Mr. Acorn Man

This was no ordinary Fall Fest, this was the Macomb Park Elementary School Flower and Harvest Fall Family Fun Fest in Warren, Michigan on the second Saturday of every October.  By the second Friday morning of October each student was to have in their classroom window sill a proper entry for the Fall Flower and Harvest Show with the documented paperwork.

We lived kitty corner across from the school.  We had a small yard which belonged to the church where my dad was the pastor.  Most of the yard was a parking lot and the rest was a garage, cement patio, and adjoining swing set.  It was physically impossible to grow a 115 lb. pumpkin for our entry.

On the second Thursday of October during dinner we would throw ideas around for our Flower and Harvest Show entries.  But, we all knew and loved that our family tradition was the acorn men that dad made each year for his four daughters.  Although small in comparison to some of the entries, we were amazed what some of these people got out of their yards.  We lived in Detroit yet some families came up with things that looked perhaps like semi-trucks brought it in from their uncle's farm in the U.P. 

It was our family tradition and we loved our acorn men.        



Mr. Acorn Man

Acorn Man - acorn head and skinny stick dangly body
  
From Beach bags to Backpacks
         Sun-visors to football helmets
         Swimming suits to sweaters
         Flip flops to tennis shoes
         Fans to furnace heater
         Screen to glass windows
         Fly swatter to wasp keeper
         Leaves shading to burning
         Clear skies to smokey nights

Speed - bike rides forests gold foliage lined paths
             colors intersect to make red flaming glow

Scream - football games loud for your favorite team
               high sounds low sounds yell our pep band

Smell - casseroles, soups, roasts, nutmeg, cloves
            juicy lemonade stands into cafeteria lines

Shine - bonfires apples silver rain on the lake dancing
            cools hot stones autumn sun at a new angle

Schedule - teachers desks deadlines studies crisp weather
                 squirrels make plans acorns new beginnings

Are you winding up or down Acorn Man?