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Every dogma has its day.


Busy bee. Royal Botanical Gardens, Hobart. October 2011.

Theme Thursday today, and they've thrown me a curveball. You see - as I bemoan in an October 2009 'classic' TT post - we down here in the Antipodes (Greek for "arse end of the world") do not partake in the "Festival of the GOURD".

At least, we never used to.

You see, the big supermarket chains have been trying very hard in the last couple of years to muscle in on the Halloween racket and increase the profit margin of the obesity epidemic among children. I suspect that a cabal of powerful dentists may also be in league with the sugar merchants, but I have no way of proving it.

Quite how we are meant to celebrate the end of the harvest festival smack bang in the middle of spring and scare the living daylights out of impressionable old folk as the evening light stretches even longer into the night is beyond me. Moreover - much like gorging on chocolate in celebration of a baby egg-laying rabbit nailed to a cross - I am unable to fathom how gobbling up lollies and dressing up like trollop versions of entirely respectable professions makes much sense.

Unless there are plenty of cents to be made. [See what I did there?]
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Comments

Roddy said…
It has to be a honey bee. Look at the colour of the flower.
10 November 2011 at 15:47
MaR said…
It's roasted chestnuts in my corner of the world. Fantastic macro!!

Theme Th
10 November 2011 at 17:18
Mrsupole said…
Hi Kris,

I really did not think this would be such a hard theme. The funny thing is that I was trying to pick something that worked for both the north and the south even though we were at opposite seasons. I thought that you would be growing gourds related to the spring seasons while we would be growing the autumn gourds. I even looked gourds up to see what was what. I was surprised at what qualifies as a gourd. I had not a clue. I just thought they were those hard, useless in these times except as art, weird looking things. I was not even sure if a gourd was edible. I still do not know if those hard art thingys are edible, but I think all the other gourds are edible.

I do have a question for you in that I am wondering if you guys eat squash down there? We have many varieties up here and they are considered to be some of the healthiest foods available.

As to a Halloween racket, they said on the news that Halloween is the second highest season people spend money in which to celebrate. Totally true what you said, they are in total league with the sugar merchants as in so many other holidays. Sadly it is the children who are the losers in all these holiday celebrations.

Oh and I really enjoyed this post and I am so afraid to look at the trollops. A dentist office is not the most favorite place to be.

Such a great TT, thanks again.

God bless.
10 November 2011 at 19:47
Brian Miller said…
ha, halloween is fun...kids have a blast and a sugar high that lasts a week, teens become mischievous, i dont know why you dont want it...smiles.

you did fine on that word play there kris...
10 November 2011 at 22:32
Anonymous said…
I used to love Halloween and all it's gourdy goodness, but not so much anymore.

These days I prefer Day of the Dead. It's both fun and a chance to honor those I have lost.

By the way, I loved your definition of Anitpodes. Made this American in Northern California laugh out loud!
11 November 2011 at 07:21
Kris McCracken said…
Roddy, why do you say that?

Mar, the poor chests!

Mrsupole, I love gourds! We eat all sorts down here. Particular favourites of mine: butternut pumpkin, yellow squash, zucchini and even the melon varieties of cantaloupe and watermelon (yes they are gourds).

Brian, I thought it was all about a viscous killer staking a lithe Jamie Lee Curtis!

Karen, I picked up that colourful saying from (would you believe it) our former Prime Minister, Paul Keating!
11 November 2011 at 09:24
Betsy Brock said…
Well, I love the photo. I thought maybe it was a gourd blossom! :)
Want our leftover Halloween candy?
11 November 2011 at 14:11
Kris McCracken said…
My dentist must be giving you kickbacks to offer me those lollies...
11 November 2011 at 14:19
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