Pumpkin Festival 2013 - A Blast from the Past - Pumpkin Carving in 2010

This is old school Pumpkin Festival.  Here's Gwyn from 2010, our very first pumpkin carving.

Pumpkin Festival 2013 - Update 8 - Happy Halloween

Peter wishes you a Happy Halloween.

Pumpkin Festival 2013 - Update 7 - Rat Inside the Pumpkin

Here's Smaug showing off the interior of his pumpkin.  Yes, they are just working on the final bits of removing the pumpkin guts.  And, all of my guys with white noses have pumpkin stains.  Then, again, Philip probably has pumpkin stains but his black fur keeps you from seeing the stains.

I have a pretty good video of Smaug working on the interior, but the video needs editing.  Hopefully, I will post the video later today.

By the way, they can now fit at least two rats inside the pumpkin simultaneously.

Pumpkin Festival 2013 - Update 6 - Getting to the Meat of Things

There's been slow progress, so today, we went ahead and gave them a starter hole.

Of course, the rats decide to focus on the skylight hole that they chose for themselves.  Now, the skylight hole reaches into pumpkin guts.

Pumpkin Festival 2013 - Update 5 - Diving for Pumpkin Seeds

Pumpkin Seeds.... Pumpkin Seeds....  Pumpkin Seeds

And, the mess begins....

Pumpkin Festival 2013 - Update 4 - Big Pumpkin is Being Carved

 It took them awhile to pick a spot for excavation, but it looks like they will be entering the pumpkin through the top.  This is Walter nibbling and Carl trying to photobomb.

These photos are from less than 24 hours of carving of the Big Pumpkin.

Pumpkin Festival 2013 - Update 3 - The Big Pumpkin

 PARTY TIME!!!

 Peter is grabbing some pumpkin vine, and Butters is intently observing.

Butters successfully scooped up the vine and tugged it into his hammock.  Peter is nibbling on the pumpkin stalk.  

Stay tuned for additional Pumpkin Fiesta 2013 Updates.

Pumpkin Festival 2013 - Update 2 - Practice Pumpkin's Carving Completed

 In less than 24 hours, my sweet little rats completely carved their wee pumpkin.  There is no evidence of pumpkin seeds or guts.

 Here's Walternate showing off his hard work.

And, a few hours later, we removed the pumpkin and I tried to get a pretty picture outside.  The pumpkin walls are mostly paper thin in this photo.

Our full size pumpkin is going to be cleaned up, and it looks like we are going to try it without a starter hole as our little ratties seem to know what to do with a pumpkin.  So, don't worry Pumpkin Festival 2013 is not over.

Pumpkin 2013 First Update

Here's a video of the practice pumpkin.

It's Pumpkin Festival 2013 Time

Welcome to our annual Pumpkin Festival.  Over the years we have learned that pumpkins bought at pumpkin farms last longer than store bought.  So, here are two pumpkins on their way home from Harris Hill Farm.

This is our first year picking pumpkins at Harris Hill Farm.  I was thrilled.  Lots of farm animals, and the pumpkins were actually in a pumpkin patch not hauled to a decorative "pumpkin patch".  The scenery was amazing.

 This year we decided to start with a little bit of pumpkin training.

I'm thrilled to see such enthusiasm for pumpkin carving.

Don't worry, Pumpkin fiesta isn't just about little pumpkins.  They will get their full sized pumpkin.  And, I hope that we will have another year in which the rats carve a pumpkin to the point that they can actually hang out inside the pumpkin.

Pumpkin 2012 Finale

Well, a bit of a hurricane delayed this post.  Not having power for 7 days can do that, and then, I kept putting off posting the pics, but without further adieu.  Here they are.

 Although it may take them a few days, they do a very good job of cleaning out the inside and carving their pumpkin.

 Here's their sky light.

 The bottom was starting to collapse.

 View through the front door showing the collapsing floor.

 Another view through the front door.

And, this shows how well they clean out the inside of a pumpkin.

We got this pumpkin at the grocery store, and it did not last as well as previous pumpkins which we picked out at pumpkin farms.  So, next year, we will have to do a U-pick pumpkin.

Pumpkin Festivities Day 4 - Inside Here We Come

Expanding the entrance hole to inspire the rats has met with success.



Jimmy nibbling on her hard earned yummies.


Front entrance - We shall soon have rats able to hang out inside the pumpkin.


The sky light is still in the beginning stages, but apparently they want a BIG skylight.


Here's Jimmy demonstrating her excavation technique.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Pumpkin Festivities - Day 2

Report from the Pumpkin Cage-

Well, it's Day 2 of the Pumpkin Festival.

Nighttime is when most of the excavation occurs.




Here we find the starter hole has mostly been ignored.




However, a fairly significant excavation is occurring in the roof of the pumpkin.




So, we have made a minor alteration to the starter hole, and we shall see over the next 24 hours how this affects pumpkin excavation operations.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Pumpkin Festivities 2012 BEGINS

Pumpkin time is a special and eagerly awaited for time in my household. And, this year's festivities has officially begun.




First, the pumpkin.




This year's start hole is ... small.




And, this photo was taken within minutes of placing the pumpkin in the cage. Yes, Lily has already begun the excavation festivities.