Another entry in the continuing but irregular series, “Three Odd Things!”
Pre-Painted Pumpkins
I’ve noticed an increase in pumpkin painting activities for kids at fall festivals and such events in the last few years. So much less messy than pumpkin carving! But now a new economic opportunity has presented itself: pre-painted pumpkins.
Yes folks, you, too, can purchase a mini-pumpkin with a value-added decal already applied. They come in many themes from slightly spooky to downright cute. Some have text instead of pictures (“Sweater Weather,” “Fall in Love,” “Hey, Pumpkin!”), and there is also a line of Día de los Muertos pumpkins, some on (appropriately) white “ghost” pumpkins.
Starbucks Saucers (And Not For Coffee)
Starbucks’ latest line of seasonal cups has a flying saucer theme. Among the motifs of colored leaves and fall fruit (pears and, yes, of course, pumpkins), appears an airborne saucer poised to beam up the unlucky Earthling below. And to top it off, it sports a straw with a three-dimensional flying (hovering?) saucer. I was almost tempted to buy one, but I have plenty of Starbucks schlock already.
Harris Hedgehog Homophone
We were strolling down a street in Friendship Heights last week and spotted this sign and sweet little tableau in a front yard.
Now there’s a mystery! A little Google-noodling turned up a clue. There’s a Harris family crest with three hedgehogs on it. This blog page has a discussion:
“…the old name for hedgehogs was ‘herries’. If you listen, it sounds like Harris. I also think this was used as a sort of pun on the name.”
So my suspicion is that a family named Harris lives in that house, with a neat election tie-in.