I see Halloween as the start of my favorite time of year — autumn into winter, encompassing Christmas and wrapping up with Valentine’s Day. Lots to celebrate, generally less sweating while outside. Great food, gifts, Super Bowl…it’s a little of everything, really.
This year, we’re kicking it off without Kate, who’s off to Cancun as part of her travel-writing gig; she’ll be looking at some Day of the Dead activities there. Tough, I know. But the daughter and I will remain strong, go about our trick-or-treating, and then host the usual assortment of friends and neighbors afterward, with chili and beer and an outdoor screening of Ghostbusters. (Note: The children will not be partaking in the beer.)
And there will be pumpkins, including my contributions to this year’s decor:
I thought the calavera (Mexican-style skull, in honor of Kate’s trip) turned out well, but the light really doesn’t shine through in some of the detail. Spidey was an impulse, but turned out surprisingly well.
I’m starting to develop an oeuvre of pumpkins, apparently, given these from last year.
It’s funny, because the Death Star ended up as my greatest social media victory after the official Star Wars Twitter account retweeted it, though one commenter noted that it looked a bit like a cat’s rectum and, well…I couldn’t un-see it and felt less victorious after that. But still, while I’m hardly adept at most visual arts, I seem to have a knack for gourds.
Anyway, be safe and enjoy the spookiness.
#SFWApro
, 
Michael J. Martinez 