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!