Tag Archives: contest

Pumpkin Weigh‑Offs: Weight Watchers Need Not Apply

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A black cat with bright yellow eyes sits among dozens of small orange pumpkins. The pumpkins fill the entire frame, creating a vivid contrast with the cat’s dark fur.

🍂  Fall in New England Means Pumpkins

A huge carved pumpkin sits outdoors on a stack of wooden pallets. It has triangular eyes and a wide smiling jack‑o’-lantern mouth, with autumn foliage in the background.Fall in New England means pumpkins — everywhere. Big ones, little ones, carved ones, decorative ones. If Linus were around, he’d probably swear the Great Pumpkin was hiding somewhere between Route 1 and the cider stand.

Every year, growers try to outdo themselves, and every fair seems to have a pumpkin weigh‑off. But this year? We had some true giants.

🎃 Topsfield Fair: The Local Heavyweight

Last week at the Topsfield Fair, a true behemoth walked away with first place. The winning pumpkin weighed in at 2,598 pounds, breaking the all‑time Topsfield Fair record. That’s a lot of pies.

A massive pumpkin sits on a wooden pallet, secured with black straps, while a forklift lifts it inside an indoor event space. Several people stand around watching, indicating it’s part of a pumpkin weigh‑off at the Topsfield Fair.

🎃 Warren, RI: A New World Record

A man stands behind an enormous pumpkin weighing 3,156 pounds at an outdoor weigh‑off event. The pumpkin sits on a platform with a digital display showing its weight, and an orange event board with flags is visible in the background.And just when you thought pumpkins couldn’t get any bigger, Saturday’s New England Giant Pumpkin Weigh‑Off in Warren, RI delivered a monster.

The winning pumpkin tipped the scale at 3,156 pounds, setting not just a regional record — but a new world record.

The grower, Ron Wallace of Coventry, RI, is no stranger to pumpkin fame. In 2012, he became the first person ever to grow a pumpkin over a ton (that’s 2,000 pounds if you didn’t know). He’s now waiting for Guinness World Records to certify his newest accomplishment.

🎃 Up‑and‑Coming Growers

There are rising stars too. Take 13‑year‑old Harold Harris from Martha’s Vineyard. He raised two massive pumpkins — not 2,000‑pound giants, but impressive for any grower, let alone a teenager. His pumpkins weighed 340 pounds and 535 pounds. Not bad for someone who probably still has homework.

And in case you were wondering, that 2,598‑pound Topsfield pumpkin? It was grown by an 80‑year‑old man. Age clearly has nothing to do with pumpkin power.

🎃 What Happens to the Giants?

I don’t know what happens to these behemoths once their spotlight fades, but their smaller cousins will soon shine. The Roger Williams Zoo is preparing its annual Jack‑O‑Lantern Spectacular, with over 5,000 carved pumpkins lighting up the Wetlands Trail.

These aren’t your childhood triangle‑eyes and one‑tooth grins. These are true works of art carved by professional pumpkin artists. I went a few years ago — the skill and creativity are incredible. A far cry from my crooked little childhood jack‑o‑lanterns. A large group of carved pumpkins glows in the dark, each with a unique face ranging from cheerful to spooky. The pumpkins are arranged at different heights, creating a bright, warm display against the black background.

🎃 Enjoy the Pumpkin Season

So enjoy the New England pumpkin excitement while it lasts. It will be gone soon enough for another year. And if you see Linus, tell him the Great Pumpkin is alive and well — and currently residing in Warren, RI.

Two cats sit among a large group of pumpkins in an outdoor pumpkin patch. One cat is long‑haired and orange, the other short‑haired and black. Both rest on top of big pumpkins, with trees, people, and an American flag visible in the background.

 

 

WMEO Special Report- Champion Crowned in Fat Bear Week

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Two cats sit behind a newsroom desk as mock news anchors, one orange and fluffy and one black and sleek. A microphone, toy mouse, and paw‑printed papers rest on the desk, which displays the WMEO 9 logo. Behind them, a screen shows a bear catching a fish with the text “Fat Bear Week 2026,” creating a humorous animal‑themed news broadcast scene.

WMEO SPECIAL REPORT — FAT BEAR WEEK 2026

Live from the Nature Desk, This is WMEO 9   We Meow-You Listen

Banner : Taunton, we have breaking news. The votes are in, the salmon have been counted, and the people have spoken. Your 2026 Fat Bear Champion is… 89 BACKPACK.

A large brown bear sits on a rock beside a river, wearing a digitally added jeweled gold crown. Green grass and vegetation fill the background as the bear looks forward with a calm, regal expression.

