I've never thought of Halloween as an opportunity to learn something about the design process, but looking back on last weekend, I now see Halloween differently.

I spent the weekend in Providence, RI with my grandkids. I volunteered to help the 3 kids cut their pumpkins.  From the start, I should have realized that pumpkin cutting had entered a new era. First, we went on line and got directions (I didn't tell them that I have been cutting pumpkins, annually, for the last 45+ years). Then we looked at pumpkin designing sites; there's been a lot of thinking outside the pumpkin in the last few years. Amazing designs ... way beyond a smiling or frowning face. And controversy ... do you cut off the top or make a whole in the back; do you scoop out the gook before or after you cut out your design?

Being a modern grandmother, and not wanting to infringe of their creativity, I suggested that each one create their own design and go about it anyway they wanted. So,

• one chose an oblong pumpkin (aren't round ones premiun?), laid it on its side, and carved a crescent moon, a star, and meteor;
• next one cut out three stars to light up the Halloween night;
• the third one, Mr. Retro, asked how I cut my pumpkins, when "you were young." I told him there was only one way ... triangle eyes and nose, and either a mean or happy, big mouth, with fangs hanging out of it. That suited his personality just fine.

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I drove back to Vermont that night; at 10PM, I got out the pumpkin carving knife and got going. The kids had challenged my pumpkin carving rut ... my pumpkin had to have a face (it's tradition and makes me feel good), I scooped out the gook after I carved the face, and I created a pumpkin face without any triangles. How freeing ...

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