OK, This is what I mean by carving Pumpkins!

Samhain aka Halloween is fast approaching - The turn of the Wheel for the Celts, Harvest Sabbat for pagans and Witches, and the High Holy Day for Drag Queens, Trans Folk and all us fan geeks and misfits everywhere....

So of course one must, without fail, carve one's pumpkin. Or turnip...yep.

I said turnip. Seem's that the carving of a face to ward off the things that go bump in the night began in Ireland, but they used turnips, not pumpkins. And they left an offering out for the fey with it at their door. Hence the Trick or Treat thing. And they also wore masks for similiar reasons, hence today's costume frenzy at Wal Mart. One wonder's what an ancient Celt would make of all this!

Carving the Jack-o-Lantern has risen to an amazing art form...

here are some pictures gleaned from here, there and yon, some by anonymous individuals, some by Ray Villafane, a master sculptor...his website is here for some real pumpkin madness -http://www.villafanestudios.com/pumpkins.htm and there is a tutorial! I was very hesitant about posting these amazing pictures, because, see, I am going to see if I can up my level of Jack-o-Lantern carving this year and try to be sculptural instead of just carving a usual 2D image. I have done some kick ass pumpkins in the past, such as one with Stone Henge on it, ringed with Celtic Knotwork, but I have never gotten as extravagant as this stuff. And if my first shot at this turns out to suck, I am going to be very embarrassed to post it with these to compare it with. But we'll see. I am thinking about trying a Green Man. So we will see what happens! Meanwhile, enjoy! More to come of Halloween...