Pumpkin Carving Event

A fanciful pumpkin directs participants into the library's meeting room on the third floor of the Owings Mills Metro Centre

Sunday afternoon was unseasonably sunny and warm, an ideal day for a drive in the country to admire the brilliant fall foliage or to take a hike at nearby Soldiers Delight Natural Environment Area in Owings Mills.  But instead, gathered inside a conference room on the third floor of Baltimore County Public Library’s newest branch at the Owings Mills Metro Centre, children and adults huddled intently, studying their options.  The subject at hand was pumpkin carving and on this beautiful, late October day, participants carefully chose their patterns, affixed them to rotund globes with push pins and proceeded to slice, carve and etch surprisingly intricate patterns into the pumpkin flesh.

Carvers young and not-so-young slice into their gourds

First, of course, came the hollowing out of the innards, which elicited the requisite "ew, gross!" from the girls in attendance.  But the children were troopers, pulling seeds and strings out with their bare hands in earnest determination.  A reporter from the Community Times was on hand to take pictures for a forthcoming article.  Library staffers made sure we had everything we needed.

Kayla Williams, 11, of Owings Mills, carefully traces a pattern on her pumpkin

Eight-year-old Madison Falby, of Owings Mills, loves dogs, so when she spotted a Scottish terrier among the carving patterns on display, her choice was easy.  Madison named her silhouette "Skelly", short for "Skeleton Scottie".  Madison’s best friend, eight-year-old Malayna Cox, also of Owings Mills, chose to carve the outline of a bat sitting on a jack-o-lantern. Eleven-year-old Kayla Williams, of Owings Mills, etched an intricate Halloween greeting on her pumpkin.

SDCI president Laura Van Scoyoc and volunteer Jesse Turner were on hand from start to finish to assist the carvers and help with everything from set up clean up.  A grand time was had by all.

Carvers proudly display their jack-o-lanterns from left: SDCI vice president Lynell Tobler, president Laura Van Scoyoc, volunteer Jesse Turner, 8-year-old Madison Falby, mom Alysia Falby, Madison's best friend, Malayna Cox, Tiffany Williams (holding 15-month-old Kelsey), and 11-year-old Kayla Williams