Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Are You Out of Your Gourd?

Today's Wonder of the World is...Gourds!

Flickr photo by lucycarol
Did you know that gourds are the oldest plant domesticated by humans?
(That's using the old gourd, ancient people!)

Flickr photo by waugarman
If that's you in that photo, don't be offended. I'm not calling you a cave person.
With those gourd heads, you look more like weasels. At least to me you do.

Gourds make excellent masks. And bowls and ladles and musical instruments.

They're lovely just as they are. No wonder people often call them nature's pottery.
See what I mean?

Flickr photo by Green Wellies
Wouldn't that make a beautiful vase? It looks like a pear to me.
And these, like a pair of loving geese.

Flickr photo by N.Charneco
Of course if you like, you can turn them into art, like someone did in Mexico.

Flickr photo by Teyacapan
And someone else in Peru.

Flickr photo by Sakanta Running Wolf
And you won't believe these beaded gourds, here.

Or just add a hole and hang them up. The birds will thank you!

Flickr photo by kazootus
That's using your gourd!

Know who uses her gourd better than anyone?

Flickr photo by Doxieone
The Gourd Lady of course!
Hope over here, and watch Sparky on the Jay Leno show! If you're short on time, Jay pops up around the 2:30 mark.

Have a gourdgeous, wonder-full Tuesday, everybody!
(Sorry. I couldn't resist the pun. The pun, after all, is mightier than the gourd.)
I'll stop now.

Love, Becky

18 comments:

Barb said...

Hi Becky,

What a fun post. You have the best!


Loved the post from yesterday too! I didn't know there could be sooo many different types of scarecrows.

Have a marvelous rest of the week.

hugs,
Barb

Rhondi said...

Becky
Your creativity amazes me. Hope you have a great day.
Hugs, Rhondi

jama said...

Love all those gourd heads! In Hawaii, gourds are used for the hula :).

Unknown said...

Ha ha ha ha ha!!The gourd is mightier than the pun. Thank heavens because those puns were starting to gourd me! Huh!?!

CC said...

Great pun ;)

I had no idea you could do art with gourds!

David Ebright said...

Gourds - Brings back a terrifying memory. We were stealin' 'em (it was the seasonal thing to do as a kid). The farmer chased after us shootin' at us with rock salt (I hope it was rock salt). That's back in the day when you got in trouble at home for stuff like that - but parents never complained that you were actually shot at! No wonder I'm ... like I am.

CEDAR JUNCTION said...

Thanks for the gourdeous post. I enjoyed it! LOL

Teresa

Anonymous said...

I love the bumpy ones best:)

Unknown said...

Those are some great pictures. Love the geese-looking gourds.

Anonymous said...

the goard family pic should be a christmas card......

heee heeeee

lotusgirl said...

I loved the carved artwork gourds. Those are really cool. People always figure out a way to make things beautiful--even something as simple as a gourd.

Brenda Pruitt said...

I've been thinking about growing gourds for some time now. I love them. They serve a variety of needs. And I know I would just be overjoyed to find something so...tangible...in my garden. Thanks for the laughs today!
Brenda

Pamela Terry and Edward said...

They do make the greatest birdhouses!

Penny from Enjoying The Simple Things said...

I love gourds. I bought some this fall and stained them. They now decorate my mantel.

May Vanderbilt said...

I remember seeing a gourd dipper as a child and being blown away. Old timey people are so funny, I thought.

And my husband LOVES to carve gourds into gorgeous creations...Wait, is a pumpkin a gourd or is it a squash?

Alexandra MacVean said...

Good evening, Rebecca...you totally blow my mind every day with the pictures you find! :) I love the second one.

Hope you're having a good week!

PS I posted a new (better quality) short video of me singing. =O

Linda Summerfield said...

It would appear that there are at least 101 uses for a gourd.
Linda

Sara's Sweet Surprise said...

I look at a gourd and my creativity fuse goes out, but not south of the boarder.
They see art. It takes quite an artistic vision to pull that off. The details were incredible. It makes me wonder what they could do with a pumpkin?!?!

Sweet Wishes,
Sara