photo credit:  www.clipart.com

BY: RACHEL SMITH

 

Unless you’ve been living under a rock for your entire existence, the origin of that popular phrase should be easy to identify.  I mean, it’s a line from pretty much the all-time best movie in cinema history!

That’s not an actual fact… but Wikipedia does agree with my opinion.

The musical fantasy film The Wizard of Oz, released in 1939, became an instant hit, earning six Emmy nominations that year.  One of the most recognizable and influential characters in the film was the Scarecrow, played by actor Ray Bolger.

You could say he made the scarecrow famous.

A scarecrow is defined as a decoy or mannequin, often in the shape of a human.  It’s typically dressed in old clothes and placed in open fields to discourage birds from disrupting the growing crops.  They are characteristically very useful objects… that is, until the effectiveness lessens and the birds aren’t scared at all.

So would it be called a reassure-crow?  Funny, that just doesn’t have the same ring to it…

Over time, however, the scarecrow has shifted from a more purposeful use, to one of fall decor.  It’s a sign of cooling temps, changing leaves, and a bountiful harvest.

Thus, Central Gardens of North Iowa would like to invite the public to view all the scarecrows in the festive fall atmosphere at the Gardens.  Ten scarecrows have been constructed by area residents and groups and placed along the beautiful pathways of flowers and foliage.

The scarecrows are a good mix of traditional, made out of straw and old clothes or innovative, those who let their imaginations run wild and used unconventional materials.  While the actual scarecrow construction is over for this year, it’s definitely something to put in the back of your mind for next year if you’d like to participate.

For now, you get to enjoy the masterful creations until the end of October.  The weather has been beautiful and should continue for a bit longer if we’re lucky.  Get outside; visit one of our areas most beautiful and state-of-the-art attractions… Central Gardens.