Day Three Hundred and Sixty-One - Yes We Carve

Okay, I can't vote in the upcoming US election [I've come to terms with this and accepted my consolation prize of voting in the lame-o Canadian federal election, which kinda soured me entirely on voting - but I digress]...but a website that I saw the other day on CNN showed me how Yes I Can have my voice heard...through the highly official medium of pumpkin carving. The website is www.yeswecarve.com - for those interested [in the interest of equal time CNN did show McCain pumpkins too - but of course the Obama supporters always have the catchiest rhetoric and ideas]. Anyway, earlier today we went out to locate some small-to-medium sized pumpkins for carving as I wanted to do multiple little ones as opposed to one big one. Also, we won't be here for Halloween so these are just pumpkins for the sake of pumpkins - not entirely seasonal. Then tonight I carved a Barack O'Lantern! Here it is! I haven't submitted this photo to the website yet, although I still might [though honestly it's nothing terribly original or even very good].


This was my first time ever carving a pumpkin. When I was younger I was more in charge of concept and design in terms of our pumpkins - but my dad always did the carving. I think my parents, not unlike Joseph, didn't really trust me with a big knife [for my safety and the safety of others - this is wise]. What I soon discovered is that all of our knives suck. A lot. Carving was basically impossible so I essentially had to keep sticking the knife in and out, but not cut across [it was like I was making it perforated and then eventually I could wiggle the piece out]. More fun was the amazing grossness of sticking my hand inside the pumpkins and pulling out their guts. Joseph is more fussy and used a utensil for this, but I'm impatient. Also, in the interest of full disclosure - Joseph did draw the design for this [and he did the bat-o'lantern also pictured, although I came up with the highly original concept - it's pretty cool...but still - Batman ain't the next President - so there!] and I feel I didn't carve nearly neatly enough.

[okay - election over - obama won - so completely psyched about that! on the morning of the election the barack o'lantern got toppled to the ground outside, even though we left the pumpkin on our indoor steps - someone moved it. in addition to being a bit smooshed, it was also partially eaten - possibly raccoons. i thought this was a dreadfully bad omen. apparently not.]