Very Large Sunflower

The two pieces got connected last weekend.  Mike adhered pressure treated two by four lumber around the edge of the giant 8 foot by 8 foot mural.  Metal strips were screwed across the center to lend support to the connection point.  The barn quilt is very heavy.

Which leads to the news that the tractor - which will definitely be needed to launch this giant thing in the air to secure it to the side of the shed -  is once again out of service.  A part which is key to running the hydraulics has broken.  This part, replaced seven months ago, was only warrantied by the service center for six months.  A call has been placed with a picture of the broken part.  One ponders how something can last for 17 years and the new part last for only 7 months.  The tractor will have to be loaded onto a trailer and hauled 106 miles to the service center (it is winter...ugh!).  The entire engine has to be dropped to replace this part; hence the $5K bill we paid seven months ago.  We are hoping the service agent will be empathetic, kind, fair, and considerate of this incident.

Meanwhile, a big snow storm is predicted for next week.  And we have no snow blower.

Here is the lovely sunflower barn quilt.  Not quite finished yet, I will be painting a 2x4" green edge to slap on the side of the whole thing, making a nice edge and frame for the final touch.

Here is the cloth quilt Mom made in 1998.  She swore alot while making this quilt!!  I think the mural is a pretty good rendition!