From Margie Malone to David Howard
Margie sent this clue:
Although it is early for you and I
This Christmas fellow has taken to the sky
Another state he will go
Looking for a farmer that has Gourd Glow.
Her gourd went to David Howard who said:
Came home from Ohio and there was a package in the garden shed where a neighbor had put our mail . There he was a nice santa from Margie Malone . He has a spot on the hutch with the rest of our gourds .
Now to get off my rear end and get mine sent out! Thanks to Betty for having the exchange and the the work that goes along with it.
Dave From Iowa
From Melissa Yerkes to Susan Snow
Melissa sent this clue:
Yippee.........I'm free
Going to a new home, where I want to be.
What a beautiful day to fly,
It's not too hot, so I will comply.
I have a little sister, Maple, you will see,
She hangs around, and will be coming with me.
I'm the outdoor Z type who likes ballooning,
spelunking, biking, sky and scuba diving, hiking, snow
shoeing, snow mobiling, and mountain climbing,
My arrival at this time of year will be excellant
timing.
We have a collection of little lighthouses in tow,
Gonna line up 52 of them in a row.
Gardening is in my heart,
It's always been there from the start.
Maple's not a gardener,
So please don't be hard on her.
We will come dressed in bonnets and bead jewelry,
Recite some sonnets sweetly, with no foolery.
We pray you'll love us, quite a bit,
And promise to amuse you with our wit.
We will bring watercress by the ton,
And make a salad that's really yum.
We are birdwatchers, Maple and me,
We can spot a Northern Flicker in any old tree.
My name is Sugar and you will see,
I'll bring a canteen of syrup to you from me.
Perhaps we can picnic at Kooteray Lake,
I'll bake an apple pie or maybe a cake.
We are so pleased to move to a town of 75 years,
I hope you will be so happy to see us, you'll break
out in tears!
From Melody Haskins to Colleen Proffitt
Melody sent this clue:
"From one hot SSS & S lady to another cold SSS & S lady"
Her gourd went to Colleen Proffitt who said:
Hi Everyone,
Today, a wonderful package arrived from Australia. Harold was helping me open it and he saw it first and was really impressed; then, I saw this huge
beautiful kettle gourd being lifted out of the box with the most beautiful burned patchwork designs with butterflies, gourds, caterpillars, birds, flowers in each "patch," and then a perfect design of burning or
(carving? Melody) around the bottom. My words can't do it just nor does the photo I took...but it has been sent to post for all to see. Along with this came a large frond that looks like a palm but has saw-toothed fronds and a great huge pod. What is this, Melody? And, included in the photo for you to see, is the card with a Koala surfing. I think he was just outside Melody's window as her address indicates a beachfront setting. So cooo-ooool ! I want to also give our Aussie friends a big thank you for when they share with us because their postage rate is just horrendous........and I appreciate their generosity in this regard. Sure feel that I "owe" an exchange gourd to an Aussie to help even this up a bit.....wonderful gourd, wonderful surprises and like a song, I like very
much, I think the Gourdpatch "saved the best for last." Thank you,Melody! I love it!
The name, burned into the bottom, is "Life in the Gourdpatch" and it symbolizes the loving friendship of our gourd family. You can't get much more special than that!
Colleen (Iowa and Florida)
From Nancy Hardesty to Heather Mingus
Nancy sent this clue:
Velvet petals of Burgundy nestled in this gourd
Winter White Roses, & Pine bows adorn
A hint of sparkle rests on a leaf or two
Like winter's first snowflakes twinkling at you
For you I have made this special design
May it bring you joy this Winter time
Her gourd went to Heather Mingus who said:
I was just totally blown away when I opened my mailbox and found a box from Nancy AKA, Gourdessa!!!! It was a long walk back from the mailbox (I'm rural) and I didn't have anything on me to get it opened....trust me, my teeth didn't work! Anyway, It IS LOVELY! A nicely finished dipper gourd with beautiful velvet roses in lucious winter colors. It will look very nice hanging during the holidays, (and maybe longer....) Thanks Gourdessa! It is really nice and I will love adding it to my gourdpatch collection!
God Bless,
Heather
From Paulette Perez to Carol Huyett-Mellies
Paulette sent this clue:
It's Angels flying high in the south wind over the mountain with sunflowers.
Her gourd went to Carol Huyett-Mellies who said:
Well whoooorayyyy My 2nd gourd from Paulette Perez arrived today SAFE AND SOUND. It is beautiful. It has a black background with a lovely mountain scene then on the sides are angles and poinsettias. The mountains are done in oil paints and the angles and poinsettias have been wood burned and then colored with penciles. She has put a nice clay base on the gourd and it will have a special place on my shelf. This was a learning experience in more than one way. We learned to always insure your gourds cause the postoffice won't do anything about running over your package with a truck after it blows off the loading dock. It has caused a big stir within the postal service here they all know about the gourd that got run over. They said that one of the carriers now has a small gourd hanging from his rear mirror with this statement. Caution gourds may appear further away than they are. I do thank Paulette for going the extra mile and sending me another gourd. This has been great fun for me and I'm looking forward to another exchange. Oh yes, one good thing
about the gourd that got smashed I got seeds from it and will plant them in the spring.
From Rhoda Forbes to Betty Hickman
Rhoda sent this clue:
All dressed up in his coat of white, he leaves my house today,
Doin the charleston while winging his way
over several mountain ranges.
He will view many changes.
To a sweet gal's home
that is far, far away
but over many acres he can play and roam
I surely do hope that he likes his new home!
Rhoda's gourd went to Betty Hickman who said:
A package was waiting for me when I got home. Inside was a lovely
Sinterklaas dressed in white coat, trimmed in blue and carrying a
bouguet of red and yellow roses just for me on his burgendy belly. He is wearing handcrafted shoes to help him stand. A beautiful paint job. He comes with a companion. Also in the box was a banana gourd ornament painted with Santa, his beard blowing in the wind. He's carrying a lantern in one hand and a toy clown and book in the other, sure he'll have a spot on the front of my tree. These are beautiful, Rhoda, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Betty
From Ronna Wuttke to Scott and Amy Martin
Ronna sent this clue:
it's pretty dry here,
it's pretty wet there,
i don't think this gourd will care.
when it leaves this place that's hot,
it will travel north to _ _ _ and _ _ _ _ _.
Her gourd went to Scott and Amy Martin who said:
Very Cool,
We received our Christmas exchange from Ronna Wuttke down in S. Carolina way! I am so glad she packed it with layers of padding because the postperson looks like they smashed it with an atomic elbow! One whole corner of the box was crushed in but her egg carton packing (cool idea) helped to buffer the gourd. Now about the gourd. All of you should be envious because we now are the very proud owner of Ronna's first attempt at carving on the outside of a gourd. It is a natural finish ( I think) on the outside of a bottle type gourd (looks like on of David Blackwell's "mutant" gourds). Ronna woodburned a multiple snowman scene complete with house! Then she carved out the area around some of them so it looks like dimpled snow. Awesome! The top has a very tight pine needle top that is sooooooo symetrical. Those pine needles sure cooperated!
Amy loved the piece as much as I do. Thanks Ronna! We are proud to
have one of your pieces to dispay in our growing collection!
Thank YOU, Thank YOU, Thank YOU!!!!!!!
