Sold to a very happy family, the produce department at the Fred Meyer store on Federal Way in Boise featured a remarkable 113 pound pumpkin named Carl. According to All About Pumpkins, “Most pumpkin varieties take between 85 – 125 days to mature.” That means Carl grew at the approximate rate of 1.106 pounds per day.
The 2014 Guinness Book of World records pumpkin tipped the scales at an impressive 2,096.6 pounds. This massive specimen was grown by Swiss gardener Beni Meier. Using the same math, it means that Beni’s pumpkin grew at the approximate rate of 16.768 pounds per day. That’s equivalent to eight-pound twins—per day!
When was the last time you were wow’d?
Tuesdays with Laurie 
I love the idea of “Carl the Pumpkin.” 🙂
I’ll have to think about a “wow” moment.
Merril — I like the idea of “Carl the Pumpkin,” too 🙂
That’s amazing! I was blown over by the supermoon last month.
Fatimasaysell — yes, Yes, YES! Last month’s super moon was a real wow’er!
Watching the sun rise on a Cape Cod beach one morning a couple of weeks ago.
Barbara — Magnificent! 🙂
Laurie, you not only write with verve, but you can also “do the math.” Impressive, I’d say.
I’m wow’d when my blog readers comment with sparky ideas, often igniting a chain reaction. Timely post, as always!
Marian — I love reading the comments on other people’s blog posts. I’ve learned so much from other people’s “sparky ideas!”
That’s one nice looking 113 lb. Pumpkin! Definitely a WOW.
This past weekend my sister and brother-in-law invited me up to far northern Wisconsin home (40 minutes from Iron Mountain Michigan). Their home, 90% built by them, simple, beautiful, secluded on 10 acres with a variety of tall old trees bordering open spaces. I just missed seeing the 4 point buck visiting their front yard Sunday AM. However on Saturday, as we walked the property there were several sites where the wild grass was matted down clearly places where deer had bedded down.The peak tree color had largely passed but stark white birch trees against shots of bright yellow tree leaves and tall green pines also wowed as did the many small lakes. We did see hawks, wild turkey, common jays, finches and new to me small red squirrels (frantically gathering abundant acorns), as well as 7 white tail deer during our drive around. My soul sang a sweet song of the peace found in nature. Quietly whispering wow.
Audrey — I love the vivid word picture you painted. I can practically smell the crisp, fresh air of northern Wisconsin! 🙂
Thank you. It was a gift to get away!
Especially at this time of year, I am more than “wow’d” by nature. I try every day of my life to stop and enjoy the earth rather than smell the roses. I took some beautiful pictures this weekend of the foliage and skies which I will be sharing on my blog shortly. The colors at this time are amazing!
Chase & Chance’s Mom — Like you, Nature never fails to wow me. I’m looking forward to reading/seeing your post! 🙂
What a pumpkin! Mulling over the odd and diverse things that tend to “WOW!” me, I realize that I am more easily amused than I had originally thought. Evidently it takes little for me to be astonished by seemingly mundane things, such as a 50% sale on trees and shrubs at my favorite Home Improvement/Big Box retailer. “Wow!”, I thought, turning over the price tags on a couple of pink Kousa Dogwoods. “Wow!” I said, looking at the size of the Red Bud Trees! “Wow!” I exclaimed as I looked at the receipt given me by the cashier! “Wow”! I groaned as I off-loaded them at the planting site at our church. I believe I have one more good “Wow!” left in me, I’m saving it for this week-end when we finally get them all snugly planted in their new home and dressed for Winter. It will be something like this, “Wow! I’m glad that’s done!” Enjoyed the story of Carl, have a great day!
Sandi — I laughed at your Wow Story. I can see you clearly in my mind’s eye being wow’d at every turn. I sure hope you’re wow’d by a large turnout to help you plant all of your “loot!” 🙂
I’m wowed pretty much every day by whatever is happening in nature. Birds gathering for their journey to warmer climes. The way the leaves are turning from green to gold to brown. The crunch of leaves underfoot. It’s a lovely world despite all of the bad news!
Joan — There’s so much to see, hear, smell, taste, touch. You’re absolutely right, it’s a lovely world, indeed! 🙂
It’s a very good thing people don’t grow at the same rate as pumpkins! I am also wowed pretty much every day – by the puppy kisses that come with my big furry girls’ wakeup call, the birds’ flitting about in and under the bird tree enjoying the seed that’s put out for them, the sunrise, the joyous colors of fall and the crunch of fallen leaves underfoot. You know – life. Amazing, isn’t it?
Carol — Amen siSTAR! 🙂
That pumpkin is impressive . I had a wow moment only last week . My husband had an accident whilst doing a job for a client . His ladders went straight though a painting . He was devastated . The artist was local and I had always admired her work ( Helen Elliot if you want to check her out ) So we went along to her studio to see if she could replace it or restore it . It was an amazing experience to go to her studio and watch her work her magic . She restored the painting before our very eyes and hand signed it …wait for it …free of charge . We were so amazed we bought a painting for ourself and the owners of the painting we had restored were more than happy about it . We have had one of our nearest beach llangrannog …wow!!
Cherryx
Cherry — Talk about a HAPPY ending. Now THAT wow’d my socks off! 🙂
I was not only wowed but completely entranced by my trip out west last month. Monument Valley stunned me to silence and I have found myself anchored by its image ever since.
