Yes, this is a real barn. This barn can be found in Sardis, OH - and it is on the Monroe County Ohio quilt barn trail. Sardis, OH is a sleepy little town along the Ohio River. It is one of the few towns that has a ferry to transport folks across the river to Kentucky. The quilt square on the side of this barn is known as a "Mariner's Star" or "Mariner's Compass". It is a very old quilt pattern.

A very good friend of mine was very, very ill. She was hospitalized for more than a month - sometimes in ICU.
I had taken this photo of day lilies she had planted near the end of her driveway. They were in full bloom and so colorful against the summer sky. I thought it was a fitting tribute to her resolve and to her long, long fight to get better.