Don’t.

I read on the internet (so it must be true), to wipe your fall gourds with a Clorox wipe to kill any bacteria, and then “grease” them with Vaseline to seal them and make them shiny.  It sounded like a great way to preserve them through to the other side of Thanksgiving — and, it had the added benefit of making my hands REALLY soft after spending all that time dipped in Vaseline.

The problem is, it didn’t work.  While the gourds looked clean and very shiny — they don’t seem to be lasting.  At least a few of them have already sprouted soft spots, grown mold and hit the trash can.

But, the scarecrow is at the ready.  The mums are blooming, the pumpkins are flanking the front steps and our pet crow is guarding the wine cellar.