Backpack accepts his crown

Balboa (field commentary):

“Backpack didn’t just eat salmon — he demolished salmon. He approached that river like it was an all‑you‑can‑eat buffet and he had coupons.”

Banner:

“WMEO has obtained exclusive images showing Backpack at the start of the season — lean, scrappy, optimistic — and Backpack now, a fully upholstered bear with deluxe padding.”

Side‑by‑side photos show Bear 89 Backpack in early summer versus late summer 2026. In the first image, he stands in a river looking lean and narrow. In the second, he sits on a rocky shore appearing much larger, rounder, and significantly heavier. Text reads “Same bear. A summer of change,” highlighting his dramatic seasonal transformation.

Balboa:
“Look at this transformation! Backpack started the season looking like he’d been living on river water and hope. And now? He’s a fully stuffed recliner with legs. That’s not weight gain — that’s art.”

Banner:

“And now, we go to our roving reporter, Pumpkin Spice, who is on location with the new champ.”

An orange and white cat wearing a black reporter hat with a PRESS card holds a WMEO‑branded microphone toward a large brown bear standing in a river. The cat is partially soaked from the rushing water while the bear looks down at the microphone. The scene is humorous and dramatic, resembling a news interview in the wild.

Pumpkin Spice:

“Backpack, you must be thrilled. You’re continuing a proud tradition started by your mother. How do you feel about establishing a dynasty?”

Backpack: Growl.

Two crowned brown bears are shown in a playful “dynasty” layout. The top bear appears among soft clouds wearing a jeweled crown, with text identifying her as 435 Holly, Fat Bear Champion 2019 and mother of 89 Backpack. Below, a second crowned bear sits on the ground surrounded by greenery, labeled as 89 Backpack, Fat Bear Champion 2020 and son of 435 Holly. The design humorously presents the two real bears as royal family members in a Fat Bear Week lineage.

Balboa (off‑camera, losing it): “PUMPKIN SPICE, GET OUT OF THERE! You’re just the right size for dessert!”

Pumpkin Spice does not flinch. He is a professional.

Banner :

“And that growl confirms it — the dynasty is real. Backpack’s mother, 435 Holly, was the 2019 Fat Bear Champion. Backpack followed in 2026. And now,the crown returns to the family.”

Long live the champ. Long live the dynasty.

“This has been an exciting update from Katmai. Fat Bear Week has a new champion, and the dynasty continues. So until next year… Thanks for watching WMEO 9 — We Meow, You Listen.”Two cats sit behind a WMEO 9 news desk as if hosting a broadcast. The orange cat on the left wears a dark blue bow tie, while the black cat on the right sits beside a small gray mouse toy and a brown teddy bear. A sheet of paper with red markings lies on the desk. The front of the desk displays the text “WMEO 9” in large yellow letters and “Thank you for watching” in white. The blurred newsroom background features blue and red tones.

 

WMEO SPECIAL REPORT — FAT BEAR WEEK: FINAL FOUR UPDATE

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Two cats sit behind a newsroom desk as mock news anchors, one orange and fluffy and one black and sleek. A microphone, toy mouse, and paw‑printed papers rest on the desk, which displays the WMEO 9 logo. Behind them, a screen shows a bear catching a fish with the text “Fat Bear Week 2026,” creating a humorous animal‑themed news broadcast scene.

Live From the Nature Desk at WMEO 9- Fat Bear week update! We Meow-You Listen

Banner: Good morning, Taunton. WMEO is on full bear alert as Fat Bear Week voting continues today. The competition is tighter than a salmon run at sunset, and tomorrow is your last chance to support your champion before the finals are set.

Balboa: This is where legends are made. And where salmon regret all their life choices.

Banner: Let’s review the Final Four still battling it out:

A bracket-style graphic shows four brown bears competing in Fat Bear Week’s Final Four. The top matchup features bear 132 Family versus bear 910, and the bottom matchup shows bear 89 Backpack versus bear 164 Bucky. Each bear is pictured in a natural outdoor setting, standing near grass or water. Text on the graphic announces that the Final Four face off tomorrow.

• 132 Family vs 910 A powerhouse matriarch versus a rising contender with serious winter‑den swagger.

• 89 Backpack vs 164 Bucky Backpack brings veteran bulk. Bucky brings bold, chaotic energy. This matchup could go either way.

Balboa: I’ve seen less intensity at the grocery store rotisserie chicken display. These bears are committed.

Banner: Voting is open today, and tomorrow is the final day to cast your vote before the championship bracket locks in. Two bears will advance — and WMEO will be here Wednesday to announce the winner.

