Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 31 Entries. Sunday, April 27 View Page This figurine is a gift from my grandkids. Its definitely all about me! It's great to read the start of everyone's diary. Ahh.....the amazing human spirit! Last year's bugs, diseases, splits, hail, and disappointments are just a passing memory......replaced now with hope, enthusiasm, and dreams! Who will achieve their dream this year? I hope it will be you.....and me!!!! Sunday, April 27 View Page Here is the inspiration for all the work I put into my pumpkin patch! Sunday, April 27 View Page Here are this year's seeds. Will one of them give me my personal best? 1446 Werner.....1046 Bowles.....1689 Jutras.....1152 Rea.....500 Northrup.....1010 Daletas.....840 Parks.....1462 Gibson.....1186 Bowles. Wednesday, June 18 View Page I finally got the last of my field pumpkin seedlings in the patch. I have 12 varieties this year....65 plants! Among those are Ron Rahe's 107 Cinderella crosses. Along with my old favorites, I've added Phat Jack and Phat Albert. Tuesday, July 22 View Page Are we having fun yet?? This is one of my field pumpkins. It fell over dead in one day from bacterial wilt. I had been doing my preventive spraying.....then didn't check the field pumpkins for 3 days. There were thousands of cucumber beetles!! Tuesday, July 22 View Page I sprayed the next 4 nights.....Garlic Barrier...Cedar Guard...Talstar...Merit. Finally...all bugs dead! But now, I have lost 6 plants in 3 days. Don't know what tomorrow will bring. So far the AG's look OK. Tuesday, July 22 View Page I noticed these eggs on LOTS of leaves. I assumed it was from the cucumber beetles. But after doing some reading, I think they are from squash bugs. I had a lot of them too. I've been scraping the eggs off, but think I must continue spraying to catch the larvae when they hatch. Yepper! This is lots of fun! Tuesday, July 22 View Page Not only did I get a late start with my AG's, but several plants weren't growing secondaries. So talk about creative vine patterns....this one is called "let anything that will grow, grow"! Tuesday, July 22 View Page Ahhhh.....come on! There has to be something good happening. This big, beautiful, healthy(knock on wood), plant is the 1046.6 Bowles. And 3 of my pumpkins made the 10 day mark. Hope to have a lot more good news next time!! Sunday, July 27 View Page So the saying goes.....sometimes things have to get worse before they get better! This is my 840 Parks, aborting at 18 days. I now have a total of 15 field pumpkin plants that bit the dust from bacterial wilt! My 1689 is looking shaky. I should know tomorrow if b. wilt got it too. And to make matters worse....I had to miss today's OVGPG patch tour ! Now then....next week will be my good week!!! Saturday, August 2 View Page So alrighty then!....maybe this wasn't my good week! This is the garden angel, standing watch over my one AG that is left....the 500 Northrup. Of my original six, three went down with bacterial wilt, and two developed white spot rot on the pumpkins. My "pumpkin party" plants are now at a loss of twenty from bacterial wilt! I'm ready for next week! Bring 'er on!!!! Friday, August 22 View Page Here is my one remaining AG....the 500 Northrup, guarded by Lewis, "patch cat supreme!" It won't be setting any records, but hey, at least I still have a pumpkin. She is making moderate steady gains. Thursday, September 4 View Page Here are some of my fun pumpkins! 107 Rahe (Cinderella cross) Taping at 125 lbs. Thursday, September 4 View Page Phat Albert.....They start out nearly black, then turn a true pumpkin orange with a dark green stem. Nice! Thursday, September 4 View Page One Too Many......These are always a big hit at the "Punkin Pickin' Party". Thursday, September 4 View Page Wee Be Little.......This plant grows in a bush form. The pumpkins hide in a cluster, down in the middle. I had to pull apart the leaves to get the picture. Thursday, September 4 View Page I put the grandkids' names on Prizewinners. They are taping about 175 lbs. 5 for the kids.....1 for Charlie, the dog.....plus a couple more.....all lined up along the sidewalk, get lots of attention in their neighborhood! Friday, September 5 View Page This is Charlie with his pumpkin last year. Friday, September 5 View Page 500 Northrup......still making modest gains. Lewis is keeping good watch over her! Wednesday, September 17 View Page Last Sunday's high winds beat the leaves down. Now you can see the beautiful Prizewinners! Tuesday, September 30 View Page We had our pumpkin harvest on Saturday. Here are some pics of my grandkids. Heath....lookin' cool! Tuesday, September 30 View Page Megan and cousin Brandon Tuesday, September 30 View Page Spencer.....looking suave! Tuesday, September 30 View Page Spencer and Sean.....we don't need any help! Tuesday, September 30 View Page Last, but definitely not least.... our little Kasey and dog, Charlie. Picnic...weiner roast...s'mores...Great fun! Saturday, October 18 View Page Besides pumpkins, I love Santas. This is a hand carved wooden plate, done by a fellow in Pennsylvania. At a craft show last fall, I was telling him about my pumpkin hobby. Saturday, October 18 View Page He designed and carved this plate for me. I just picked it up today. I love it!!!! Tuesday, October 28 View Page Favorites from the 2008 patch. Wee-B-Little twins! Tuesday, October 28 View Page Phat Jack Tuesday, October 28 View Page Lots of kids have had their photo taken here. Fun! Fun! My patch prep is completed and I've got big big hopes for next year! Tuesday, October 28 View Page HAPPY HALLOWEEN