It's rainy, windy, unpleasant, to the point where Historic Hudson Valley has canceled Blaze for this evening. What better time then to cheer everyone up by posting a Meet the Carvers entry featuring the man, the myth, the pumpkin carving legend: Vernon "Vern" Ford.

BB: Tell us something non-pumpkin related about yourself.

VF: As a graphic designer I've designed many corporate logos and symbols including the Fidelity Investments Brand Identification.

BB: Transferable skills for carving, no doubt. What kind of designs are you working on for Blaze 2008?
VF: Flying witches, cats, bats, and spiders for retail. Creamware, pirates, larger fish for the aquarium, and bits and pieces of the new dinosaurs. Also, several of the Hollywood monsters and some restoration work on much of the permanent collection from last year.

BB: Can you sum up Blaze in three words?
VF: Pure...Pumpkin...Pleasure.

BB: Excellent alliteration. Can you offer some advice for the casual carver?
VF: Just keep it casual and have some fun. Most of us are not Michelangelos.

BB: What's the best music to listen to while carving?
VF: Who listens to music when carving?! But if I did, lately it would be Amy Winehouse.

BB: Edgy. Got a pumpkin haiku to share?
VF: Cut carve scrape with blade
then let them burn and glow bright
for your pure delight

BB: Awesome! So what's your favorite thing about Halloween?
VF: The orange and black color scheme, which matches my high school colors.

BB: Pumpkin pie...a la mode, no a la mode, or no way?
VF: A la mode, with pumpkin-flavor ice cream.

BB: If pumpkins could talk, what would they say?
VF: Carve my eyes larger so I can see all the Blaze around me.

BB: Excellent! If you weren't spending October carving pumpkins, what would you be doing?
VF: Writing about carving in April, May, June, July, August, and September.

BB: Thank you, Vern!

There are many more carvers to meet...next up on the carving block, Inge Schroeder.

BB: Tell us something non-pumpkin related about yourself.

IS: I am a retired nurse enjoying my second career.

BB: Excellent. What kind of carvings are you working on for Blaze 2008?

IS: Mostly simple faces and other fun stuff.

BB: Can you sum up Blaze in three words?
IS: Absolutely...Cest...Magnifique!

BB: My first partially French response! Love it! OK, can you offer some advice for the casual carver?
IS: Use your imagination.

BB: What's the best music to listen to while carving?
IS: The rustling of the leaves and the wind.

BB: Ahh, the sweet sounds of nature. Got a pumpkin haiku to share?
IS: Illusions are great
Children's faces glow with joy
Halloween awaits

BB: Very nice. So what's your favorite thing about Halloween?
IS: Decorating my house and the look on children's faces when they are trick-or-treating.

BB: Pumpkin pie...a la mode, no a la mode, or no way?
IS: Pumpkin pie with whipped cream.

BB: Yum. If pumpkins could talk, what would they say?
IS: Cheer up folks, life is positive and great!

BB: Excellent! If you weren't spending October carving pumpkins, what would you be doing?
IS: Traveling.

BB: Thank you, Inge!

Could there possibly be a better Halloween week than one in which the Great Jack O'Lantern Blaze is featured on The Martha Stewart Show? Well, actually, there could be: a Halloween week like this one where Blaze and Historic Hudson Valley will be featured not once, but twice!

If you're not home during the morning hours, set your Tivo for Martha on Monday, at 11 a.m. on NBC, when Blaze creative director Michael Natiello joins Martha in her studio to carve a truly spectacular life-size skeleton.

Then, on Wednesday, watch again as Martha hosts a dinner party for Historic Hudson Valley.

In the meantime, you can check out a preview of the episodes by clicking here.

Round 3 of the Blaze YouTube Video Contest is in the history books. The judges report this week's competition was the toughest yet, but, after careful deliberation, the honors - and the iPod, courtesy of WHUD Radio - goes to Jerry Stephens.

Congrats to Jerry, who took a somewhat unconventional approach to the task. Those of you who are still working on your videos, get them in by midnight Tuesday (meaning the end o' the evening Tuesday) for a chance to win an iPod touch in the FINAL week of the Blaze YouTube Video Contest.

Now, take a look at Jerry's creation.

Heading into Halloween week, it's time to say hello to our next carver, Barbara Green, who joins us for the first time.

BB: Tell us something non-pumpkin related about yourself.

BG: In addition to carving pumpkins, I am a Buddhist Priest.

BB: Very cool. What kind of carvings are you working on for Blaze 2008?
BG: Simple faces - mostly smiling.

BB: Can you sum up Blaze in three words?
BG: Wow...Wow...Wow!

BB: True, true, true. OK, can you offer some advice for the casual carver?
BG: Just jump right in and get started, and maybe draw the design on the pumpkin before you begin carving.

BB: What's the best music to listen to while carving?
BG: I don't have a preference.

BB: Got a pumpkin haiku to share?
BG: Lit pumpkins smile -
Light up the crisp dark evening
Can you hear them laugh?

BB: Excellent. So what's your favorite thing about Halloween?
BG: Blaze.

BB: Good answer. Pumpkin pie...a la mode, no a la mode, or no way?
BG: No a la mode.

BB: If pumpkins could talk, what would they say?
BG: Who took my seeds?

BB: If you weren't spending October carving pumpkins, what would you be doing?
BG: Cleaning out my garage!

BB: Thank you, Barbara!