I cannot resist stopping at yard sales! I tell myself that I don't need another thing but I stop anyway! I try to justify the buys, by saying that I dont drink, smoke or go to movies.....It's my only vice-LOL Then I go look in my storage buildings-- So I hoard!!!!! Is that so bad???? Grin I love the things you bought!

The "sail effect" from the wind will be too much for a few grommets and bungee cords. Gaps will be caused by the plastic flapping and flexing, negating the potential benefit of the cold frame. FWIW, here's what I would recommend when using a flimsy material. 1) Use the fabric linked below. It's like iron, and won't tear easily...and diffuses light nicely. 2) Add additional 2x2 purlins. One across the base of the unit (looks like about a foot off the ground). It's low enough that you can reach over it easily. The other purlin should go at the angle just ahead of the PVC trellis. The fabric will be permanently attached to the sections, high and low, created by the additional pieces. This also has the benefit of reducing the span the fabric will hang unsupported. 3) Drive bolts through the pieces marked "3 5-5/8"" from the backside, so that the threads are exposed on the front/top. Do the same on the bottom purlin I just described above, about a foot off the ground. Drill matching holes through 1x2s cut to fit. 4) Cut and fit the fabric permanently to the ends, bottom panels, and top panels. Industrial staples and a staple gun work fine -- use a hammer to drive the staples in as far as possible. Attach the top end of the "roll-uppable" flap permanently to the top purlin (underneath the fabric for the top panel, so that water will drain off properly), and poke the sides and bottom over the exposed bolt threads. (On the bottom end of the fabric you can staple to a 2x2 to assist in rolling.) Lay the 1x2s over the holes on top of the fabric, and spin on wing nuts. If high winds are expected, leave enough extra material along the sides and bottom so that you can "loosely" staple the flap along the sides and bottom for additional strength. A flat-head screwdriver will easily back out the staples afterwards. If the fabric is allowed to flap and tug, I imagine it would be possible to rip it out of the attachments along the sides and bottom. As I see it, controlling your daytime temps is going to be an issue. You could install an exhaust fan on one end, and a vent on the other, I suppose, but perhaps that's more effort than you want to tinker with. You'll have to be vigilant about rolling open the front each day. -Bruce Here is a link that might be useful: 5.2 ounce fabric at FarmTek

Our storms usually go to the south or north of us and we only get the edge. Sometimes I'm glad of that as we are in a good lightning area, always getting a few very close ones. Actually had one hit the back pergola (steel frame but luckily not attached to the house) nearly 2 years ago during that week of really hot weather and bad storms that hit Brissy. Gave us all a fright, all 4 kids slept on mattresses on lounge room floor the rest of the night while I had to sit up with them :( Had a few mls last night though not sure how much as someone bumped the raingauge and it was leaning over. Only 2mls in gauge but my guess is twice that. Had rumbles of thunder and small storms go past to the south all afternoon until about 8.15 when there was half hour of light rain. Better than nothing - trying to be optimistic here :) Hoping for lots more rain (without too much lightning) for everyone, at least those that need it.

I love Smiling's idea of having this mounted in an easel-back frame. I hadn't even thought of going that route! My only problem is that there really is no place to prop it up there in our family room, which would be the ideal place for it. What looks like a credenza under the other framed artifacts is actually a tv lift cabinet. Our very large tv comes up out of the top of it. There is no place there to safely prop up a frame. Our kiva fireplace has a very narrow mantel. It's also used a lot, so the heat from it might be a negative. And, the TV tower that holds all the components is now topped with my DH's reconditioned turntable, which looks like heck. Perhaps on the real credenza behind our sofa in there. I've pretty much decided on an 8x10" custom-made shadowbox frame with 2 cutouts: one for the spearhead and one below it for an information card. I loved the idea of using some sort of map (topographical, geological, a map of migrations during the Early Archaic Period, but haven't found one that shows what I want. I've literally spent hours hunting for something on the internet (argh!). I will have my framer add an envelope onto the back to hold a copy of my COA. I'll keep the original in our safe deposit box. BTW, the estimated value of this one spearhead is a minimum of $600 and could climb up to $1,200! That blows me away, although I'm not selling it.