KENTUCKY GOURD SOCIETY ART SHOW

GOURDS, GOURDS, EVERYWHERE!!!!

...We attended the Kentucky Gourd Society Art Show today at the Spencer County Elementary School. My mom, Jodi, and her 2 grandaughters attended with me. We saw everything from gourd musical instruments to a gourd that was decorated inside with a family room similar to a doll house lay out. There were snakes, long necks tied in knots, drums, jewelry pieces, Native American pieces, Africani pieces, and Central American designs. It is amazing the ways folks have come up with to decorate them.

...Of course I was drawn especially to the musical instruments. They have a gourd instrument demonstration but it was not on exhibit while we were there. I stopped at one booth and tuned a dulcimer for the maker but it did not play well. It would have been a real conversation piece for hanging on the wall though. The instruments in the photos won 1st place in the competition. The "picker" in the photo was also made of gourds!
I took the pics with my cell phone so they are not very big and do not really do the items justice.
I inquired as to the price of 2 dulcimers and they were $100 and $75. The price reflects the artistic quality rather than the musical quality and I respect the time and effort that the artists have put into their creations.
For the fantasy folks, there were intricately carved and painted ceatures as well. ...There were many farmers in the parking lot selling truckloads of gourds of all shapes and sizes for those who prefer to do it themselves, yours truly included. One explained to us how he got his long neck to grow into a knot. I think I would like to grow some of my own first, but I purchased 1o little ones to make ornaments for next Christmas. I prefer to start out small! I also joined the Kentucky Gourd Society so I will hopefully be taking classes to learn how to do this in the future.
Jodi and her grandaughter's found some gourds to take home to paint too, so a I am anxious to see what they have come up with! The following is a photo of them.

After the show we had pasta and pizza at Hometown Pizza in Mount Washington before returning home tired but happy, or at least I did, anyway. Have a good one!

Mother's Day

........At least the sun was shining! We are both fighting colds right now and I have lost my voice. We are going to celebrate on Thursday! How about that? A Mother's Day on Thursday? Whatever works!

.....The sun was shining and I did get to spend a little time in the swing in the backyard. I love watching the birds this time of year. The Carolina Wrens were busy flying in and out of the woodpile and stopping frequently by the compost bin on their way to grab something to eat. I am wondering if they have any hatchlings yet, or if it is the male bringing food to the female wren while she sits on the nest. Wrens are funny little birds. They are one of the smallest yet they have one of the loudest songs. The male builds two or three nests and the female chooses which one she will nest in! She apparently chose the woodpile for her nesting place.
There also was a lady downy woodpecker that landed on the tree behind me and watched for a second and then went on her way. I have suet feeders out as well as safflower seed in the feeders that the woodpeckers and sapsuckers love. The newest birds I have seen this spring are Rose Breasted Grossbeaks. I have seen them in the past but only one bird, and only one time. This year there has been a group of them frequenting the feeders. They seem to really like the safflower and they have been coming back regularly.
(Flea Bane in the photo above: city weed)

Our bushy tailed friends have built a nest in our oak tree so I looks like there will be a squirrel family coming soon. They are delightful to watch at anytime, but are especially fun when they have young. We have watched a mother squirrel carry the young ones in her mouth and move them around. The first time I saw this happen, I thought it was a squirrel with two tails! But she turned to an angle that exposed the baby and I realized it was 2 squirrels!
Now, if I would just mow everything down and pave the backyard, I wouldn't have to enjoy all of this nature in my backyard, or so says the city weed police. I think I will keep my little friends, an my "weeds". Our backyard is a "Backyard Habitat" certified by the National Wildlife Federation, #40354!

American Gold Finch

My first You Tube video!

My first You Tube video!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1GuBEmWmIpg