Trick or treat

In retrospect, perhaps I got carried away.(That was my costume. I was a farmer. I don't think my greatly exaggerated freckles show up in this picture.)


The outfit was within the bounds of normal Halloween excitement. But the $25 of candy? The multiple jack-o-lanterns offset by seven other enormous pumpkins? The candle-lit walkway? The three hours I sat outside freezing my pigtails off waiting in vain for just-one-more trick-or-treater?

I forced a roving gang of college kids to take fistfuls of candy. Three different times.

What happened to trick-or-treating? It used to be the highlight of the season for me when I was a kid, and damn it, it still is now. But I guess these days kids have better things to do - like sit at home and watch TiVo - than to trek up and down cold streets and earn their snack-sized Kit Kat bars. (Oh, yes - I give out the good stuff.)

I did document the few kiddos who came my way (er, some I had to chase down the street and beg to come my way). And here for all to enjoy, are their getups.

Notes from afar - er, Medford

(This update courtesy of Erik, my husband:)

"Just your garden variety update"

After having a garden, I guess you'd think differently about that aphorism huh? hardly means plain or commonplace around here.

anyway, before i forget I just had a nice conversation with Antonia [our neighbor] and the transcript is roughly this:

A: where'a 's my honey?

E: Denver

A: Oha thatsa nice. She'a take'a da pictures?

E: Yes

A: mama mia, (a bunch of other words ending in "i") ... peachy

E: (Nodding)

A: She does a nice'a job with the place (referring to yard)

E: Indeed

A: When you talk'a to'a her, you tell my sweetheart I say'a hello.

So antonia says hello, and a lot of other stuff as well that was lost in translation.

So, to the update. In the process of watering our friends, I discovered a few new things which I thought you'd be interested in:

Picture 1: The Pumpkin that is "Not a Pumpkin" has begun to turn orange.

Picture 2: Perhaps most excitingly, you have one sole blueberry on your bushes now. Can't wait to split it with you.

Picture 3: The purple bean bush is producing at a very nice rate and the ripening tomatoes are actually pacing themselves well. This is a picture of some of what has been harvested in your absence.

Good luck with the last day of DNC madness. Looking forward to having you home tomorrow.

Talk to me when you can....

Much love.

Erik