Cinderella bites the dust
Some of you will remember this charming autumnal vignette from Ida’s front porch: a celebration of locally grown squash and heirloom pumpkin varieties. If I do say so myself, it was all quite festive-looking.
All good things must come to an end: autumn is eighteen days from being officially over and here we are being catapulted head first into the Happy flipping Holidays (I can tell you this gentle reader, twenty bucks says my to do list is three times longer than my helpmate’s).
Anyway, Cinderella is not just another pretty face. Nosiree. The French pumpkin, Rouges vif d’Estampes, the inspiration for Cinderella’s storybook pumpkin, whacks up nicely (yes, with an axe) and bakes up even better at 400 degrees for about an hour and a half. Top w/a little butter or olive oil and salt and pepper. Yield: about 20 pounds of rich pumpkin flesh.
Since I am not one to let a a decorating opportunity pass me by, I hereby endeavor to doll up the front porch, once again, to the nines, for your viewing enjoyment. Thus, we begin:
Lest you think I am anything but thrifty, take note now that these darling little Eastern white pines, pinus strobus (no, not pinus monticola, Idaho’s beloved Western white pine, sorry), will find themselves planted in McCall come spring. Stay tuned to see how they get all gussied up.
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Note: all the remaining curcurbits will find themselves baked or consumed in some fashion. The less than tasties will be composted.
I can’t wait to see what you’ll do with the little Pines. I need something evergreeny/conifery for my front porch container, which is looking mighty lame right now. Frozen pansies are not a pretty sight.
I’m salivating already. That pumpkin looks deeeeelicious. I’m sure it tastes as good as it looks.
Ida-gardener took an ax,
Gave her pumpkin 40 whacks.
When she saw what she had done.
She cooked it in the oven at four hundred and one!
Looking forward to seeing pictures of your white pines once you’ve finished decorating them for the holidays!
i have missed you MA. thank you for writing again. Plus, I wasn’t sure my front porch Cinderella pumpkin was worth saving – you’ve given me hope.
That was one of your best posts yet, all full of your wonderful humor. I want some of those pines for my front door too. Now, wonder where I can find something similar, in a small size.
Can’t wait to see them festooned.~~Dee
Oh my goodness, I can’t get over 20 pounds. I was trying to figure out how many of my Crock pots I would need. Since that’s how I cooked a punkin earlier.