covering the pumpkins
This year our garden was an unqualified failure. Between the slugs and the shade, none of my poor pumpkin vines made it to the orange pumpkin stage. But in the past, we have had worthy pumpkin patches. One year our pumpkins were so prolific, one of the vines even strayed upward, into a maple tree. In October, we had an orange pumpkin in the tree, about four feet above the ground.
my son with pumpkins from our garden, about 22 years ago
This year, my pumpkin sightings have been in other people’s gardens and in the bins at the grocery store. At least I am spared the desperate efforts of the past, to squeeze one more day of growing from the season, by covering the pumpkins before the frost.
a prolific pumpkin patch, photographed during our visit to Ontario in 2011
~
covering the pumpkins
~
on the mattress, these sheets
are ample, enough for warmth
and twist and tumble
~
spread here, on low-lying ground
they barely cover one of twenty
pumpkins, one loop of vine
~
weather channel warns of frost
will wilt these leaves, cold-kiss
this perfect orange with brown
~
vines stretch, toes creep
from under, beg more time
~
~
Copyright Jane Tims 2012
nichepoetryandprose 
A lovely poem Jane and an adorable picture of your son. He has a twin here in Nova Scotia,,,my nephew is the spitting image of your lad.! Your poor pumpkins,,,,I have had only “one” glorious bunch of pumpkins,,,I think I’ll give up trying to get another good one. “twist and tumble”,,,love it.!
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patsi
October 25, 2012 at 1:30 pm
Hi Patsi. Glad you like the poem. It’s a great time of year! Jane
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jane tims
October 26, 2012 at 10:02 am
I love the photo of your son. So sweet.
Why didn’t your pumpkins grow this year? Didn’t you have much sunshine?
I really like the twist and tumble image of the poem – like how you start and end with it.
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dearrosie
October 22, 2012 at 7:29 pm
Hi Rosie. We have so much shade and I refuse to cut the trees, so the garden suffers. Also, slugs ate most of my vines! Thanks for the comment on the poem! Jane
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jane tims
October 23, 2012 at 10:47 pm
I love this poem. I like the twist and tumble image, the toes and vines touched with autumnal chill. It’s perfect…a total capture of the season indoors and out. Nice balance in the sheet images between indoors and out as well. The photo of your son is sweet.
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Carol Steel
October 22, 2012 at 7:45 am
Hi Carol. Thanks! It was a cold day today and lots of pumpkins caught a chill! Jane
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jane tims
October 22, 2012 at 5:33 pm