Hexed!

[from German Hexe, witch. from Middle High German hecse. from Old High German hagzissa.]

Why exactly do I have a strange affinity for pumpkins?

I really don't know.

It may have started circa 1986...

That's when I think I saw Return to Oz for the first time.

Still living in West Berlin, my best friend and I would reenact the movie when we were playing outside. We'd take turns being Dorothy or Ozma, hiding from Mombi and doing our best to appease The Nome King.

Then there was Jack Pumpkinhead, our loyal friend. As you may have guessed, he was a pumpkin head with a scarecrow-type body. (Mystery solved?)

Since then, I have imaged all pumpkins as nice, friendly, loyal, and amazing. This makes me a bit delusional, I know. What can I say? Putting a blanket personality on all gourds (albeit, inanimate objects)...WAIT! They are living...

And Linus has The Great Pumpkin. Sure, that's an example from a cartoon strip. BUT everyone loves Charles Schultz!

I'd go Pumpkin Caroling with Linus any day, week, month of the year. Pumpkins bring good tidings and if waiting in a pumpkin patch for him to arrive is what I have to do...point me in the direction of the nearest patch.

~~J