Happy Halloween!

Hello lovelies! Wish you a happy Halloween - enjoy some stories and activities as your very special creative treat!

- from Oki Pie & Pumplekin

The Legend of Pumplekin

Clomp. Clomp. Clomp.

Over the hill came a pumpkin in brown boots.
He wasn't big. He wasn't loud.
His boots were a smooth brown color, and his stem had a little curl at the top.
His name was Pumplekin. And it was the first day of autumn.

Pumplekin threw both arms up high and said loudly,
"POMKINS! Pom-pom-POMKINS!"

Under a big flat leaf...A wiggle.
Then another. And another. And another.
From under the vines. From behind the rocks. From inside an old muddy boot.
Dozens… Hundreds... More than anyone could count!

"Good morning, Pomkins,"
said Pumplekin. "I have a job for you.
Keep these pumpkins safe until families take them home."
"Safe from what?"
"Cold winds."
"We'll curl around them!"
"Hungry crows."
"We'll shoo them! Shoo, shoo, SHOO!"
"Long, dark nights."
The Pomkins thought about that one.
"We'll... hum to them?"
Pumplekin smiled. "Perfect."

So they curled. They shooed. They hummed.
And when families came with wagons and muddy boots,
the Pomkins whispered from under the leaves:
Not that one. Not that one.
THAT one. That one's ready.

On the last day of October, the last wagon rolled away.

The patch was empty.
"Bored," said one Pomkin.
"So bored," said another.
"So bored my stems are drooping," said a third, and flopped on his back.

Clomp. Clomp. Clomp.
"Bored?" said Pumplekin.
"SO bored."
"Then listen close. The pumpkins have gone home with their families.
And every pumpkin still needs keeping safe."
"Us?"
"You! Line up!"

Wiggle, wiggle, scoot.

A long, long, looong line of Pomkins, stems up like birthday candles.
"Forward... MARCH!"

Into town they went, house by house.

The front porch... "You. Watch for cold winds."
The windowsill... "You. Watch for crows."
The doorstep... "You. Hum when the night gets dark."
"Yes, sir! Yes, sir! Yes, sir!"

The stairs... "You two. Don't let it roll!"
The mantel... "You. Don't let it wobble!"
The kitchen counter... "You." Pumplekin paused.
"If it turns into pie, save me a slice."
And you, and you, and you, and you.

House after house. Street after street.
Until every pumpkin in town had a Pomkin.

Clomp. Clomp. Clomp.
Pumplekin walked home under the moon.

The days grew shorter. The nights grew colder.
And one by one, the pumpkins grew soft and slumpy and squishy and tired.
The Pomkins knew what that meant.

Wiggle, wiggle, scoot.
Off the porches.
Down from the windowsills. Out of every house in town.
Every Pomkin, with every pumpkin, back to the patch.

They tucked the pumpkins into the earth, seeds and all,
and curled up beside them for a long winter's sleep.
The snow came. The snow went.
Little green sprouts poked up, and grew, and grew,
and grew round and proud.

Clomp. Clomp. Clomp.

Over the hill came a pumpkin in brown boots.
It was the first day of autumn.
"POMKINS! Pom-pom-POMKINS!"
And under a big flat leaf

...A wiggle.

Ready to meet some very special space pumpkins? Briefly interact with Gourdians of the Galaxy to get a creative Halloween activity prompt you can try with your friends and family!

Make Gourdian Paper Puppets

To make your very own Gourdian paper puppets,

You’ll need: Thick paper or cardstock, paint or markers, scissors, a hole punch or sharp pencil, paper fasteners (brads), eye stickers, and optional extras like star stickers or felt leaves. You can also cutout real leaves fallen on the ground!

  1. Pick a shape - Look through the Gourd Guide and choose a real squash or pumpkin to inspire your Gourdian’s head

  2. Paint your pieces - Paint one head, one body, two arms and two legs. Try stripes, dots, hearts or stars

  3. Cut them out - When the paint is dry, cut out all six pieces. Leave a little extra at the ends of the arms and legs for joining

  4. Add a face - Stick on the eyes and draw a mouth. Give your Gourdian a stem on top

  5. Make the holes - Poke a small hole at the top of each arm and leg, and matching holes on the body and the bottom of the head

  6. Join the parts - Push a paper fastener through each pair of holes and open its legs flat on the back. Keep them loose enough for the parts to swing

  7. Decorate - Add extras like felt leaves for wings or star stickers for sparkle

  8. Bring it to life - Make a second Gourdian, name both of them, then use them to act out your story on the Our Gourdians Story sheet

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Sales proceeds allow us the financial freedom to continue offering free art programs in public libraries, museums, and makerspaces across the San Francisco Bay Area.

Have a Spooooktacular Halloweeeeeen!