Show me your Pumpkins!

**Vivia** · 31-10-2009, 04:46 PM

Haven't had a Pumpkin for years but did this one with my OH today:

**Solunar Silver Studio** · 31-10-2009, 05:09 PM

Very good! I bet your fingers really ache now! I remember doing some for the kids in years past and beihg stunned at how hard pumpkins are!! Mine were nothing compared to yours! They were lucky to get 3 holes and a split with most of the insides still inside!!!

This dropped into my inbox this morning...10 Stunning Pumpkin Carvings ...good for a laugh!!

**Petal** · 31-10-2009, 05:44 PM

Well done Vivia with carving the pumpkin, they really are very hard work on the hands! I love the piccies of the carvings Bee. We used to live not far from the Slindon 'squash & pumpkin man' and used to regularly do our autumn walks past his place with thousands of the things. He did do a beautiful display and his son is carrying on the tradition, I think.

The pumpkin king's crowning glory - Telegraph

Funnily enough we are having pumpkin soup tonight - it is absolutely delicious with a hint of ginger and sherry ! oh yes, and maybe some garlic bread (naughty, but nice). We grew 4 this year and the heaviest one was 12lb. -There's not many soups left in the freezer now though....

xx

**lesley** · 31-10-2009, 05:48 PM

In my day it was turnips and not pumpkins.
I love the smell when the candle is burning inside.

That soup sounds deliciouso, Jules. Do you grow any other veg?

**Petal** · 31-10-2009, 05:58 PM

We grow loads and loads of the things... it certainly keeps me & my OH fit tending the garden. This year its been: leeks, chard, garlic, sweetcorn (a disaster, they were like rubber), shallots, brussel sprouts, pots, apples, cherries, pears, carrots, peas, french beans, pumpkins, strawberries, razzers, gooseberries, tomatoes, green chilly peppers, melons, cucumbers - oh and fennel. Bloody hell, having typed all that lot, that's a lot of veggies, isn't it!

It just seems to happen automatically, we have grown our own veg for quite a few years, but this year we have been pretty much self-sufficient. Our first crop of new potatoes tasted even more delicious as we waited for our own, covered in butter - bliss! .. sorry I'm a bit hungry, can you tell

xx

**lesley** · 31-10-2009, 06:02 PM

Wow!

I should grow my own veg (being a non meat eater) but the trouble is, I hate gardening. You have to do it regularly and remember to water things.

**Petal** · 31-10-2009, 06:41 PM

With most things, you just water very well once you put them in and they're off. Its the weeding that will hinder most veg, as they don't like a lot of weeds around their roots. You really should give it a go, they taste wonderful and as they don't get sprayed they are much better for you.

xx
oops off for dinner now...

**Emerald** · 31-10-2009, 07:04 PM

well here are the kids pumpkins and my soup lol, the things i take photos of! xx

**Vivia** · 31-10-2009, 07:16 PM

Barbara my hands are feeling a little on the achey side- but nothing a dose of chocolate (or wine, whichever comes to hand first) won't cure!

Emerald, the pumpkins and soup look lovely- obviously a creative family

I wasn't sure when doing ours today which bit you have to put into the soup- I know it sound silly but most of the seeds were sort of inter-mingled with the flesh, so I wouldn't know how to get much out of it...

This is clearly why I' not a domestic goddess....

**Petal** · 31-10-2009, 08:32 PM

You just remove the outer skin, save the seeds to roast with salt (they are delicious, or you could save them and grow pumpkins)... and just use the rest in a soup... minus the candle wax, of course

That soup looks lovely and the pumpkins look really cute

xx