Wild Hair

Every so often, I get a wild hair, and end up doing things I wouldn't normally do.  This is one of those times.

I go through this every few years.  What is it, you may ask?  I buy a pie pumpkin and cook it down.  When I do this, I remember why I just buy canned pumpkin.  Then a few more years go buy, and I say to myself, "Self, you ought to buy a pie pumpkin and cook it down."  So, I do, and I go through the whole process once again.  And remember why I just buy canned pumpkin.

This was one of those years.

I bought a pie pumpkin to cook down and make fresh pumpkin puree'.    That was my project for today.

The hardest part is cutting the stupid thing up.  This time around, I had an epiphany.  After using my big knife to hack off the stem, it occurred to me that I have a hacksaw.  I went and got said hacksaw, and went to work with it.  That thing cut through the pumpkin rind like butter.

I was tempted for a moment to go fire up the old chainsaw, but restrained myself.

Anyway, I got the thing cut up, then had to scoop the goop out.  I'm telling you, I think the more you scoop, the more goop there is.

It's like the pumpkin is producing more and more of it in one final act of defiance.  The reward for your persistence is pumpkin seeds to roast.   After you separate the seeds from all the goop, that is. 

At long last, the pumpkin was cut up, the goop was scooped and the two halves were in the oven to cook down. 

And I was once again remembering why I just buy canned pumpkin.

They're still predicting temps in the low 30s tonight.  In anticipation of the impending freeze, I spent a few moments with my marigolds, zinnias, and vincas.  If it does frost/freeze, that'll be the last of them. 

The bad news is, my heater seems to have gone out.  It's always something isn't it?  It blows, it just blows cold.  We'll be OK until I can get it fixed.  I'll just swipe the space heater from the snake room when I take a shower.  Other than that, my little wood stove will keep the house warm enough.  It got the house so warm today I had to open a window. 

The good news is, I got the lights in my shed fixed.  One of the maintenance men from work came out and fixed them.  Turns out it was just a bad switch.  He replaced it and we're good to go. 

One step closer to getting my woodworking hobby going.