Saturday, October 31, 2009

This year's pumpkin.




We didn't grow any pumpkins this year, and I didn't think to seek one out for Halloween, or to do much to mark it at all, it's very much an optional feast here.



Then J turned up with a massive tranche of one, grown by their friends H and H in Ile-et-Vilaine, when they came round the other night. 





I meant to take a picture of it next to Molly, to give a sense of scale; it's about as big as she is.




It looks a little watery and insipid, as mega-veg like this often are.  But it's a handsome brute anyway.




I think what I'll do is, bake it in the oven underneath tonights pintade - guinea fowl - along with the chestnuts I've been finding in my pockets, and plenty of things that do taste of something: onions, garlic, herbs some sun-dried tomatoes in oil I've got in a jar... oh and not forgetting a stock cube or two!  It's a trick that works well with all manner of rather bland vegetables.


So that's Halloween sorted out.

~~~

And tomorrow begins Nablopomo, when one can blog every day, legitimised by custom, without worrying about imposing unduly on one's gentle readers' patience.  I'm quite up for it this year, I think, though whether my internet connection will be is another matter.  Last year Tom was in hospital and the phone lines went down and my resolve to blog daily quickly did likewise.

Happy All Souls, see you on All Saints!


10 comments:

Zhoen said...

You can write every day, and post that everyday you have connectivity...

PurestGreen said...

Lovely pumpkin. I'm a bit hungry at the moment and that meal sounds lovely. I am not so brave as to take part in the "write a novel in a month" thing or the blogging everyday thing. I think it would make me too stresed. But you go! I shall follow along on my google reader.

Pam said...

Once I retire I shall do the blogging-every-day thing in Nov. You have been warned!

HLiza said...

Everyday post treat from Lucy! Wow..delicious..

Roderick Robinson said...

Tom's stoically borne travail is still fresh in my mind; much closer than a year ago. It's reassuring to look back and compare your present posts (not that you moaned then - you just gave us all the facts) and to take pleasure from your happier times. Your audience salutes you.

Reluctant Blogger said...

The pumpkins were generally big this year, weren't they? I think there was a bit of a glut as they were also very cheap.

I have made mine into soup. The boys will scowl at it and merely use it as a dip for their bread but I will enjoy eating it.

Oh gosh, you are going to blog every day? I am not sure I could do that. I think overindulgence in blogging might spoil it for me - rather like wearing that silly skirt every day last month. I NEVER want to see it again - ever!! Hope you don't end up feeling like that about your blog cos I would hate you to go!!

Rouchswalwe said...

Friends made an absolutely delicious meal for Halloween and I told them about your pumpkin! We carved Jack-o-Lanterns and read ghost stories! I felt like a kid ~ only we were drinking Porter!

Lucy, I'll cross my fingers your connection won't give you trouble. When your engines are revved, then by all means, push on the gas pedal. I'll certainly be along for the ride with my ale basket!

Lucy said...

Thanks good people.

Z - that is a point, Ican do that. Are you Nablopping this year? Touchwood and fingers crossed since we've recently had a bout of bad connection we won't have another for a bit...

Purest - the meal was nice, even Tom, who's not a big pumpkin lover (sounds like a term of endearment...) said he could have gone on eating it. I couldn't write a novel under any circs but blogging every day is not so challenging.

Isabelle - you're enjoying planning your retirement aren't you!

Hliza - aw, thank you, I'll try to make them fun and not too long!

BB - thanks, and for reminding me, no really. I am pretty thankful that so far and for the moment everyone is pretty well. It was certainly a job well done. Amazing it's a year already.

RB - hee hee, I wondered how you'd feel about that skirt after a month! The daily blog won't be too hard I'm sure, I don't write proper serious thought-out posts like you,and I'm not so conscientious about responding to comments either. It'll probably be just pics and a few words most days; I've got a backlog of photos and the new camera, so in fact Nablopomo might be the only way to get through it anyway!

RW - glad you enjoyed Halloween, I wish I could try that porter!

Michelle said...

"I think what I'll do is, bake it in the oven underneath tonights pintade - guinea fowl - along with the chestnuts I've been finding in my pockets, and plenty of things that do taste of something: onions, garlic, herbs some sun-dried tomatoes in oil I've got in a jar... oh and not forgetting a stock cube or two!"

Stop it! My mouth's watering. Hope you feasted.

Bee said...

Beautiful pictures (especially the first one), but I do need a big orange pumpkin at Halloween! I hope no real life events interfere with your nablopomo this year.