Pumpkins, Pitch and Poetry

November 2, 2014

Carolyn shared her pumpkin carving skills with a captive audience of over 120 on October 31. Sean had made a $20.24 investment into a carving pumpkin which Carolyn took great care of. As Halloween is not such a big deal in Australia, the novelty of a real pumpkin was captivating for students, teachers and parents. The kids “oooed” and “aahhhed” at the slicing of the pumpkin. They also squealed and cringed as the insides were pulled out. They were enamoured with the feel of the fleshy vegetable and scrunched up their noses at the pungent smell. As the lights were dimmed and the torch (flashlight) put on, a huge “WOW” was heard in the room. It was one of the most memorable carvings Carolyn has ever performed. Her colleagues even commented that she would be perfect for The Shopping Network as she held the attention of the crowd for over half and hour.

Here is the before and after pictures of our Australian Pumpkin:

Australian Pumpkin,
October 31, 2014

Australian Jack-o-lantern,
October 31, 2014

We brought home this showpiece and placed it on our front step. However, by 8:30pm, no one had come by for treats, so we moved the pumpkin indoors. Less than 10 minutes later, a group of 5 Oompa Loompas arrived at the door and sung us a song. We showed off our jack-o-lantern and gave them some Cherry Ripes to journey on with.

Half of our pumpkin is now being made into soup and the other half is going to be frozen for future baking. All in all, well worth the investment!

A couple of new experience for us came on the day after Halloween. First, Sean played in his second Cricket match and accomplished the following credits:

1. He caught his first out! The second out of the match. [Some perspective: Team got very quiet as the ball was in the air heading for the Canadian who had dropped most practice catches earlier that day. When the ball was caught, pretty sure there was a rush of exhaled breath.]

2. He batted! He was able to stay in the game as a batter for near 10 minutes. In doing so, he helped his team to 5 runs! [A bit more perspective: Several team mates made 50+ runs. Sean has to remember that there are no “balls” in cricket and should start swinging the bat a bit more.]

His team went on to win the match 175 to 48! Go Team! Sean’s “impressive” performance even got him mentioned on the team’s Facebook page.

[In retrospect: Sean is now wondering how standing in a field for two hours, followed by 10 minutes at bat, has resulted in ridiculously sore muscles but an hour-long soccer match does not (so much).]

Sean suited up to bat for the Basket Range Cricket “D” Team, November 1, 2014

Second, we attended a “Poet’s Roundabout” at the Artisan Cafe in Blackwood. Sean dug out one of his old poetry books (written c. 1997) and Carolyn took a copy of Shel Silverstein’s A Light in the Attic. Upon arrival, we ordered and devoured a delicious dinner followed by dessert. We were also asked by the organizer if we were going to Listen or Present a poem. Carolyn opted for listening and Sean bravely offered to present. It was quite the evening! The poets and performers ranged in age from 8 years old to 70 +. We were treated to local poetry, Scottish poetry and classics from T.S. Elliot and Shakespeare. Sean even managed to “Australianize” one of his poems, substituting Koala for Squirrel and Wombat for Raccoon. Such a lovely evening and we hope to attend the next one in December.

Our weekend of Pumpkins, Pitch and Poetry was absolutely delightful!

Apple Cider on Ice with Grenadine, Artisan Cafe, Blackwood, SA, November 1, 2014