Among my front yard pumpkin crop of eleven, there appeared one pumpkin that didn't quite seem to fit in. While the others started out green and gradually turned a vibrant shade of orange, this lone pumpkin started out a pale shade of peach. And as it grew, it continued to be . . . a pale shade of peach. The general consensus was that this was an albino pumpkin. The innocent victim of a seed mix-up.
The pale peach pumpkin continued to thrive and by the time of harvesting had become one of the largest of the crop. And on Halloween night, it took its place with the other jack-o-lanterns on the front steps.
And then something odd happened.
In the days after Halloween, the temperature dropped. And the pale peach pumpkin developed a distinctly orange complexion. But only on top. Like a case of frostbite on its face. Orange frostbite.
I've left it sitting beside the front step so I can watch for further developments.