Autumn isn't over yet
4 Dec 2021 05:27 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ursulas_alcoveToday was the day property tax was due. I headed down to the borough building to the secure drop box, because even if taxes are due today, there is no one there. It's kind of nice to have a little grace period. The Main Street through town has been closed for several days. I couldn't get to the drop box without walking. It was nice today, about 50 degrees and sunny. It is the town's Old Fashioned Christmas Festival. A picture taking gallery with the Grinch was right outside the drop box. The smells wafting through my face mask were appalling. Children were dragging their parents all over. It was crowded and probably a super spreader event. I wasn't there for the festivities.
To avoid the crowds, a strategic move was in order. I climbed the hill, straight up like a rocket runway from an old 1950s SciFi flick. It was not for the faint of heart, which I was counting on. Parking is at a premium in town. Police officers were everywhere so residents were not blocked out of their apartment parking lots. Lawn chairs were used to reserve some parking spots. I reached the peak without incident, slightly out of breath. Straight across Central Avenue and into the park, I took the back way home.
Chrono and I judged the Christmas house decorations as pot smoke wafted by, followed by the scent of Bounce dryer sheets, definitely a low rent area. Some decorations were tasteful and appropriate, others were garish. The corner house still had all its pumpkins in splendor with cornstalks attached to the porch. As we headed through the park, the clang of the skateboard ramp was heard loud and clear. The sensible kids were enjoying themselves. Turning the corner, we saw that people had taken all their fall decorations and dumped them in the park ravine. Near the road was a giant pumpkin, not rotted or broken in any way. Score!
It is a full 25 pounds. Chrono and I took turns lugging it up the hill toward home. Everything here is up hill. Near as I can tell, it is an edible giant pumpkin variety. Baker's Creek has this which looks similar: https://www.rareseeds.com/store/vegetables/winter-squash/big-max-pumpkin
It's a cucurbita maxima. That means it could cross with any other maxima like our sugar pie pumpkins. I'll think of something to keep them flowering at different times. Isn't she pretty?
It's free seed for next year! I put her down to naturally decompose in last year's bean patch. We've grown a lot of pumpkins in this spot over the years. I have her on the rockwall right next to the steps. Here's a picture from another year:
That will be a nice addition as well as a good reason not to mow the grass.
To avoid the crowds, a strategic move was in order. I climbed the hill, straight up like a rocket runway from an old 1950s SciFi flick. It was not for the faint of heart, which I was counting on. Parking is at a premium in town. Police officers were everywhere so residents were not blocked out of their apartment parking lots. Lawn chairs were used to reserve some parking spots. I reached the peak without incident, slightly out of breath. Straight across Central Avenue and into the park, I took the back way home.
Chrono and I judged the Christmas house decorations as pot smoke wafted by, followed by the scent of Bounce dryer sheets, definitely a low rent area. Some decorations were tasteful and appropriate, others were garish. The corner house still had all its pumpkins in splendor with cornstalks attached to the porch. As we headed through the park, the clang of the skateboard ramp was heard loud and clear. The sensible kids were enjoying themselves. Turning the corner, we saw that people had taken all their fall decorations and dumped them in the park ravine. Near the road was a giant pumpkin, not rotted or broken in any way. Score!
It is a full 25 pounds. Chrono and I took turns lugging it up the hill toward home. Everything here is up hill. Near as I can tell, it is an edible giant pumpkin variety. Baker's Creek has this which looks similar: https://www.rareseeds.com/store/vegetables/winter-squash/big-max-pumpkin
It's a cucurbita maxima. That means it could cross with any other maxima like our sugar pie pumpkins. I'll think of something to keep them flowering at different times. Isn't she pretty?
It's free seed for next year! I put her down to naturally decompose in last year's bean patch. We've grown a lot of pumpkins in this spot over the years. I have her on the rockwall right next to the steps. Here's a picture from another year:
That will be a nice addition as well as a good reason not to mow the grass.
no subject
Date: 5 Dec 2021 05:41 am (UTC)and try it out? it looks like
one of the supersweet ones.
Tempting
Date: 5 Dec 2021 04:22 pm (UTC)