Happy Halloween! Some Pumpkin Carving Tips…

• Do not eat a pumpkin that has been carved as a jack-o’-lantern.

• Choose a large pumpkin. The larger the pumpkin, the easier it is to carve. Pumpkins with a lighter color tend to be softer and easier to carve.

•  When cutting out the top, place the knife at a 45 degree angle so the lid will have a place to rest when you replace it. If you cut straight down, the lid will fall through.

• When cleaning the pumpkin, save the seeds. Toasted pumpkin seeds make a healthy as well as tasty snack. A 1-inch thickness of the pumpkin wall is optimum.

• Print out or draw the pattern on a piece of paper. Use small sharp scissors or a razor knife to cut out the areas you will be carving into the pumpkin. Tape the template onto the pumpkin and use a marker to trace the carving lines. Cutting slits in the paper will help it to conform to the round surface.

• As an alternative, you can tape the outline to the pumpkin and use a nail or large pushpin to score the carving lines onto the pumpkin. Connect the dots as you carve.

• A long serrated knife or a pumpkin-carving knife with teeth will be necessary to cut through the thick flesh. Use a sawing motion and take your time cutting along the outside edge of the marker lines so there is no marker residue.

• Consider cutting off the bottom of the pumpkin, as well as the top. The pumpkin will be more stable and also easier to carve. If you plan on using a candle to light your jack-o’-lantern, be sure the opening in the bottom is large enough to fit over the candle. Place the candle on a fire-proof base large enough to accommodate the pumpkin. You can then easily lift off the jack-o’-lantern to light the candle.

• A small battery-operated flameless candleis a safer choice than traditional candles for lighting your jack-o’-lantern.

• Sprinkle the bottom side of the pumpkin lid with ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and/or cloves to let your jack-o’-lantern do double duty as an air freshener.

 

from … http://homecooking.about.com/od/howtocookvegetables/a/pumpkincarving.htm

Halloween, Time Change and Delicious Pecan Pie – I Love Fall

 

Carve the Perfect Pumpkin

• Do not eat a pumpkin that has been carved as a jack-o’-lantern.

• Choose a large pumpkin. The larger the pumpkin, the easier it is to carve. Pumpkins with a lighter color tend to be softer and easier to carve.

•  When cutting out the top, place the knife at a 45 degree angle so the lid will have a place to rest when you replace it. If you cut straight down, the lid will fall through.

• When cleaning the pumpkin, save the seeds. Toasted pumpkin seeds make a healthy as well as tasty snack. A 1-inch thickness of the pumpkin wall is optimum.

• Print out or draw the pattern on a piece of paper. Use small sharp scissors or a razor knife to cut out the areas you will be carving into the pumpkin. Tape the template onto the pumpkin and use a marker to trace the carving lines. Cutting slits in the paper will help it to conform to the round surface.

• As an alternative, you can tape the outline to the pumpkin and use a nail or large pushpin to score the carving lines onto the pumpkin. Connect the dots as you carve.

• A long serrated knife or a pumpkin-carving knife with teeth will be necessary to cut through the thick flesh. Use a sawing motion and take your time cutting along the outside edge of the marker lines so there is no marker residue.

• Consider cutting off the bottom of the pumpkin, as well as the top. The pumpkin will be more stable and also easier to carve. If you plan on using a candle to light your jack-o’-lantern, be sure the opening in the bottom is large enough to fit over the candle. Place the candle on a fire-proof base large enough to accommodate the pumpkin. You can then easily lift off the jack-o’-lantern to light the candle.

• A small battery-operated flameless candleis a safer choice than traditional candles for lighting your jack-o’-lantern.

• Sprinkle the bottom side of the pumpkin lid with ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and/or cloves to let your jack-o’-lantern do double duty as an air freshener.

 

from … http://homecooking.about.com/od/howtocookvegetables/a/pumpkincarving.htm

16 Ways to Have a Safer Halloween

There’s something scarier about Halloween than the costumes: It’s the deadliest day for child pedestrian accidents. To help make Halloween activities safer, whether you’re going door-to-door, driving or passing out treats at home, keep these tips in mind.

If you’re going door-to-door:

• Always accompany young children.
• Exercise great caution during the “deadliest” hours: between 5 and 9 p.m. Studies show that the hour between 6 and 7 p.m. is especially dangerous for pedestrian accidents.
• Stick to neighborhoods with sidewalks. If you must walk on the street, keep to the far left, facing traffic.
• Practice safe crossing procedures: Use crosswalks; wait at corners; and look left, right and left again before crossing.
• Stick reflective tape onto costumes to make your child more visible. Also have him or her carry a flashlight.
• Make sure costumes and shoes are the correct size to prevent tripping. Use face paint and leave the masks at home: They can obstruct vision.
• If an older child is venturing out without supervision, ask that he or she go with a group, discuss the route and agree on a curfew. Give older kids cell phones so they can stay in touch.
  

If you’re driving:

• Be alert for children and eliminate in-car distractions.
• Drive slowly.
• Practice extra caution at intersections and corners.
• Pull in and out of driveways carefully.
• Discuss these and other driving pointers with your teen driver. Drivers ages 15–25 were involved in around one-third of fatal accidents involving child pedestrians on Halloween, according to studies.
  

If you’re passing out treats at home:

• Keep your home brightly lit indoors and outside.
• Clear debris and other obstacles from your lawn, sidewalks and steps.
• Opt for battery-operated candles in jack-o’-lanterns or other areas where costumed trick-or-treaters might stand.
• Keep pets kenneled or in another room.

In addition to protecting children from accidents, remind kids of stranger danger on Halloween. Teach children to visit only well-lit homes, to avoid dark streets and to not enter homes that aren’t their own. Kids should show all their loot to parents before eating any of it. Homemade treats from people they don’t know shouldn’t be eaten.

The information in this article was obtained from various sources. While we believe it to be reliable and accurate, we do not warrant the accuracy or reliability of the information. These suggestions are not a complete list of every loss control measure.

Autumn Table Decorations

Add a festive flare to your dinner table with these easy to create decorations; use them alone or in any combination: