Amazing Calabash Gourds

One of the gourds we opened and left out to dry shriveled up and turned a beautiful, dark shade of brown because it was burnt from the scorching sun.  It reminded me of the African huts in Zimbabwe.   So we set up an 'almost' african nature table.

A smaller gourd that I painted.   I wanted to make a hole for the birds but I don't have the tools and it was too hard with an ordinary knife - I'll wait for Fabien to return from Miami to help me.

The gourd fruit of the Calabash Tree grow off the trunk.  Their flowers are pollinated by bats.  They are painted and decorated then used as bowls, containers, shakers and made into beautiful lamps.

Beautiful orchids found on the Calabash gourd tree.  It is common to find many varieties of orchids on gourd trees.

Anes, one of our farm helpers from Hiati helping us carry them from the car.  They are very heavy.

The boys enjoyed digging into the slimy, stringy pulp and then they smeared themselves with it!!!   The shells are on the roof drying.

Especially Sania

Some older photos of bottleneck gourds we harvested