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Friends In Peters Township Put Finishing Touches On Backyard Mural

PETERS TOWNSHIP (KDKA) -- A lot of people embarked on home improvement projects during the pandemic.

Many of them involved sprucing up a space with a fresh coat of paint. But KDKA's Kym Gable found a local family that took that to a whole new level.

Debbie Lindberg and Bridget Kirwan spend their days working together in the Peters Township School District. They spend their leisure time focused on friendship, family and a passion project that has taken over Kirwan's backyard.

mural
(Photo Credit: KDKA)

Both back walls of her home on Longvue Drive are painted with an elaborate mural featuring an outdoor scene with woodland creatures. But it took some convincing before she picked up the paintbrush.

KDKA's Kym Gable: When Debbie came to you with this idea, what did you think?

Kirwan: I thought she was nuts.

Lindberg's six grandchildren were the inspiration for the mural. It took 70 hours to paint. It showcases 12 vivid colors and 24 distinctive creatures from the forest.

"We tell stories so it's really helping their imagination," Lindberg said.

"You don't want to be thinking about COVID all the time," Kirwan said. "You don't want to be thinking about sad stuff. This is what you need: color. Just make an oasis in the backyard. And that's what Debbie did."

"It's not about the size of your house or cost of your house," Lindberg said. "I think it's about the warm fuzzy, the memories."

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