I love autumn in Tallahassee. The weather's cool, dry and breezy. It's the perfect time to put on some flannel and poke around some pumpkin patches for the perfect one for carving. If you missed the memo, this is the time of the year where pumpkins are back in style. Pumpkins have found their way into everything. Pumpkin pies, pumpkin cupcakes, pumpkin spice lattes, and of course pumpkin beers. You can realistically experience all that is pumpkin throughout the entire day.
I've been trying to be out of the house as much as possible to enjoy the weather. Pit stops at Blackdog for some coffee and walks around Lake Ella. During my travels this past weekend I stopped by some of the great pumpkin patches around town. Two of the more notable ones happen out front of Faith Presbyterian Church and Tallahassee Heights United Methodist Church. These were some sizable pumpkin patches full of holiday cheer. The selection was a lot more than I was expecting. I've only really seen a few different types of pumpkins in my day but these patches had a lot more variety. Of course they had the classic pumpkin with the squat orange body and the proud greenish stem. I was surprised to see some tall, odd looking white and green ones that look like Frankenstein's head.
The great variety of pumpkins lends itself to some great Halloween projects. You can make a lot of different Jack-o'-lanterns that represent anything your heart desires. But keep in mind, like most artistic endeavors, the limitations on artistic skills can be staggering. Don't worry too much, because there are some awesome designs that range from the clumsy to the artisan skill set.
You can find a spherical pumpkin and turn it into a classic Mario character with little to no effort. All you need is some black paint and nostalgia. People will marvel at the choice cuts and minimalist style of the Bob-omb pumpkin. And who knows, maybe you can continue with the Mario theme and make a Luigi pumpkin.
If you consider yourself a skilled pumpkin craftsman, you could try to go for something more lifelike and detailed like classic monster's face or something horrifying like a mixture of a spider and a shark. You can definitely scare some of the neighborhood kids with some super realistic pumpkin carvings. There is something really terrifying about the combination of black beady eyes and a mouthful of razor sharp teeth. The more rows the better.
I haven't carved a pumpkin in years but I can see this year being the year to start. I think I'll stop by the pumpkin patch a few more times to get a nice family of jack-o'-lanterns for the patio.
Tags: Art, Carving, Fall, Halloween, Holiday, Pumpkin, Tallahassee
Pedro SemperteguiPedro Sempértegui is a recent graduate of Florida State University's English department. After growing up in the quiet suburb of Coral Springs, Fl, he moved to the capital to pursue writing. Since Tallahassee's nightlife has introduced him to new music, awesome food, and delicious microbrews, it's only right that tries to pass on that knowledge.
