It has been way too long since I’ve given an update on my quest for a 500 lb. pumpkin.  So here it is.  First the bad news;  Ernie is dead.  One Saturday morning I went out and he was looking very droopy.  Within a day he was gone.  Ernie did sire  two small pumpkins before he went though but to add insult to injury the snails (did I mention I hate snails?), had started attacking.

I’m not sure what brought about Ernie’s demise.  It wasn’t for the lack of care that’s for sure and certain.  It most likely was a squash beetle.  I had taken the necessary precautions but it just wasn’t meant to be I guess.  So long Ernie you will be missed, but  soon Bert will  fill the space where you once were. 

Bert on the other hand is thriving.  A couple of weeks ago he hit 100 pounds (calculated).  Now if Bert was a girl I could not continue this discussion without risking some wrath but Bert is Bert so I can proudly tell you that he measures 72″ around the middle.  My he keeps getting more beautiful all the time. 

Now the best news is about Oscar.  He made it.  It’s been two months since I took the last picture of Oscar.  At that time he was very small and needed the sunshine from the other side of the fence.  The fence was only 6 inches away.  Just 6 inches.  Frankly I gave up on him because after 4 weeks he had not moved more than half the distance.  Bert’s fruit is growing 3″ to 6″ a day so I lost all hope that Oscar’s vine would ever make it.  But to my surprise he is at the fence and poking through into full sun.  I guess the moral is take every day one millimeter at a time and always head toward the light!

What a difference a week makes.  Look at Bert!  Wow what a hunk. Still as handsome as ever–a picture perfect pumpkin.  He’s sturdy.  His color is gorgeous.  He’s my pride and joy.  Perfect in every way.  Oh, but wait.  I think I may see a dark side, a flaw. Yup there it is.

Why does it always happen like this?  Just when I think everything is going great there is always something bad.  “So??” you say, “What can possibly be wrong with a Pumpkin”?  Well I won’t just tell you I’ll show you.

See that?  Those are tentacles and not just your fun everyday tentacles.  Those are Tentacles of Death.  In two to three weeks these vines are going to be in my potatoes and peppers.  After that the invading hoard will be to the tomato cages.  And as the vine  invades, those tentacles will wrap around my plants and choke the very life out of each and every one.

The garden is doomed.

I’ve wasted all that time and money.  Those blasted pumpkins!  That’s it, tomorrow I will pull them all out.  I don’t care any more.  I’m through with pumpkins.

Oh, but wait.  Maybe I’m just a little bit “half empty” on this.  If you’re “half full” all of the time you can get burned.  If you’re “half empty” you can miss out on life.  Hmmmm….  Ya know what I think?  I’ll just take this one day at a time. When Bert starts spreading into the peppers and tomatoes (I know I didn’t mention anything about the potatoes this time – I planned all along that the potatoes would have pumpkin vines invading their space) I can either move the vines, cut them back, or clip the tentacles.  Really, it’s something I can handle.

Crisis averted I can sleep again.

(You laugh but I’ve seen what a pumpkin can do to a tomato cage.  You can’t be too careful with Giant Pumpkins!!)

So what about Oscar??  Well, I cut down some of the tree that was overshadowing the poor little guy.  And as luck would have it we have had clouds all week.  Yesterday I had the thought that maybe he wasn’t getting enough nourishment so I fertilized and gave him a good drink.  So far nothing.

I am not giving up. Half empty be damned!

p.s. Ernie is doing well.