Pumpkin, an Autumn Icon  Halloween is just around the corner,
with Thanksgiving following closely behind. Sure, late October
is best known for children running around as ghosts, goblins,
and witches as they search from house to house for candies and
knick knacks to fill their sacks. And in November we are
reminded about the friendships the early settlers made with the
Natives as schools perform Thanksgiving Day pageants. But during
the months of fall there is an image even more iconic which
spans the holidays. I’m referring to the symbol of the pumpkin.
During the late weeks of September and early weeks of October
the small town I grew up in would prepare to celebrate the fall
harvest with a week long event known as the Pumpkin Festival. In
these weeks prior to the festival every child would be given a
pumpkin in which they would have to decorate, paint, or carve a
creative image. This was mandatory in our schools, but was not
limited to the children. Any person of any age could participate
in their own pum