You're invited ...

Marlene Terry

This year is shaping up to be one of the best. That is, October is just as it should be, rainy, misty and cool.
 

It's different, because for many of the past years, the day I chose to put up our outside Halloween decorations ended up so warm I was nothing but a pool of sweat before the task was finished.

The Treasure Valley is known for it's mild climate. ... Just don't want it too much of that from now 'til Christmas. 

... You know. The weather is always such a prime factor in helping us to forget our troubles and get us in the mood and anxious for the holidays ahead!

I also want  you to know that we (our family) take seriously, our ability to carve Jack-o-Lanterns. 

Most usually we meet the weekend before the 31st  — kids, grandkids and a neighbor or two and spend some time designing, and carving to our heat's content.

I almost always choose the traditional jagged teeth, sinister smile/smirk, triangle eyes and nose, Jack-o-lantern. But the years I've opted to compete against our show-off and very creative kids and make something unbelievable, well, they've been a lot of fun too.

"It's what you see when you look into  a kaleidoscope," was one smart-alecky comment about my first try at a very scary spider web design complete with spider.

And although I wouldn't go so far as to say it even came close to rivaling the Grime Reaper, the haunted house  and the other works of art that were produced during that particular pumpkin carving event, I did keep it outside and viewable until mid November.

... That's when someone replaced it with a inflatable turkey ... of all things.

So here comes the purpose of THIS column.

For the next few weeks you're invited to send in photos of YOUR Jack-o-lanterns, the reason for the design and all the wonderful associated memories that go along with it. ... Because, just like the weather outside ... it's going to help us to forget our troubles, and get us in the mood and anxious for the holidays ahead!

Want to be part of THIS pumpkin carving party?

Email YOUR stories and photos to me at my residence here "In a Nutshell (nutshellstories@gmail.com).