My social media feed is currently full with pictures of friends helping their kids carve jack-o-lanterns.  I have fond childhood memories of sitting on the kitchen floor and carving jack-o-lanterns.  Mom put newspaper down in an attempt to keep the pumpkin carnage off her cabinets and counter tops.  Dad did the knife work and tried to faithfully carve out the designs my brother and I drew on the pumpkins with a marker.  I was allowed to “scoop out the guts” which is what we called the seeds and stringy inside flesh.  Who doesn’t love a happy jack-o-lantern on the front porch in October?  Pumpkins have come to symbolize fall, but this fall tradition would not be possible without bees. Continue reading →