My VERY OWN Pumpkin that Grew in My VERY OWN Garden

September 27, 2018

dedicated to tiffany m. who asked about it

A few weeks ago I posted a video about a surprise I had found in my front yard. (Check out the pumpkin video under Video Inspirations.) Each year for the past three years at the end of summer a huge vine has grown in our front garden area. This pumpkin vine always started out so beautiful with huge green leaves and a few orange flowers, but as far as bearing any real fruit . . . well, that never happened.

So when the vine grew again this August, I didn’t think much about it. One afternoon I went to delicately move it out of the way so I could mow the lawn (I have a hard time pulling ANYTHING green out of my yard—even when it is a pumpkin-less pumpkin vine, because, hey, it IS living, which is not easy for any plant to do at the Farm Girl’s house). 

As I lifted the vine, there before me was the cutest little green pumpkin ever. Every mom thinks their newborn is the cutest ever; this pumpkin was no exception.

While still beautiful, it has now become as orange as the pinnacle point of a brilliant sunset. 

So naturally, whenever anyone stopped by, I showed them “The Pumpkin.” My latest visitor was a 4^th grader who paused to admire it, or so I thought. I blurted, “Isn’t it amazing? It’s so beautiful, right?”

He said, “Yeah. Looks like the 15 pumpkins we have at home in our garden.”

Why don't you just knife me in the gut, you little . . . professional pumpkin grower?

That next week, I visited his pumpkins, and yes, there were many—and they looked a lot like mine, but they also all had their individual characteristics. For as no two snowflakes are a match, every pumpkin is also its own.

I suddenly felt a bit silly for comparing my pumpkin against his battalion.

Because, dear people, we don’t live in the pumpkin patch of competition. It’s not how big your pumpkin is or how many you grow or how long they last. Everyone’s patch is a little different and should ALL be celebrated.

This week I encourage you to embrace the pumpkins in your patch (whether literal or figurative). As I proudly hold my little guy over my head, because yeah, he’s about 2 pounds and I can do it, I will cheer you, cheer you, cheer you onward.

Long live the pumpkin! (Ok, I just went too far. Sorry about that.)