…cool crispness and I’ll really know it’s fall. btw Here’s some Halloween season irony…she got FP’d this morning and is on the road. Question: How does one handle that?
I am so hoping this hurricane doesn’t ruin Halloween. My kids really have been looking forward to it for months!
Congrats to shoreacres! She’s on the road, huh. Figures! I would think once she’s back home and on a computer, she can catch up to all the comments.
Oh, I hope it does its thing and dies out before next Wed. We can’t have hurricane Grinch steal Halloween! Thank you for the heads up regarding the hurricane. That news took me by surprise. My brother and sister are south of you on the VA coast so I’ll definitely follow.
Georgette – I didn’t know your brother and sister were in VA! Are they near Va Beach?
No, they’re right out of DC, further up from you–Alexandria and Springfield. I know, I need to make a visit and perhaps dip down to meet you sometime. Perhaps my sister or nieces could drive me. I would also, love to meet other blogging friends in your area.
That would be so much fun! Just let me know, and I’ll gather all the local bloggers that I know!!
It makes me dizzy to think about coordinating schedules–my sister’s (she’s travels frequently), my brother’s (I would want to see the girls), my nephew who also travels a lot and then my schedule! The first part of January, spring break for me or between mid May and June. I’ve told Rick, it’s time to go back East. I’ll definitely let you know.
Thanks for making me move on this…perhaps 2013 will see it happen.
And Me!!!!!
And you!!! I think you are closest to my sister and brother–and, you may be relieved to know, I think her political views may be aligned with yours.
I just don’t comment on yours–but, I will say–they don’t offend.
Glad that they don’t offend you. My readership is much smaller these days! But I have this soapbox and things keep happening making me stand on it!
It does sound as though it would be difficult to coordinate everything, but I sure would love to meet you!
Excuses, excuses (mine)…but it will happen.
I would love to meet everybody.
wow…what beautiful talent…. just a lovely but cute home made wreath on my door and 7 new mums around on porch until after holiday, then to make them have a permanent home at the little house on the praire.
Awww…cute is nice! Are your mums yellow, golden, orange?
she did an excellent job!
Thanks, Theresa. I hope she reads this!
That’s quite a masterpiece! Our Halloween decorations are very modest — just a big fat pumpkin sitting next to the front door. That might be just as well based upon the weather forecast.
BTW, I’m near Fairfax — which isn’t far from Alexandria or Springfield. Would love to meet you if you visit Northern Virginia!
haha–We’ll have our perennial pumpkin. It’s ceramic and we’ll light it up with a votive candle. We’ll also have one of our over-sized scarecrows staked in the front yard. (smile)
Oh my…I better start planning a trip back East within the first six months of 2013. I would certainly let you know if/when I’d be coming out. What fun! I would love for you to meet my amazing sister, too. She just might have some post fodder for you as she deals with China often.
Love those pumpkin design sheets. They make the job so much easier. As for my house, it is going to be cute but it really is haunted.
A bit of both then? Does rumbleycottage have a mystery?
No, although some kids have seen a little girl in the house. I have heard animals when none were around. The old music teacher used to live in our house and I think she hangs around as well.
Have you posted about such happenings? Is your house old-older? I think that would un-glue me a bit to have other spirits popping in and out. Fascinating–rumbley.
Aren’t those patterns for carving pumpkins something? Way more interesting that the faces we used to carve as kids.
I love that kids and big kids are inspired to make a little work of art. I’m not sure I would have the patience. A mistake would cost you the whole pumpkin.
What a great haunted house. I lived in one growing up and it looked just like that!
As for my house, nah, it’s boring and modern. If I’m lucky it will be clean on Halloween!
Why clean? The trick or treaters just want to see you open the front door with a big bowl/pumpkin of candy.
They don’t come here. We’re in the middle of nowhere ;(
I’m not far from Dianna, and I’d love to meet you, too. That’s a Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!
Such talent! Nothing scary at our place.
Fraid we don’t do the scary sounds or dress in black with painted faces either. I would love to go back East and include all you not so scary folks in VA on the itinerary. I have to plan–when right now.
Halloween is my favorite holiday and we usually do a lot of decorating but we just moved and don’t have the energy. We’ll be lucky to get costumes together in time.
I forgot to start my limoncello! This weekend for sure.
Have a Happy Halloween — the boys will see to it, I’m sure.
