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November 3, 2008
pumpkin protection agency
by sven at 7:00 am
Every year since we've lived here, meanies have smashed our pumpkins. Ah, but NOT THIS YEAR, thank you very much!
As a preventative measure, I devised this shelf which clamps onto the house above the front porch area.
The horizontal board has a 1/2" overhang at the back. The trim of the house creates a lip that it can sit on. This point of contact then acts as a fulcrum. The force of the pumpkins' weight wants to make the horizontal board swing downward -- but the vertical brace prevents this motion from occurring. The two struts keep the horizontal board from breaking off of the vertical.
Consequently, the extra large clamps don't actually do much of the work of holding the shelf up. (I've learned over time that it's vital with projects like this to think in terms of vectors of force.)
I'm thrilled with this solution... It does take a 10 foot ladder to get up to the pumpkins for lighting, though. ;)
Unfortunately, we have some neighbors who weren't so lucky: their pumpkins got smashed. On one of our regular walks we saw two cute little jack-o'-lanterns. The next day, they were gone and an angry note was posted on the garage.
Now, we've never actually met these neighbors... But it was so sad -- we're pretty sure that it was a young kid whose work got demolished. So we decided to right the wrong. If nasty strangers had smashed the pumpkins, we'd be the kindly strangers who replaced them.
I went out and got two pumpkins and put them in a plain brown box (so meanies wouldn't suspect). I wrote a note, and left the package on the neighbors' porch:
"We liked your pumpkins! It was sad to see that someone smashed them. That's no good! Here are replacements.
--The Pumpkin Fairies"
Later that evening we went for another walk... And we saw that a note drawn in magic markers had gone up on the neighbors' porch:
"Thank You Pumpkin Fairies"
...You're welcome! :D
posted by sven | November 3, 2008 7:00 AM | comments (14) | categories: miscellany
Comments
Hee! Fantastic! I love that they made you a thank-you sign.
Posted by: Sister Diane at November 3, 2008 9:19 AM
Me too! :D
Posted by: sven at November 3, 2008 10:57 AM
yay! claps hands together i wonder if they suspect it's us...
Posted by: gl. at November 3, 2008 11:59 AM
This is so cool. All of it - the ledge to protect the pumpkins and a warm and happy heart for the pumpkin fairies and the sign of gratitude.
big smile!
Posted by: dot at November 4, 2008 12:04 AM
also, while we don't know the neighbors at that house, we are on quite friendly terms with their cat, winnie. :)
Posted by: gl. at November 4, 2008 12:27 AM
I am smiling! I love your pumpkin shelf and that you are now part of a secret pumpkin fairy association. Your generosity is inspiring. Dayna
Posted by: Dayna Collins at November 4, 2008 3:11 AM
Ha! POWERFULL fairies of Justice!
jriggityPosted by: justin rasch at November 4, 2008 10:49 AM
THAT is an awesome story :)
Pumpkin faeries unite!
Posted by: ubatuber at November 4, 2008 1:54 PM
that's really nice. How old do you think he kids were? Maybe pumpkin fairies will become a legend like santa claus...
Posted by: yash at November 4, 2008 7:12 PM
HEEE that's awesome! Congrats on defending your pumpkins and I really love the Pumpkin Fairies! There are few things as sweet and magical as random gifts/help from strangers when you need them. It's like you are helping repair the chaos of the world. Bueno!
Posted by: Emma McCreary at November 5, 2008 10:49 AM
even better than christmas: nobody expects halloween kindness!
Posted by: gl. at November 5, 2008 10:53 AM
Pumpkin carving is a form of artistic expression... People smashing art? No good!
It hurts when something you put effort and love into gets smashed. I think we, the general community, should give what support we can to people whose pumpkins have been destroyed... And if there's a way, work to prevent attacks from happening in the first place.
steps off soapbox
Posted by: sven at November 5, 2008 1:22 PM
I am SO glad to see that the Pumpkin Protection and Replacement Agency has its fairies on the job!! When I was 5 (doesn't everyone have a story like this?!) I built my very first snowman in our front yard. I was so excited! And so proud - especially considering that I'd had to wear bread bags over my shoes while building it (Mom was very resourceful, and we lived in an area that didn't get a lot of snow or generally require rubber boots for little kids). The next morning, I went out to look, and the snowman was crushed - clear tire tracks swerving off the street, onto the front yard, over the snowman, and back onto the street. Unfortunately, I had no snow fairies, but I did learn an early lesson in the transitory nature of art . . .
Good idea on the pumpkin shelf,though . . .
Posted by: Bridget B. at November 7, 2008 2:35 PM
Wow
That is the best thing I have read in a month.
Long live the pumpkin faries!!!
Posted by: mark F. at November 15, 2008 12:42 AM