Today being Halloween, let’s talk about jack-o’-lanterns. We’ve all seen them, and we’ve probably all carved at least one or two in our lifetimes. But while we were visiting our son Travis and his wife Geli in Alabama last week, we saw something that you’ve probably never seen before. A completely new twist on carving jack-o’-lanterns that eliminates the possibility of cutting yourself with a slip of a knife and instead gives the job to subordinates. And what could be more subordinate than a chicken?
That’s right, we saw chickens make jack-o’-lanterns. I don’t know where Travis came up with this idea, but I don’t think it’s something that either of us will forget anytime soon.
He started the process by taking a pumpkin and making shallow cuts where the eyes and mouth should be and then peeling off the thin layer of outer skin. When he was done with that, he took it to his chicken pen and set it down and let the hens do their magic.
To say they seem to like pumpkin is an understatement. They almost charged him as soon as they saw it, and the minute he sat it on the ground, they were all over the thing.
It was something to watch as the birds pecked away at the mouth and eyes, greedily gobbling down the pumpkin meat. At least I guess they were gobbling it down, unless that’s an exclusive turkey expression. 😊
And before you could say “trick or treat” this was the end result. Maybe the chickens were not quite as creative as some jack-o’-lanterns I have seen in my life, but then again, how many of us can lay an egg?
This is our 6th year here at our house in Florida, and every year we buy candy for the little munchkins we expect to come around. And not once in all of those years has even one child shown up at our door. But we keep buying the candy anyway because I’m childlike in my innocence, and I do like candy.
And finally, here’s a chuckle to start your day from the collection of funny signs we see in our travels and that our readers share with us.
Thought For The Day – They told us we could have it all but forgot to tell us we might not want it all.
Nick Russell
World-Famous, New York Times Best Selling Author, and All-Around Nice Guy!
Your son is brilliant…not in a gazillion years would I ever think of letting the chickens do the work or even believe that it would be possible.
I am so sorry for you guys. Not one child showing up for Halloween candy. Must really be a retirement community with no grandkid visitors.
In the Tucson area we are being warned not
to put real pumpkins outside as they are a favorite food of javelina.
Judy
I saw a post about squirrels doing that, but I will have to share this with a friend who has chickens, in case she wants to do it next year.