October 12: Parting With Pumpkin Plants

I give up. The third round of seeds I planted from last year's little white Samhain pumpkin were again all males. I was on my altar at Yule after which I cut it open, removed the seeds, and offered the flesh to the nature spirits. At Imbolc I blessed the seeds. I planted them at Ostara and transplanted five of them at Beltane. Before Litha, they were flowering, but the were all all males. I kept two and planted thirteen more seeds in the wonderful compost I bought from one of my Harvest Hosts. Several sprouted, but they got left outside on a rainy afternoon that was only supposed to have a passing shower, and they rotted. I tore the bus apart twice looking for the rest of the seeds, and found them. My third planting was on Mabon. A few sprouted, and two prospered. Again, they were male. Today they offered two new blooms. Knowing there will be no small white pumpkins (gourds actually) for Samhain, I gave the tub to Lilly so they can live out their lives in her permaculture forest, which I trust they will like better than the bus where they contracted a powdery mildew. It was she who gave me the pot and soil for the first transplant of the first round of seeds.

An orange pumpkin, gifted to me, will be on my Samhain altar this year. I doubt I will try to harvest and grow its seeds.

It's as dark here as it was last night, and like last night, there are trains passing close by. Pye has moved away from his spot on the steps where he kept a lookout for cats, dogs, and ducks. I am listening to the sounds of the night and plotting my route for tomorrow.