Anyone else think yard sculptures are cool? Here's a follow-up to yesterday's post, "30 uses for a dead tree."

Join me as I time travel back, way back...to 2005. I want to share with you an old article that I just stumbled upon. It's all about a 7-foot-tall statue of the Buddha, custom made for a front yard. Talk about the ultimate in yard art. This Buddha was commissioned by Dave and Gunda Hiebert of Lawrence, Kansas. The sculpture was created for them by local artist and wood-working guru, Dave Werdin-Kennicott. He carved the religious icon from the remains of a diseased black locust tree.

Werdin-Kennicott used as his model a standing Buddha sculpture that rests in the collection of Kansas University's Spencer Museum of Art. His tools for the job included all the standard wood-working gear: sanders, chisels, chainsaws, grinders and drills.

Dave Hiebert, owner of the sculpture, was quoted as saying that at first his only aim was to rid his yard of the tree, but he had soon hit upon the idea of having it transformed into a work of art. Said his wife, Gunda, the sculpture emerged so naturally from the old tree stump, it was almost as if the locust tree was expressing its inner Buddha. Hmm.

I'm sure the neighbors have a love/hate relationship with that thing. As much as I love quirky yard art, I'm not sure I'd have the guts to put a huge sculpture like that in my front yard. Namaste.