Happy Halloween!

"It does not do to leave a live dragon out of your calculations, if you live near him. [...] His rage passes description - the sort of rage that is only seen when rich folk that have more than they can enjoy suddenly lose something that they have long had but have never before used or wanted. His fire belched forth, the hall smoked, he shook the mountain-roots. [...] He issued from the Gate, the waters rose in fierce whistling steam, and up he soared blazing into the air and settled on the mountain-top in a spout of green and scarlet flame." J.R.R Tolkien, The Hobbit

May all your pumpkins be this amazing for Halloween!
http://www.fantasypumpkins.com/pumpkins-2007.htm

Amazing Halloween Pumpkins

An amazing carved pumpkin...

Happy Halloween!

Resources

A tutorial from artist Ray Villafane on how to carve like this. http://www.villafanestudios.com/pumpkins.htm

Villafane has worked for DC Comics from 2006, sculpting countless action figures and collectible statues over the years--and works around the world, creating masterpiece sand sculptures. Since 2007, Villafane has won the Food Network pumpkin carving challenge contest and remains defender of the top title.

Images of more Villafane pumpkins, http://www.mathimortician.com/2010/10/amazing-pumpkins-carved-by-artist-ray.html

P.S.
When my wife & I visited Plimoth Plantation in Plymouth recently, I noticed the "pilgrims" referred to pumpkins as "pumpions". That's odd I thought so I did some research and found this interesting site on the history of pumpkin pie, http://whatscookingamerica.net/History/PieHistory/PumpkinPie.htm

The name pumpkin originated from the Greek word for "large melon" which is "pepon." "Pepon" was changed by the French into "pompon."  In the 1600's the English termed it "pumpion" or "pompion."

In a 1796 cookbook it is called pompkin.  I'm not sure how the -kin got added. One dictionary mentions -kin meaning little, as in devilkin, so perhaps colonialists thought of this as a little melon? Ironic given the giant pump"kins" that are grown today.

Pencil Art

A weekend bonus...

Many artists use a pencil while creating art. But for Brazilian born, Connecticut based, Dalton Ghetti, the pencil is the art. He carves the graphite at the pencil tip into mini sculptures.

Bottom Line

Check out kronikle.kidrobot.com for more photos.