Pretty, Yet Weird

Some years I let the kids pick which little pumpkins

I'll hide for them every night in October.

Other years (including this one) we don't all make it to Trader Joe's in time,

so I just buy half a dozen little gourds and let each child choose one.

Here's this year's batch.

I figured Daniel would like the grotesque, warty one.

Looks like I was right.

I bought this gourd because it's beautiful . . .

. . . but also kind of bizarre.

Anna wanted it because it's pretty,

and Todd wanted it because it's weird,

so they played Cici Tia Hawk

(our variation of Rock Paper Scissors)

to see who would get it.

Anna won, and Todd was a good sport about it.

He chose the greenish tiger pumpkin

and Joy went with the little white one I grew on our back deck.

(Huzzah for homegrown produce!)

Now that the kids are in bed,

it's time for me to go hide all of the gourds.

Hopefully I won't forget this year!