Keep yer hands off my pickle!
Photo by Mark Finkenstaedt,
and I did the pumpkin carving and also, ever so gently, whacked that hatchet into his noggin. He almost split in two and I think I heard a muffled shriek. Poor thing. But he gave his life to good effect and it is for Halloween, after all. In the blink of an eye he will be utterly obsolete. Or the squirrels’ll get him.

Warning! Shameless Plug Ahead!

The Washington Post Weekend cover story is

Ready, Set, Glow

and there is a slide show – Pumpking Carving 101 – with audio (me) here:
washingtonpost.com

Carvers, start your engines!