Precious Pumpkins

I love it when fall comes around.  I love pumpkins and like to have a few of them sitting around.   A couple weeks ago, Jay and I visited our local apple orchard for some apples, apple cider and pumpkins.  We picked out two big pumpkins for the kids to carve.  When we got home, we unloaded them and put them in the garage on top of the deep freeze for safekeeping.

Last weekend, when Jay was sprucing up the yard, he decided to sit those nice, plump pumpkins out at the end of our front sidewalk until the kids got around to carving them.  They looked cute out front, but I was somewhat skeptical about their safety.  Then decided I was overreacting.  What could happen?

I always get after Jay and the kids to not pick up the pumpkins by the stem because they break easily.    And, to me at least, a pumpkin without a stem is just not right.  When I got home from work earlier this week, it was obvious that someone or something had carved on the pumpkins.  I immediately noted that the nice sturdy stems were missing.

Upon closer observation, I discovered that the pumpkins had, in fact, been carved so-to-speak by none other than...the Precious.  As I look at the picture now, it sort of looks neat.  Can you see the symmetry there?  I'm not sure that could ever be recreated.  The stem has been carefully removed, leaving only the base.  Amazing. 

Lane thought Hank's 'smart bump' was getting bigger...and maybe, just maybe it is!

On this one, it appears he must have gotten tired, poor thing.  Or he got bored (yep, that's my guess).   It isn't nearly as impressive. 

Oh, how I wish I had a video camera on Hank during these creative moments.  His mouth is only so big.  The pumpkins were not in their original spot.  Did he use the handles to move the pumpkins?  Was he rolling them around the driveway?  Do I have it all wrong and it was really the six-year-old black Lab, Abby?

You know how people save their child's first "art" project...we won't be saving the pumpkins, but we will treasure the pictures of Hank the Tank II's first pumpkin carving.  Isn't he so precious?