We’re always camping with family on Indigenous Peoples / Columbus weekend and again we celebrated with our annual pumpkin carving extravaganza. We were up to our elbows in pumpkins guts and seeds as we spread across three picnic tables. It was quite the mess but we wouldn’t think of skipping!
Happy Halloween !!!
Over the years our extended family has gone camping over Columbus Day / Indigenous People’s Weekend. 2012 marks the start of the family pumpkin carving ritual and my ritual of documenting the artwork in my journal.
The more members of the family, the more come camping, the more pumpkins to carve, and the more pumpkins to draw and paint.
And we love every minute of our Pre-Halloween festivities!
2017 – Sorry, no sketchbook page… we were unable to join the group this year.
This year on our big family camping weekend we carved and decorated so many pumpkins I needed two full spreads in my journal to document them all sitting on the low rock wall bordering our sites.
Thank goodness we had delicious treats to keep up our energy. From top to bottom – lime, roasted shrimp, pepperoni, horseradish cheese, salami, pickle chip and another shrimp… and of course the requisite celery stick for stirring. Yum.
We were camping over these days but I brought my sketchbook and packed my pens knowing I could manage a few minutes to draw. I even brought a head of garlic so I’d have a model at hand once our tent was set up.
The pumpkin was soon carved into a jack-o-lantern while the grapes kept me from the chips and dip. Another successful camping weekend done!
This year we again spent Columbus Day weekend camping with family. Tradition demands a Saturday morning excursion to a local farm stand to pick the perfect pumpkins for the afternoon carve-a-thon. No time to dilly-dally… we had trick-or-treaters coming along with hay rides in the evening!
The hot mulled apple cider and roasted pumpkins seeds were the perfect snack as we toasted our feet by the fire. Even the dogs loved it!
Now Dozer wants to be sketched too… soon… I promise.
Dana Burrell... Art 