July 4th Yard Art

 I like to annoy my neighbors from time to time with my collection of yard art.

About 25 years ago, I bought an old manure spreader for $10 at a farm auction. I brought it home and put it front and center in the front yard out by the road. It stayed there for 20 years until some guy showed up at the front door one afternoon and bought it from me.

Last year, I bought an M101 military trailer at a farm equipment auction. It was a 1953 model which made it the same age as me. I used it to replace a 1968 model M101 trailer that I had purchased a government surplus sale for $275. I hauled all kind of stuff in that trailer for about 15 years. A couple of years ago, some lady going down the road at 72 MPH in a 50 MPH zone lost control of her car and ran through our yard and slammed into my wife's Corolla and my M101. The insurance company totaled both of them. Apparently, there were only 3 M101 trailers for sale east of the Mississippi River and they paid me $1350 to get a replacement. I bought my current 1953 M101 for $100 at a farm equipment auction.

Looking for something to decorate the yard for the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, I decided to use the M101.

I bought three quarts of Rustoleum and started painting. I had some letters from an old Subway restaurant sign on hand. I built a frame to put the letters on the trailer. I had to paint the letters as the "A" was yellow and even with my color deficient vision, I knew that wouldn't pass for red, white or blue. My wife picked up several small flags at Rural King, and we were ready to go. 

I tell people that it is a 50/50 paint job. At 50 MPH and at a distance of 50 feet, t looks like a great paint job.