It is turning more and more yellow. I think I may keep the lemon header up until I unscrew the bottle. btw That’s important– don’t unscrew the bottle or it will set the progress back. For us late starters, we need every day.
Do it (the limoncello). I want to figure out how to post a little picture post of its progress.
Such a beautiful pumpkin carving. Nice job on the part of your cousin’s daughter. As for me, I have a few decorations up, but with no kids in the home anymore, Halloween is no longer a big deal for me. Though this will likely change should I ever have grandchildren. Someday.
Holidays-even Halloween-remind us to decorate. We’ll have our ceramic pumpkin and then after Halloween, out with the scarecrows all over the house.
Grandson is excited to be Mario dressed in blue overalls and a red hat! It will happen all too soon, Monica, and you’ll love it! My husband and I had girls–and now we have grand baby boys! Go figure.
Neither of my kids are ready, though now that my son is living with his girlfriend, and they’ve been together for almost two years, I’m hopeful. I know it’s still a ways off, but Im really looking forward to the day.
Super cool pumpkin! When our boys were little, I delighted in helping them create a spookly outdoors for them and all the other tricker-treaters. Now that they’re grown, my decorations have taken on neighborly feel — nothing too spooky, just warm & inviting so that area ghosts & goblins aren’t afraid to come up my walkway. The best part of Halloween is talking with all the excited little ones at the front door, including the grands!
I can’t wait to see your finished Limoncello product
MJ
It sounds so inviting. If you were in our neighborhood and grandson too, I would love to walk up to your door.
ooo–the limoncello is progressing. I should take weekly photos. I give the bottle a shake every now and then for the rinds to rise and settle around differently along the bottom.
What a talented artist! I love the glow through the carved out window. I’m more of the charming decorator I suppose. I love pumpkins, gourds, carved jack-o-lantern, mums, dried corn stalks, hay stacks, leaves across the mantle. And they can morph into Thanksgiving – with the exception of the jack-o-lantern – which I feel gets seriously overlooked in the race toward Christmas.
Your place sounds ready for Halloween and as you said, going into fall. I saw some dried cornstalks on Dianna’s site, and they really add texture. By next weekend at our house the scarecrows will be scattered around the entry, living room and dining room. I can’t wait for Thanksgiving to see how much grand baby #2 has grown. We don’t have plans to drive up any sooner. Daughter says he is over 10 lbs. now.
I think it’s charming. Your cousin’s daughter is very artistic. To make someting like that requires talent, creativity and patience. She did an awesome job. I wish there was a way to preserve it forever for others to appreciate although in a way, you already did through your post. Happy Halloween and best wishes!
I’m glad I included it in my blog posts, IT so the family can scroll back to see it. Like sand castles, snow and ice sculptures, it’ll be gone soon, but the memory and photo will be clear. Thanks for commenting on our bit of pumpkin charm. Have a great Halloween Wednesday with the family.
Your cousin’s daughter’s carving is indeed a masterpiece. So elaborate. Being haunted over here? No, Halloween is not a traditional thing in Norway – although some people have picked up on this tradition also here.
Thank you, Otto. Didn’t she do a great job? She says you need a sharp knife/blade–still, I wouldn’t have the patience with the thick skin of a gourd. You must know so much about the traditions and customs of many–you are such a global blogger.
We don’t do a pumpkin anymore and don’t have any children coming to our street. People drive from miles around to a neighborhood nearby to trick or treet. Streets where we usually walk the dog and perhaps pass one other dog walker, are so packed with cars and people we sometimes have to pick up the dog to walk through. It’s crazy!
Oh my! I guess they have the best treats in town. Our neighborhood is “older” now so we don’t get as many children as we used to.
Spookalicious, Georgette. I’m with you. We don’t get many kiddos anymore. More chocolate for me…like I need it.
Exactly, more chocolate for us until Christmas…then Valentine’s…then Easter…then my birthday…I am hungry for chocolate about now!
I’m so impressed with the charming carving! My daughter–sigh–loved designing pumpkins when she was living here and younger. Now I just toss some orange and green ones in a tumble on the porch and call it a day! ( I love to cook, but am NOT handy with a carving knife!)
You’re so funny. I’m sure your pumpkins/gourds arrange themselves quite nicely when you toss them out on the porch.
Married daughter #2 is such a decorator. I miss her talents around here, but love to receive the latest pictures of grand baby #2. Can’t wait to see them at Thanksgiving!
Happy Halloween to you this evening!