It was a dark and spooky night, indeed! Looking out our window on Halloween, we found the spirits of Bad Kitty and Fire Face staring back at us.
The polls are closed; the ballot box stuffed; the votes counted. Bad Kitty is the winner! “I think you knew that most of your followers were cat lovers,” Peggy sniffed. “It’s going to be Indian food,” I crowed, already tasting hot lamb curry.
But Fire Face had his fans. And lest you feel too much sympathy for my highly competitive, ever-lovely wife, let me note that she has beaten me far more frequently than I have beaten her over our years of pumpkin carving competition! She’ll be back next year and “Watch out, Curt!”
Bad Kitty and Fire Face outside on our patio table.
Here’s what some of you had to say…
Animal Couriers: “Oh, you know us, it has to be pumpkin number 2! They are both fab.”
Dave Ply: “As for my choice, both are excellent, it’s a tough call, but as I’m a cat guy I have to go with scary kitty. (I always used to have black cats)”
Linda: “Despite the fact that I live with a creature I currently refer to as the Devil Cat, I’m going to have to go with Number 1 — with this caveat. I don’t see the carving as fire, but as autumn leaves.”
Christie: “I would vote with Bad Kitty, and only because this looks like a reminiscence of Demon”
Andrew: “My favourite pumpkin carving has to be no. 2 – but only by a whisker!”
Dave Kingsbury: “Fire Face made me feel uneasy but I was even more discomforted by Bad Kitty’s expression so the latter gets my vote. But well done both!”
Phil: “Fire Face is very cross-quarter day, but the artistry of Bad Kitty is hard to resist.”
Rebel Girl: “Fire Face all the way!”
Alison: “With trepidation, not wanting to offend either of you, I choose Bad Kitty!”
You can see what Peggy meant by cat lovers. (grin) Take Animal Couriers, for example, they make their living by transporting cats and dogs throughout Europe!
Peggy and I thank you for your participation. We had a lot of fun with the carving and the competition. And, as part of my Halloween series, I was pleased to bring you a glimpse of the incredible Jack-o-Lantern Spectacular of Providence, Rhode Island.
Correction: One of my friends pointed out that it is Linus not Charlie Brown that believes in the Great Pumpkin, which I incorrectly stated in my last post. Thanks!
LATE BREAKING NEWS: Scary Cat Becomes Scaredy Cat; Ground Squirrel De-fangs Bad Kitty
It was inevitable, or make that, highly edible. It was simply a matter of time before the wildlife around our area decided that the scariness of our pumpkins was outweighed by their resemblance to lunch. Deer have stopped by several times to stare at the pumpkins and warily circle them. They are endlessly curious about new things and have a written in stone philosophy: If it tastes good eat it. The fierce way the pumpkins glared at them, however, made our hoofed friends reluctant to take the first bite.
A ground squirrel had no such trepidation. It had already discovered that pumpkin was good-by meticulously picking out all of the seeds from the mishmash of pumpkin innards that Peggy had left outside for woodland creatures. It only required a leap of the imagination to hop up on our patio table and start chowing down on Bad Kitty’s teeth. I couldn’t catch the culprit in action, but when I questioned her later, she had pumpkin on her breath. There is a photo of the results below the curious deer.
All attention, a black tail doe stares at the pumpkins while trying to decide whether she will brave their stares and try a nibble, or stick with the thorny rose bushes beside her. She stuck with the rose bushes.
Alas, Bad Kitty, looking a bit worse for wear, has had his teeth pulled by a rapacious ground squirrel.
Where to next: Peggy and I will soon be heading for the north coast of Oregon and the south coast of Washington to celebrate our 25th Anniversary. There will be lots to share ranging from wintry ocean scenes, to colorful coastal towns, to a bridge that a young Kurt Cobain hid out under, to the land where vampires and werewolves wandered in the Twilight series. But that’s a couple of weeks off. In the meantime, I’ll slip in more of my petroglyph series, starting with Lava Beds National Monument in north-eastern California.
Wandering through Time and Place 
Such a close and delicious competition by animal standards. Wishing you a wonderful anniversary and happy travels as you celebrate.
Thanks, Sue. And I should add that Fire Face and Bad Kitty are best of friends. –Curt
That is one bad kitty, and he had it comin’ from the squirrel. Can’t wait to see what you see on the Oregon coast. We loved our brief travels there and definitely want to return. Best wishes for safe travels and eagle eyes.
Poor Bad Kitty. I am sure that he was raised in a tough environment… 🙂
The squirrels know a thing or two about teeth, Curt!
Good point, Gerard. From one set of choppers to another! –Curt
Happy 25th Anniversary! My husband and I just celebrated our 25th in September. I think Peggy is right about the cat lovers! I am not a fan of them and I voted for hers. 🙂
Makes me smile, Rebel Girl, to think that votes were based on how people felt about cats. 🙂 –Curt
The doe was wise. Do not mess with the pumpkin
Wiser than usual, Suan. Rarely do they let things get in the way of what they want to eat, which is why we have a ten-foot fence around out garden. 🙂 –Curt
So the squirrel had the last vote!
Indeed, Peggy! I think it is still voting. 🙂 –Curt
I think you had a lot of fun carving and competing. I’ve never carved a pumpkin in my life. Halloween was not a thing in Oz when I was growing up there. It probably still isn’t. Guy Fawkes night, Nov 5th is the big night for bonfires and fireworks – or was when I was a child. Happy 25th you two! Have fun heading up north.
Alison
We did have fun, Alison. It’s low level creativity on the level we carve, but creativity none the less. One of my followers from England said that the Guy Fawkes night festivities have been overwhelmed by Halloween celebrations, which is kind of sad in a way. –Curt
Great competition. No losers — just the teeth extractions!
🙂 Bad Kitty was a bit concerned about the teeth,G, but he does look much friendlier. Thanks. –Curt
If I were Peggy, I would have thrown the competition just to have Indian food. And maybe she did, because both pumpkins look fantastic!
Peggy does like Indian Food… but she has never thrown anything beyond games with five-year-olds. 🙂
Perhaps you could let that squirrel enter the pumpkin-carving competition next year …
Not a bad idea, Dave. Who knows what art might be created by random eating. Chimps paint; squirrels chew. Maybe the Rembrandt of the squirrel world hangs out in our backyard. Normally they use all of their intelligence figuring out how to steal birdseed, though. –Curt
I think I may have found him … unless it’s Jackson Pollock!
Wonderful, Dave. And it will probably sell for a thousand dollars! –Curt
Oops, I’ve had house guests and never saw the post about voting! At least I’ve made it back for the deer sighting (always a fave for me) and a good laugh at the squirrels eating the pumpkins. Our jack-o-lanterns generally lasted less than a day outside before the wildlife ate their grins away.
Wow, one day! Your rascals must be more greedy than ours. 🙂 –Curt