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!

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!

As promised, here is your bonus Meet the Carvers entry in honor of Blaze starting up again tonight and running every night now through Halloween. Take it away, Janice Shields.

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

JS: I work as an "interpreter" here at Van Cortlandt Manor...Oops, that's sort of pumpkin-related.

BB: That works! What kind of carvings are you working on for Blaze 2008?
JS: Cats and bats and witches and such. Dino babies, rocks, and delicately carved creamware.

BB: Huge variety. Very nice! Can you sum up Blaze in three words?
JS: Pray...For...Good Weather!

BB: That's four words.
JS: Yes, and it doesn't really answer your question.

BB: The judges tell me they will accept your answer! OK, can you offer some advice for the casual carver?
JS: Wash your hands and keep your carving area clean and be sure your pumpkins are thoroughly scooped out or they will rot.

BB: Lots of good advice. What's the best music to listen to while carving?
JS: I have no control over the CD player in the carving station (heh, heh) but the Bob Dylan that gets played is fine with me. One of our carvers listens to Wagner, but only when no one else is around... I think he is afraid the other carvers might not share his enthusiasm.

BB: Who doesn't love a good dirge? OK, got a pumpkin haiku to share?
JS: Vern is our poet,
and a pumpkin artist, too
so read his haiku

BB: The Vern man profile is coming up. So what's your favorite thing about Halloween?
JS: Believe it or not, seeing how excited our visitors are when they see all of our wonderful pumpkins - especially the kiddies!

BB: That's my favorite thing, too! Pumpkin pie...a la mode, no a la mode, or no way?
JS: No way in October. A la mode any other time.

BB: If pumpkins could talk, what would they say?
JS: Boo, or Boo-hoo.

BB: If you weren't spending October carving pumpkins, what would you be doing?
JS: I'd be telling people, if they seemed interested, everything they ever wanted to know about Chinese export porcelain at Van Cortlandt Manor. And on my days off, I'd be working for a certain presidential candidate in Pennsylvania, since it's a battleground state.

BB: Of course you won't say which one.
JS: Of course not, because Blaze is a strictly non-partisan event. That's why I can't carve a pumpkin of a particular candidate even though I thought it would be really, really scary!

BB: Thank you, Janice!

Blazeblogger (that's me, apparently having watched too many political debates of late) is so amped that Blaze starts again this evening that Blazeblogger is bringing you today not one but TWO installments of Meet the Carvers. First up, Millie Feraca.

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

MF: I'm a loving grandmother.

BB: Grandmothers are the best. What kind of carvings are you working on for Blaze 2008?
MF: Owls and others.

BB: Can you sum up Blaze in three words?
MF: Fantastic...Greatest...Wonderful!

BB: Agreed. Can you offer some advice for the casual carver?
MF: Take it slow and easy.

BB: What's the best music to listen to while carving?
MF: Whatever helps you.

BB: Got a pumpkin haiku to share?
MF: Sorry, no.
BB: Really, no, Millie?
Nothing to say about Blaze
or all those pumpkins?
MF: Sorry, no.

BB: No problem. What's your favorite thing about Halloween?
MF: Chocolate.

BB: Pumpkin pie...a la mode, no a la mode, or no way?
MF: A la mode? No way.

BB: If pumpkins could talk, what would they say?
MF: I'm tired.

BB: If you weren't spending October carving pumpkins, what would you be doing?
MF: Watching television.

BB: Thank you, Millie!

Another newish carver goes under the knife for our Meet the Carvers series. Please put your cyber hands together for Ray Ranellone.

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

RR: I'm an engineer. TI-83 4 Life!

BB: Wow, I wish I knew what that meant. What kind of carvings are you working on for Blaze 2008?
RR: Happy simple Jacks.

BB: Can you sum up Blaze in three words?
RR: Carpool...People...Carpool!

BB: Indeed. Can you offer some advice for the casual carver?
RR: Pumpkins stay fresh longer, the more you procrastinate.

BB: I need to mull that for a bit. OK, what's the best music to listen to while carving?
RR: Heavy metal.

BB: There ya go. OK, got a pumpkin haiku to share?
RR: So many pumpkins
So many pumpkins to carve
So many pumpkins

BB: Ramones-esque. I love it. What's your favorite thing about Halloween?
RR: I get to dress up all fancy.

BB: Ha. Pumpkin pie...a la mode, no a la mode, or no way?
RR: Sure, when will it be done?

BB: Nice try. If pumpkins could talk, what would they say?
RR: What did you do to my face?!?

BB: If you weren't spending October carving pumpkins, what would you be doing?
RR: Reassembling my car.

BB: Thank you, Ray!