The scarecrow market went wild this fall. Take, for example, JoAnn (above) or WalMart (below). Anybody out there who can explain this? Overproduction in China? A marketing man figuring that back-to-the-land might be in fashion with the economy down? The need for a seasonal symbol that appeals even to those who for religious reasons eschew Halloween? Or just one of those silly fads that pop up from time to time, like the hula hoop or Rubik's cube. 
What's more, local folk are buying scarecrows and installing them. Good decorating idea, too; they stay up through both Halloween and Thanksgiving. Two holidays for the price of one.
But here's a new twist: look carefully at the pair up on the porch railing. See anyone familiar? I guess a lot of people missed the candidates and so they were moved into the very front of the yard at the well-decorated Park Avenue house. You can't miss them when you drive by. Pretty bipartisan, I'd say.
Not a lot of Halloween decorations here. The Americans in the area, mostly military who work on the base nearby, have put up a few things. I decided not to carve a pumkin after getting only two German kids last year. Too much trouble.
ReplyDeleteIt always amazes me how much decoration goes on in our fair town.
ReplyDeleteLove the political scarecrows.... Perhaps a little symbolism there, eh?
So different from those put up in the fields, in India, but sharing the same intrigue :)
ReplyDeletesteve -- Halloween decorations are really big here in Prescott; in fact, people bring their kids up from Phoenix for the big Halloween night on Mt. Vernon Street, which at this point even gets a bit of $ backing from the city or the city's tourism minister.
ReplyDeletetombo -- what has amazed me since coming to Prescott is the extent to which grown-ups dress up for the holiday. I dunno -- is it a yuppie thing?
anil -- I've no idea if scarecrows are still mounted in farmers' fields these days or not. My guess is that what we see for the Halloween/Harvest season are nostalgic symbols of earlier, simpler times.
People on our road go all out for any holiday they can display what they have bought and they do a good job of it. My favorite is the carved pumpkins setting on the porch or in the yard, some are so well carved you have to stop and take a second look. Thanks for sharing with us.
ReplyDeletecloudy -- some Prescott yard displays are truly outstanding. I've noticed more pumpkins this year, though none carved as you describe.
ReplyDeletecloudy -- sorry -- I tried to leave a comment on your most interesting post about collecting old glass bottles and Firefox, which has been behaving very badly, lost the message! And thanks for visiting -- do come again!
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