Pumpkin Roller Derby

 As we traveled in New England, I was so impressed with the fall decorations on nearly every porch and in every yard- homes and businesses.  They nearly all had beautiful pumpkins and chrysanthemums in their yards or on their porches, or both. I nearly always put a pumpkin or pumpkins on our porch in the fall, but I decided I was going to make a nice display of pumpkins and mums on our porch, just like I saw in New England.  I was so inspired.

Here are a few examples of what we saw:

Ken had surgery on his back on Monday.  On Wednesday, when he was fine and settled at home, I went to the store and picked out a beautiful, BIG pumpkin.  I could hardly lift it into my cart.  It was so heavy.  I then found a potted chrysanthemum and bought it.  I bought a few other things too, including some apples to eat.  I put them all in the trunk.  As I drove home, I could hear that pumpkin rolling all over and playing roller derby in the trunk.  When I got home, I opened the trunk to find a horrible mess.  The plant was smashed.  Dirt and leaves and petals were everywhere in the trunk.  The groceries were all smashed, rendering the apples inedible (the birds are enjoying them!)

This is what the mum plant looked like.  Not at all what I had been dreaming about.  But, I bought it; I was going to put it on the porch.  So I did.  What a pathetic display compared to what we saw in Vermont and New Hampshire!  Well, I'll try again next year.