Pumpkin Planters

I got this photo from Apartment Therapy.
Visit their blog for other good ideas. 

I totally planned to do this- you know, buy a pumpkin, hollow it out, stick a plant in it, and then snap a picture of it to show you just how easy and pretty it is. Use frost hardy plants like pansies or mums and you have a great decoration from now until Thanksgiving...or until the yellow jackets or gnats swarm it.

I've found they last quite a long time outside where they stay cool. Usually, the pumpkin is still firm when it's ready to be set aside for Santa.

If you used mums and feel like digging a hole big enough, you can plant them pumpkin and all. I'm not really into digging big holes, so I usually stick with pansies- less guilt when I toss an annual.

But as you can see by the credit on the photo, I didn't get one made. I googled someone else's masterpiece and shared it.

It's been one of those weeks where life got the best of me. I'm pretty sure the twenty-four hours that make up the seven days of some weeks are shorter than others. I believe Einstein had a theory on it...something about the relativity of time vs. diminishing brain mass of busy moms.

Okay, so I'm no physics major and can't give you scientific proof, I just know it's the truth!

But trust me, this is EASY to do. Just buy a pumpkin, a potted plant, and some potting soil.

Slice the top off the pumpkin.

Set the plant inside, add some extra dirt around it, and then water it.

And water it every few days, unless it rains. Then you just need to give nature a high five for the help.

It truly is EASY. I don't even remove all the seeds, unless I want some to bake and eat.

Speaking of which...you want a an easy, tasty treat?

Scoop out some pumpkin seeds; remove the goopy stuff; toss with a small amount of olive or vegetable oil; sprinkle with salt. Spread them out in a single layer across a cookie sheet, and then bake in the oven on 300 degrees until slightly browned. When they start to smell delicious (about 30-45 minutes), they're usually ready to eat.

photo credit: Roasted Pumpkin Seeds via photopin (license)