Escape From Pumpkin Hollow© (excerpt) Caroline Gallagher Curious George Residency 2016
Old farmer Blusterbottom set out early one morning to plant his pumpkin patch. He called to his dog Max and shuffled into the cowshed where he stored his garden tools. Where’s my darn hoe? Hmmpff right in front of my eyes! He lifted the rusty hoe off the nail where it was hanging and picked up his sack of pumpkin seeds that he had harvested from last year’s crop. Good old Connecticut Field he said aloud, bet pie pumpkin in the land! Come dog, we’ve got work to do he called to Max as he ambled off to the sunny slope where year after year he planted pumpkins.
Yep dog he spoke to Max as he walked down the path to the garden. This year I’m going to have the best pumpkin patch ever! Mmm, mmm, I can just taste the sweet pie me and the missus is going to be baking. Yep, I am going to have the best pie baking pumpkins in the county. Max barked in enthusiasm and followed the farm wagging his tail
Farmer Blusterbottom sunk his hoe into the dark rich soil. He pushed the back and forth, back and forth leveling the soil. Earthworms squirmed for cover as they were exposed to the bright sunlight. Back and forth again and again he pushed and pulled the soil. Using the hoe he levelled the soil into mounds every four feet. There! He said He stood back and proudly looked at his work, Max, we are all set for planting, He laid down the hoe and picked up the sack of seeds
Carefully he planted four seeds in every hill and followed with a dousing of water. He did this until the entire patch was planted. He then look out over the swath of soil, pleased with his work he called to Max; come dog breakfast is waiting. He turned and trudged up the hill carrying his hoe over his shoulder, He headed to the farmhouse.
Day after day Farmer Blusterbottom tended the patch; he watered the soil and carefully pulled out and weeds. He watered and weeded and weeded and watered, waiting patiently for the seeds to sprout. One morning he walked out to the patch with Max in tow. To his delight the patch had come to life! Sprouts had pushed through the soil overnight. Every mound had one or two sprouts each with a bit of seed stuck on the end. Glory be to cucurbits! Max old dog we are well on our way! Come this fall we are going to have ourselves some real beauties. Mmmm, mmm, mmm I can taste it now; sweet, sweet pumpkin pie.
Day after day the sprouts grew bigger and stronger, every day the farmer would work in the patch weeding and watering. He work his hoe back and forth carefully cultivating the soil around the green plants. No weeds in my garden! He exclaimed. The sprouts grew steadily and steadily. They grew into vines that stretched across the garden every which way. Their leaves were getting bigger and bigger and the plants developed little spring-like tendrils that anchored the vines to the ground. One day as the farmer was looking out over the vined he noticed crows flying overhead in the bright sky. Bout time for a scarecrow. Won’t be long till the varmints start to come. Don’t want any of them to get any ideas. He headed back to the house; he had grand plans for his scarecrow. He toiled away all day in the cowshed using materials that he had on hand; a pair of overalls he had outgrown, an old flannel shirt with the elbows worn through and with drips on paint when he last painted the farmhouse. He found and old straw hat in the attic; the edges nibbled away at by mice. Lastly, he found a pair of mismatched work gloves- he tucked them into the sleeves to the shirt and tied some old baling twine around the wrists to secure them. Done! He said. That ought to scare any darn critters who might dare come near my pumpkins.
The next day, with Max looking on the farmer planted the scarecrow right in the middle of the patch. He looked over the patch; everything was coming along quite nicely; the vines were leafy and strong and nearly covered the entire garden. There were bright orange blossoms on many of the vines. Max you’re in charge of keeping watch over this patch. Look out for pests of the four legged and two legged kind. He patted Max on the head and Max barked and wagged his tail in response; the pumpkin patch was his favorite place on the farm.
As the flowers faded on the vines little pumpkins no bigger than a bump grew from where the flowers had been. Pale yellow at first, but as they began to grow and grow their color turned to rich shades of golden orange. All the pumpkins did not grow to be all the same; some grew faster than others. Some were tall and oval others were squat and rounded and some were even lopsided. Off to one side of the patch just over the edge of the garden on the grassy slope at the end of a long vine grew the loveliest pumpkin of all; it was tall and round and it was a golden yellow orange. In the bright light of the afternoon sun it glowed. It was pumpkin perfection. A perfect pumpkin and it was Max’s favorite pumpkin and the grassy slope was Max’s favorite place for his afternoon nap,
One afternoon as Max was napping and Farmer Blusterbottom was tending to the garden watering and fertilizing he looked at the perfect pumpkin and exclaimed this is one beauty of a pumpkin; this is going to be on plum delicious pie pumpkin. Yes sir! He exclaimed and he patted the pumpkin and started back to the farmhouse. Max was resting quietly waiting for the farmers call once he reached the house. Suddenly he heard or he thought he heard the perfect pumpkin speak to him. Not like in conversation but as a thought in his mind. The perfect pumpkin was asking “what is a pie pumpkin’? Max suddenly became alert; he pricked up his ears; in all the years guarding the patch he never had a pumpkin speak to him. This was some pumpkin! “Well, Max spoke back to the pumpkin “you’re eating pie pumpkin…Old Farmer B, come late September ‘round when the first frost is about ready to set down, he comes and harvests all you pumpkins and brings most of you to market. What he doesn’t bring to market..well..I don’t know if you want to hear this – its rather gruesome; what he keeps he chops up and mashes and then Mrs. B makes it into a pie and bakes in the oven at 400 degrees! “My goodness” replied the pumpkin. “That sounds awful!. “Yep that’s what happens; you’ve got about two months and then it’s over” said Max. “Over? “Do you mean the end?” asked the pumpkin. Yes the end, E N D, replied Max. “There must be a way to get away” cried the pumpkin. You’re a pumpkin how are you going to do that sprout legs and run? Do the high jump laughed Max. “That’s easy for you to say the pumpkin said, maybe you could help me to escape” he added. The pumpkin was afraid. “I’m sorry”, said Max I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings”. “Maybe there is a way I can help you” Max said. ‘I’m going to think about this I ‘m sure we can find a way” he added. You can count on me to keep you safe. Max wagged his tail and ran up the garden path to the house.
