It’s nice to see the warty pumpkins get their time in the proverbial sun, as these gourds and their ubiquitous popularity will attest. Way back when I was a little kid, the more perfect the pumpkin, the better, and it was always a challenge to go to some pumpkin place and find the best of the bunch. Invariably there would be a side that was obviously the one that rested on dirt, or a patch of mottled or less-than-ideal-orange that indicated some lack or excess of light or water, or some other imperfection that marred the otherwise plump and round perfection of the picture we all had of a pumpkin. It’s heartwarming to see the embrace of other forms, such as in this extravagantly bumpy specimen nestled amid a patch of ornamental cabbage that sets its coloring and texture off in gorgeous fashion.
Halloween has come a long way since the days of flimsy plastic masks tied precariously around our heads with a bit of springy string. The perfect pumpkin has become the perfectly unique pumpkin. There’s not a better holiday to celebrate being a little different.
