I had no idea what this little guy was up to last year as he pummeled me with a plethora of questions about how pumpkins grow, what makes them orange, where do they grow, etc, etc....................... all as I was madly trying to carve 6 pumpkins between the end of school and trick-or-treat time! This is our tradition, yes, but one that was doable years ago, when it was only 3 of us and 3 pumpkins ;-)
But on this Halloween day, 2007, Sean was insistent that I multitask and answer his questions precisely as I pull gobs of goo and seeds from our pumpkins.
So, I tried to answer him and explain simply that as with most things, you plant the seeds and add water + sun and they grow. These few scrambled answered seemed to suffice for then, as we scurried on with the Halloween festivities.
But months later around March, I noticed a strange large prickly weed growing the backyard.....and almost pulled it out, but got distracted and forgot. Then noticing the strange large leaves growing from this weed, I started asking questions. And I got a big huge grin from Sean...........
He knew.
It was his idea to plant a handful of those pumpkin seeds I was pulling out last Halloween and test Mom's answer. He watered it on it his own, he said, as they played in the backyard making rivers and roads for their hotweels cars. (I had no idea that was what the mud was for!). But whatever efforts he made, it worked. And he was thrilled. Sean has watched and learned in awe as this "weed" has taken over its own patch of our yard and produced now over 20 (at our last count) pumpkins.
With sporadic watering at best, dogs trampling, hotwheels, balls and other miscellaneous toys thrown in, somehow this little pumpkin patch has thrived.
And in the process taught all of us a little something.
From the word "pumkin" from Amanda's little mouth as she nods and points to the backyard, who might think those are naturally a part of anyones yard, to the delight each day in the Spring as Chad would yell that he found a new little green ball, a baby one, they would say to Sean's excitement over finding that the large orange flowers attract fire flies at night! And even big-shot Kyle, learned a little about how the sun turns their color and the leaves act us funnels to deliver the water to each pumpkin.
Growing something on your own, successfully, in this case, in the bright mind of a little 6 year old, can be just the dose of pride and confidence you need to yearn to do it again and again ;-)
.......I can't wait to see what pops up next Spring!
