Yes, gramma pie never did it for me either. I think it was the - dare I say it? - sliminess of the gramma.

Pumpkin bread is good too.

When I first started my exploration of the internet in the '90's I was on an international music email list. One of the members from the U.S. emailed me personally and wanted to know if we could swap recipes. I sent her a recipe for pumpkin soup. One of my all-time faves.

I couldn't work out why she seemed repulsed by the idea. When my American friend said she had only ever used canned pumpkin I finally put two and two together. I am assuming that the email correspondent could possibly not conceive of a sweet/savoury pumpkin soup given that pumpkins "only" come in cans - with added sugar.

Talking of droughts, fires and flooding rains, I just saw an article on ABC News (Oz) about a plague of locusts in Africa. Coincidentally, I'm re-reading Good Omens by Terry Pratchett & Neil Gaiman, about the Apocalypse. I'm starting to wonder whether .....LOL