The next day just before dawn as the sun was peeking over the horizon there was a rustle in the bushes near the patch. Out from the underbrush waddled a woodchuck. He poked his nose up and sniffed the air around him. He was a chubby critter; over the summer he had had his fill of beans, tomatoes, summer squash and tasty melons from farms all over the valley. Now his favorite food lay before him; pumpkins. Now Mr. Woodchuck was a choosy fellow. No one pumpkin would o as he looked out over the patch and sniffed about. He looked a big pumpkin near to him” hmmm let’s try this one”: He went up to the pumpkin and went to sink his teeth in but the pumpkin’s skin was tough. “Ouch” he said – “too tough”! He then scampered to a medium size pumpkin and took a bite: “mmm tasty but a bit dry”. He stood up on his haunches he sniffed the air and looked around. “my, my I’m in pumpkin heaven’. “Oh I must try that one over there” he cried as he scampered to a tall skinny pumpkin and took a few bits. Around the pumpkin patch he scurried taking a bite there and a couple bites there. The perfect pumpkin was nervous as the woodchuck advanced in his direction. “ Max”! he called out” Max come quick”! In the farmhouse, Max heard the pumpkin calling. He let out a loud bark and pawed at the kitchen door. Farmer Blusterbottom flung the door open and Max rushed out howling and barking as he ran straight to the pumpkin patch. “Oh no”! “The pumpkin patch! Cried the farmer as he ran out the door with a broom in hand.
In the meantime the woodchuck had made his way to the slope where the perfect pumpkin was. Well, well look at that the woodchuck chortled as he beheld the perfect pumpkin; “that pumpkin is the prettiest pumpkin I’ve ever seen and I’ll bet it’s very tasty. Just as the woodchuck was about to take a big bite Max burst onto the scene barking and howling and the farmer, broom in hand not far behind. The woodchuck wheeled around and scurried as fast as he could running to the safety of the underbrush. Max licked the pumpkin; “That was real close” but you’re safe now”. The farmer caught up with max and gave him a bit pat on the head; “good dog he said, good dog”
All was well in the pumpkin patch through late summer the pumpkins were growing and getting more colorful with each passing day until one dark night in early September. The moon was full and the moonshine reflected off the golden orange pumpkins. There was a sudden rustling in the bushes; out of the shadows three boys crept out of the woods. Ssssh be quiet guys or someone will hear us whispered one of the boys. The shortest of the boys tripped over a briar vine and cried Ouch! Shush! You guys the taller boy said or we’ll be in big trouble if we get caught. Silently with nary the crack of a twig the midnight marauders crept towards the patch. “Wow! Look at all these pumpkin said one of the shorter boys. “Ha Ha! He laughed as he kicked a pumpkin. “How about a game of pumpkin football!” He picked up a small pumpkin and said “hey Mike catch this! He through the pumpkin towards the tall boy, it flew over his head and hit the ground and was smashed to pieces. The taller boy tried to pick up the biggest pumpkin but it weighed too much. He snapped the pumpkin off the vine and then pushed and pushed the pumpkin towards the hill. He gave it a final push and it went flying down the hill and it rolled smack right into a big rock and it split with with pieces flying everywhere. The boy laughed and said “did you see that! “Splat goes the pumpkin! “Way to go Tony!” said the other boy.
The perfect pumpkin watched from the grassy slope in terror. “oh no this looks worse than getting baked in a pie. “Help, help” he cried as the boys moved closer and closer to him. “Look there” called one of the boys; “look at that pumpkin over there!” “How bout a game of pumpkin soccer guys!
Max asleep on the porch heard the perfect pumpkin as if in a dream- he woke up with a start. He perked up his ears; he heard noises. They were coming from the pumpkin patch. Sounds like trouble and he scrambled to his feet and dashed down the porch steps and ran straight for the pumpkin patch. He let out a howl and barking he raced to the pumpkin patch
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