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Ah Pumpkinfest. Just when you were enjoying the peace and quiet after a busy summer, the town fills up with leaf peepers and you can't get out of the grocery store in under 30 minutes again. And forget about finding a parking space in town.
Ann and I went out for breakfast early and took a walk around town to see the latest great pumpkins. Here are a few, starting with this one in honor of Columbus Day. Or shall I say, Indigenous Peoples Day.

love this

I particularly admire the ones that are carved rather than painted. SO talented. And bear in mind, these pumpkins are gynormous!

sunflowers

This next one was my fave - seen outside the book store. So creative and it was just as detailed around the sides and back. 

lobstah

And having said that, look at this beautiful painted tiger face outside Reny's.

Ann mugs with a kinda creepy pumpkin

cute chickadee

And here I am looking shaggy; look at him looking at me. Yikes lady, get away!

So, no Pumpkinfest would be complete without the pumpkin drop and this year did not disappoint. I got a picture of the crane the morning of. That thing is HUGE. They shook things up by having not only a car and a truck but this time a full swimming pool. Check them out with their killer pumpkins below. Oh, and I should say the winning pumpkin this year was over 1700 pounds. A record for Pumpkinfest and a record for Maine. Woot Woot!

Biggest crowd yet and all three very satisfying splats and the water in the pool flew skyward and the smack down seemed just as loud as the smushed vehicles. I drove by a little later and here was the aftermath.

the pool pretty much disentegrated

* * * 

And, it's that time of year. Time to pack the car to the gills, load up Miss Sophie and head south. Supposed to be snow flurries in the north tomorrow. Sophie has been glued to my hip for the past two days of packing the car, not wanting to be left behind. And as usual, my best laid plans of leaving the passenger seat empty were for naught. Maybe next time.  

Tonight, we've landed happily in Lexington, Mass, had wonderful Indian take-out with my sis and Tom, bedding down at my favorite hotel and will head for points south in the morning. Sweet dreams.