Pumpkin Under an Umbrella in the Rain

The pumpkin sits low and wide, with deep vertical ribs running from top to bottom and a thick, twisted stem curling at the top. A large umbrella leans over it from the right, its long shaft ending in a hooked handle that rests on the ground. Teardrop-shaped raindrops fall across the whole sky, and at the bottom the wet ground is marked by flat puddles where drops make little splashes. A jagged maple leaf lies in front of the pumpkin, adding a clear autumn touch. The big, open areas suit younger children and chunky crayons.

Pumpkins and Umbrellas: Facts Worth Knowing

Pumpkins belong to the gourd family and come from the Americas. Archaeologists have found seeds of domesticated squash in Mexican caves that are around 10,000 years old, which makes squash one of the earliest crops people ever grew. Pumpkins need a long warm season, usually three to four months, so in the Northern Hemisphere they are harvested in September and October.

The umbrella is ancient too. Early versions in China, Egypt and Mesopotamia were mostly parasols for shade from the sun. In 18th-century London, the traveler Jonas Hanway became famous for carrying an umbrella in the rain, at a time when many people still laughed at the habit.