Where the Wild Things Are

Our adventures continue in the wilderness formerly known as The Garden ...

The long and twining vines of the pumpkin plants have returned to their old spot this year, flanking the opening between the yard and garden. A mixture of Connecticut Fields, stripey white and orange, Jack-Be-Little and sugar pumpkins, there's no telling what from who with their tiny identical vines ...

This is not entirely our fault, since the pumpkins tend to plant themselves despite our best efforts at building little hills and germinating seeds inside. Last year's broken fruits and dried-out shells -- half-buried beneath leaf piles or rain-swept soil -- spring to life after the first summer rain and mix themselves with the garden planted seeds for a "wild patch" effect.

A "wild" stripey pumpkin takes over: this one was tossed out of the shop after it was found rotting in a box of dried display fruit. It planted itself immediately, producing about twenty or so wild little seedlings all vying for a spot.

A few of this year's wild plants were transplanted from the "pumpkin graveyard" of last year -- the spot on the other side of the garden where rotten Jack O' Lanterns and moldy mini pumpkins are tossed after Halloween. The rain brings the seedlings to life, and since I don't have the heart to mow over them, several of them get transferred to the pumpkin patch to join their friends.

With all these pumpkins, we're going to need a big scarecrow to keep the wildlife away .....