My Hand Painted Gourds

by Debbie Almond
(North Carolina)

Over the past few years I have found solace and peace painting gourd birdhouses. Every birdhouse is different just as the gourd since it is grown by nature.

After the gourd is cleaned scrubbed and prepared I then begin the creation of my artwork!

Little did I know when finishing my creation with coats of varnish and hanging them from my apple tree to dry that their vibrant colors would be the main attraction for the neighborhood hummingbirds.

As I turned to walk into my house, I heard a faint pecking noise, then another, then another, and as I turned there were hummingbirds gathered all around my hand painted gourd birdhouses trying to feed off the artwork in which I had just painted.

There is beauty in nature no matter how it is created. A lot of my birdhouses I have given to nursing home patients, shut-ins, etc. and go back to hear their stories of how they have enjoyed watching birds of all kinds flock to find nests, feed off the vibrant colors, or just to visit out of curiosity.

The stories of the mothers that have gathered on their sofas with their children to watch the new babies learn to fly, the shut-ins that sit by their window and occupy their time as their feathered friends visit, and the nursing home patients that are reminded daily of a God that has created something so beautiful and delicate as a little bird, my peace and solace has now become theirs.