Welcome Home, Boys

Remember the sad garden post from a couple weeks ago?  Remember the even sadder pumpkin I had growing?  Well the growing basically came to a halt and I knew it would never turn into the gigantic pumpkin I once dreamed of.  I knew it wouldn't turn into a carriage at the stroke of midnight and I knew Prince Charming wouldn't later sweep me off my feet because the mysterious glass slipper pink Croc fit my foot.  Anyway, I decided to take the little guy out of the embarrassing state he was in...laying in the grass all green and heartbroken, knowing that he'll never get that chance to turn bright orange and sit on the front step with a vanilla scented tea light glowing inside him...and I brought him home.
That's right, I brought him inside and gave him new life.  I dug out the ol' art supplies and gave him the best makeover he could ask for.  I replaced his sad green exterior with a ravishing orange hue, complete with an authentic brown stem and everything.  And instead of him getting his insides gutted out and lit on fire and his face getting sawed into triangles and squares, I painted a nice, yet somewhat creepy, face on him.  Then I glazed him with some Mod Podge to help preserve his skin for as long as possible.
I present to you, the creating of Mr. Pumpkin (pretty original name, huh?):

apple shown for size comparison...Mr. Pumpkin didn't have much to brag about.

A day or two later I saw his friend from across the garden dangling from a separate vine.  I debated on whether or not I should put him out of his misery or keep him dangling and attempt to grow a bit more.  In the end I decided to also put him out of his misery and bring him in.  I didn't give him the ravishing makeover like I gave Mr. Pumpkin, but I did leave part of his vine on his head for that "fresh from the garden" look.  I don't have a name quite as original as Mr. Pumpkin, so I am calling this one "Mr. Pumpkin's Little Friend".  Together they sit on my TV stand, all pumped up for October baseball.  With the look on his face, sometimes I like to think that Mr. Pumpkin is laughing at his little friends perm gone very bad.