Little ones always seem fascinated by the mini gourds that are often for sale at pumpkin patches...and just about everywhere else this time of year. I'm not sure if it is the bright colors, odd shapes or just the fact that they are so small that attracts my kiddos so, but either way, we end up with many little gourds during this time of the year!
Last year I had our gourds arranged on our dining room table. They did look nice, however, there were really way too many and it was not long before I was finding mini gourds in all kinds of random places where they really did not belong. In a basket, you would not be able to see all of the gourds, however, in this big glass thing you could really see and appreciate all of the unique shapes and colors of the gourds. I know I did not spend much for this class container and it has served as everything from vase to fishbowl since we have had it. So far this year, we still have plenty of room to add more gourds. Having a place to out them all makes it much easier to say yes to my kiddos as they stand there, doe eyed, pleading to buy "the cutest baby pumkin ever! "
As any other picked vegetable or fruit, once off the vine, it does gradually start to "go bad". Keep an eye on your gourds...by the end of the season last year, some of the gourds that were packed underneath looked a bit like they could have been a science experiment! But hey, they were behind glass, and they looked beautiful for the holiday!
Have a great weekend!
a.
I always wonder what one could use gourds for... cooking?... art projects? (I have seen them dried out and hollowed out to make bird houses or little dishes)
Posted by: Tammy | October 21, 2009 at 10:04 PM
Being the curious type, I couldn't resist a wiki-search...
"It has also been found that gourd skins were used to replace missing portions of skulls in Neolithic times as part of surgery. This is seen as evidence of prostheses made of very fine gold sheet and gourd skins, which were inserted in the skull under the skin or to cover the hole left by the operation."
Thank goodness for modern medicine!
Posted by: Tammy | October 21, 2009 at 10:07 PM
What a great idea!
Posted by: Nanny | October 22, 2009 at 05:05 PM
Al, I have heard of people drying the gourds out to make percussion instruments...
Posted by: emily | October 28, 2009 at 07:44 AM