It's pumpkin time!

by pawlitico

You probably think that pumpkin time means we're celebrating the "pumpkin month" of October.


Yes, we love pumpkins. But what I mean by "pumpkin time" is our diet: My buddy Tilin Corgi and I started eating cooked pumpkin this past week 'cuz we've had a bit of . . . well, a touch of gastroenteritis — a nice big human term for the poopies.

I feel sheepish to admit that I swallowed some apricot pits. I know I warned everybuddy else not to do this in my piece "Confessions of a plum eater." But I lost track of what I was swallowing, and, oh howl, those pits carved their names all the way down my insides.

So one of our favorite veterinarians, Jona Jordan DVM, told us to eat 1/4 cup of cooked pumpkin and fast for 12 hours. Then we continued having pumpkin with our regular meals.

Before we could say "Corgis look great in Halloween costumes," our problem was solved. Now we're having pumpkin at practically every meal. Pumpkin is nutritious and has lots of fiber. Fiber helps push bad stuff out of the digestive tract and also makes a better stool.

Pumpkin is a funny word. According to "Pumpkins and More" at University of Illinois Extension, references to pumpkins go way back. The word pumpkin comes from the Greek word for "large melon," which is "pepon." The French turned it into "pompon." Then the English changed it to "pumpion." American colonists changed "pumpion" into "pumpkin." Woof? I dunno why.

If you're in our area, I hope you'll get to visit Petaluma Pumpkin Patch. There are gazillions of big and little pumpkins. There's also a giant four-acre corn maze, which is redesigned every year by Farmer Jim and then cut down right after Halloween to turn the stalks into silage for cattle.

Petaluma Sirius with LaLoo

Have you tried Lagunitas Sirius Ale with LaLoo's Deep Chocolate goat's milk ice cream? . . . No? Then you must've missed the Petaluma Art & Garden Festival.

The 2008 annual event in PETaluma was held on July 13th.

Big dog Baxter was there having a good time with Dolores.

Max was there.

His dog-mom was nice enough to carry his water bowl for him.

Sadie, posing here with her dad, Aaron, was so comfy in her stroller.

If my dog-ma had a stroller for me like this — one with a big bonnet to keep the sun out of my eyes — I could've gone all over the place!

See how blissed out Maggie May gets when her dog-mom, Ava, holds her.

Big dog (above) met big beer . . . and who knows what else.
Baxter met a beautiful little long-haired daschund (above). I understand why he really likes her.
Maggie May met Max (in photo above). . . . a match made in downtown PETaluma.
Dog-ma sez Caitlin, Mary Ryan, Amelia, and mom Alice (in photo above) are a study in design contrasts: paisley, polka dot, solid, and floral.

The whole afternoon at this "no pets" event was dogalicious. You might've missed it, but you don't have to wait till next year to try the local food at Tres Hombres, Pazzo, and other great places in PETaluma. You dogs can't have a table at most of them 'cuz they don't have outdoor seating, but you can ask your guardian/owners to get you a doggie bag.