Dorothy — I love your descriptor: “…stunned me to silence and I have found myself anchored by is image ever since.” 🙂
He’s certainlty a beauty!
Love Carl the pumpkin. I’ll have to think about a wow moment…
Olga — I love Carl too, with his impressive 76-inch waist 🙂
What a great pumpkin story. Carl, what a nice name! I have not been Wow’d in a long time, but then again the heating system died in our new/old house and WOW has it been cold here! New system coming November 5 and I am hoping I can make it until then…. One of the FUN things that happened is we got “Boo” bagged this week. A treat bag for Halloween surprised us on our doorstep. Now it is our job to send it to 2 more folks as a surprise…we took one of our two bags to our old neighborhood to get the tradition going there too! That was wow fun.
Your post did not come into my email…so I came off facebook….will have to see if that continues? or sign on again 🙂
Patricia — I hope you’re Wow’d with your new heating system on November 5th. I love the idea of a “Boo bag” — how cool is that?!
I haven’t made any changes on my end, so I’m not sure why you didn’t receive an email notification of a new post. I sure hope that issue rectifies itself! 🙂
I love pumpkin pie, but don’t think even I could eat that much of it. : )
Leanne — Right? A pumpkin with a 76-inch waistline is one heckofa lot of pie! 🙂
I try to be ‘wowed’ every day, and most days I succeed! Today, just walking outside my door and seeing a ‘normal’ tree shake her florescent-orange leaves is enough for me to scream out — W O W!!
Roughwighting — I agree. The vibrant autumnal colors here in Boise are enough to take your breath away 🙂
I am wowd daily. Sometimes many times in a day and it’s typically simple things. Yesterday my main wow was from a coworker who had come by to let me know he was leaving the company. We had a great long conversation and somehow it came up that he had authored a book. He published a paperback of short stories via Amazon. I am always so curious about the things we don’t know about people and the gems that lie within. It’s fun being on the lookout for the wows.
Lana — I love (and share) your perspective: “It’s fun being on the lookout for the wow’s.”
I love they named their pumpkin, and Carl…how whimsical….my daughter is having everything Pumpkin on Saturday party…..its our favorite time of the year…LOL
New Journey — I tend to buy pumpkin-flavored everything at this time of year. Needless to say, your daughter’s “everything pumpkin” party on Saturday is going to be a blast! 🙂
yes I can’t wait…my husband hates pumpkin…LOL I told him it will be a test in tolerance….LOL
Hi Laurie
I’m a bit like Sandi, I get WOWed by lots of things.
Every time I look out the window there is a wow. This morning the cloud base is down to about 500ft, so the mountains are hiding, but I know they’re there. The birds are feeding, the ocean stretches off toward infinity (or at least America – on the other side of the Pacific – a good enough approximation to infinity for a swimmer of my calibre 😉 )
Yesterday I was WOWed when chairing our Zone Water Committee and trying to get my head around the dimensional complexity of the underground water flows, all the different sorts of material laid down at different depths and at different times by different sorts of events, floods, landslides, swaps, sea-level change, over the last couple of million years, and all with different permeabilities, and all the different ways that water can and does flow and mix under different conditions. We seem to still have enough water, just, and we are still in the grips of the biggest drought on record, so water could become extremely scarce later this summer. The ground water systems have not recharged over winter as they normally do, and spring has delivered far less than its normal water.
Right now Ailsa is playing on the grand downstairs, so there is a definite WOW quality to how she does what she does, and the sounds she produces.
In a few minutes we’re off up the coast to have a look at a rare white elephant seal reported by a friend yesterday. So am expecting a WOW or two soonish.
Ted – You never fail to WOW me with your responses. Thank you!
Wow that is some pumpkin!! And the one in Guinness is mind boggling!! I was wowed last night while watching the Mets-Royals World Series game. The Royals pitcher Johnny Cueto pitched a complete game two-hitter, which by all barometer and measurement (especially how the Mets have been playing as of late) is a stunning achievement. It looks like teh fine people of Kansas City will be celebrating soon! 🙂
Sam – I grinning from ear to ear at your response 🙂
Big deal. I’ve faced a million years of challenges so far in 2015. Now that is a WOW.
Carl — Yaaaaaaay You — that is a Wow! 🙂
Wow, and for that split second…I went…where? Before I returned. Thank you.
Flahertylandscape — Your comment made me smile. Thank you 🙂
Over 2,000 pds! Incredible! 🙂
Amy — your comment made me smile :
There’s been a lot of pumpkin talk lately what with Halloween and all. The last time I was wowed was last night when I watched a game of soccer between England and Australia with a difference. It was run by Top Gear and they had Reliant Robins 2 on each side and the aim was to push the huge inflatable soccer ball into the net. I’ll be posting about it tomorrow. It was mad! Hope you’ve had a great week xx Rowena
You’d need a very large family or a very large freezer to make use of that!
Marie — I know. It’s crazy huge! 🙂
What in the hell is in the water in Idaho! I thought that was potato country! Did that pumpkin come with its own forklift for transport?
Gary — You made me laugh out loud! 🙂
I’m just wondering who would have the heart to cut up, cook and eat a pumpkin named Carl, after its time of fame had passed!
Joanne — I know, right?! 🙂