Balboa: Chunk may not be in the running this year, but let’s be honest — the spirit of chonkiness guides us all.

An orange and white cat wearing a black hat with an orange band and a press badge that reads “WMEO PRESS PUMPKIN SPICE REPORTER” poses as a news reporter. The cat has a blue lanyard and holds a camera, while a microphone labeled “WMEO NEWS” sits nearby. The softly blurred background suggests an outdoor setting, creating a humorous scene of a feline journalist at work.Pumpkin Spice (field reporter): I attempted to interview the Final Four. One ignored me. One stared at me. One drooled on me. And one tried to sit on my notebook. Journalism is dangerous.

Banner: Stay tuned, stay chunky, and get those votes in. Tomorrow is your last chance to support your champion.

Two cats sit behind a WMEO 9 news desk as playful newsroom anchors, one orange and one black. A small teddy bear, a gray mouse toy, and a sheet of paper with printed images rest on the desk. The background resembles a TV studio with blurred screens and lighting, creating a humorous broadcast scene.

National Wildlife Day Photo Contest

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 Photo Contest

I haven’t been involved with a photo contest in quite awhile. I used to enjoy them but they can get expensive. Many have entry fees, sometimes fees per photo so it can get pricey. Anyway a friend sent me a link to Mystic Aquarium’s National Wildlife Day Photo Contest and suggested I enter. There was no entry fee and the prize, if you won, is the right to name a seal they are releasing. So its basically just for fun and that’s about the amount of effort I made. Just for fun.

 

My Entry

I didn’t even look at the competing entries, just made a quick grab for something from my archives. I kind of  like my choice but since it’s from the lizard family it might not have a lot of universal appeal. Maybe I should  have gone with a deer or a bird. Actually I was thinking about my whale breach photo but couldn’t remember where it was filed and didn’t want to take the time to look. So my Key Largo Iguana was it.

Key Largo Iguana- Photo Credit Deb Neumann

The 4 Finalists

It will be another week before the winners are announced but I didn’t even make the finals.  Here’s the top 4 as it stands now.

 

If I had thought about it I have pictures for all 4 categories that made the finals and here they are.

 

Finalist #1- Puffins

I like Puffins. I could have submitted a Puffin picture if I’d thought of it. 

Puffin 2016- Photo Credit Deb Neumann

Finalist #2-butterfly

Oh. I have so many butterflies but my favorite is on the sunflower.

Sunflower and butterfly 2018- Photo Credit Deb Neumann

Finalist #3 – Fox Kit

This one was a bit harder. I have a fox kit picture but I balanced the camera on the car window and never thought to shut off the engine so it wouldn’t be Photo Contest worthy. There was a little camera shake.

Red fox baby on Monday

Red Fox Kit 2017- photo credit Deb Neumann

Finalist #4 – Whale

I’ve been on whale watches from Cape Cod to Maui. I have tons of whale pictures. Even some of whale breaches. Here’s one.

Breaching Whale

Whale Breach 2017- Photo credit Deb Neumann

That’s a wrap

I have so many more wildlife photos that I just didn’t think about. I have seals and Elk and Moose. Even some Grizzly Bears. And this post about photo contests wouldn’t be complete unless I shared the one that made it into a National Geographic Contest. It didn’t win but at least it got past the initial screening. I’m pretty proud of that!

2015- Photo Credit Deb Neumann

I hope you enjoyed

And the Winner is…..

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The time is finally here. 3 supervisors from another department converged on our little corner of the work world to view and rate our decorating efforts. The first place team would get a month of special parking privileges right near the front door. This is an awesome prize for those cold winter mornings!

The runner-up would get a free pass for a week of jeans.That’s always popular in this department. Any chance to wear jeans instead of office attire is welcomed by everyone.

The judges strolled around taking notes and then retired to a little enclave to tally their results. This was then turned over to our department supervisors to make the announcement and the judges ran!

FIRST PLACE: THE GINGERBREAD HOUSE to no one’s surprise as this was an engineering marvel. All it lacked was a roof. Covering both cubicles it was a massive effort.

WFO Christmas 033

WFO Christmas 011 copy

SECOND PLACE: WINTER WONDERLAND was a little more difficult. I thought there were 4 entries that were so attractive that any one of them could have taken the runner-up spot. I was lucky that the one chosen was the one I was involved in.
Workcontest 001 copy

Workcontest 015 copy

Now we’ll leave everything up…at least until Christmas maybe New Years. It was fun. Maybe if we do it again next year we’ll get even more participation. That would be fun.