Spinning, Dancing Gourds: Cute Fall Decor, Child's Toy and Mini Birdhouse Ornament

Gourds are always popular in fall decorating, and gourds are easy to grow. The tiny variety called "spinning top" or dancing gourd is an unusual heirloom type. Have a small garden or even a large pot with tomato cage? You can grow handfulls of these tiny treasures.

Warty, colorful decorative gourds attract attention at every farm stand in fall. There are the charming green and yellow smooth, striped ones, and the amusing small warted gourds.  Warted gourds have stepped aside recently to make room for those with bizarre wings. There are apple and swan and bottle shaped gourds. One of the cutest gourds, and not often seen around here anyway, are tiny dancing or spinning top gourds.

Up, Up and Away: Unmanned Drone Aircraft Uses in Agriculture

Many times certain innovations used in warfare can be adapted for peacetime use. That is the case of unmanned aerial vehicles or UAVs. Farmers around the world are using this ttechnology to improve their growing methods.

I think most of us are familiar with unmanned drone aircraft. Frequently on the national news programs we hear about unmanned drones taking out terrorists throughout the Middle East. They have become a valuable asset in the war on terrorism without putting our servicemen or women in harm's way.

Witch Hazel and Aunt Bett

When Aunt Bett helped me cut some branches of Witch Hazel to place in water on my bedside table, she didn't tell me the seed pods would explode and shower my bed with tiny black seeds. There is nothing like a loud POP! to bring you out of a dead sleep. Since my room was upstairs and the window was right beside my bed, I consider myself fortunate to have lived to tell the tale.