Tyranny of the gourd family

Having become acquainted with the gourd family, I have come to appreciate the many variations that set the varied looking but pulpy family apart

A few evenings ago, emboldened by Dutch courage afforded by a tot, or two, or a few, of single malt — but bolstered by the knowledge that my wife had dined early and retired to bed —  I told the cook that no member of the gourd family was to cross the threshold again. After a whole month of playing host to Luffa acutangula, the ridged version, or the smoother aegyptiaca species, a smoother variant — should the Cucurbitaceae family appeal to you — I was ready to do battle with the ridge gourd. Having planted a few of the