Saturday, April 18, 2026

The deck refurb progresses even further | Water Garden, Deck and Umbrella Images

The deck refurb progresses even further

Refurb of the deck continues forward. In this edition of the refurb I have added the comfortable Cracker Barrel Poly-Material Rocking Chairs (2) that I understand are known for their long-term durability. While there, I had to grab the always wonderful breakfast that included my favorite Cracker Barrel Hashbrown Casserole which powered my ability to load the chairs in my trusty Silverado. I have opted for a black color theme with the deck furniture. I added an additional two strong metal chairs I picked up at the Home Depot on the trip home, as well as a couple of faux barrel planters to accomodate a various mix of plants that can survive the full sun on the edge of the deck. Additionally, I added a 360 degree rotating deck umbrella with an 11' spread to cut the sun. Instead of putting the umbrella on the deck I built an off-deck platform for the umbrella to stand on. I did this to conserve deck space because the massive support base for the umbrella takes up a cumbersome 3x3' trip-hazard. Although I am not thrilled about the unattractive cinder block build I did. I have added three banana tree roots around the area in hopes of growing tall banana trees to cut the sun and shadow the chairs from the intense West setting sun which hopefully will add shade to the pond in hopes of assisting in improving water clarity in the water garden by reducing algae growth naturally. Only time will tell if the trees will help for both intended purposes. Although I will probably leave the umbrella to cut the dew as we enjoy the late night stargazing.

Thanks again for stopping by the blog to see the continued improvements. Please return as we move forward in enhancing our little private space.

Monday, March 23, 2026

Deck Refurbishment Project is Progressing

The deck refurbishment project is slowly progressing

The deck refurb is slowly moving forward. We used Trex composite decking boards for sustainability. However, I do wish I would have matched the decking color with the stain/sealer color used for the stairs and the fencing pickets at the back of the deck. Originally the thought was to match the decking color with the the old, gray picket boards. But after looking at the old greyed boards that i had never stained, I was just not happy with the look of the pickets. Additionally I wanted to raise the height of the fence pickets to provide more privacy. In doing so, I replaced the greyed fence pickets with new red cedar pickets. I also wanted the pickets to have a longer life as well as preserving a constant color and longevity so I stained/sealed them with the color you see now. I had butted all the pickets tightly together in hopes I wouldn't have the gaps between the boards. Unfortunately the recently cut pickets quickly shrank and I did not like the gaps it created. That caused me to double layer the pickets to eradicate the gaps. This required me to again stain/seal the newly applied pickets. But this gives me the full privacy I desire while also providing an extra sound proofing. I still have plenty of trim work that i want to do, as well as adding plant hangers and possibly some type of accent lighting. I am also still in the thinking and planning of the type of chairs/loungers I want for the seating. I definitely want one or two glider benches that I used to love sitting in at my gandparents' places when I was young pup. But that's more options i need to decide on like color and do I want to use poly, metal or wood?But this is where we are today on the project.

Saturday, March 21, 2026

Why Low-Water Garden Design Is Taking Over in 2026

From ditching the lawn to watering more smartly, we asked experts in their field for their tips on low-water garden design and easy techniques homeowners can use in their own front and back yards.

Whether you have just moved home and inherited a garden that needs a complete revamp...

Reference: www.homesandgardens.com

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Sunday, March 8, 2026

First coffee of Spring on the back porch...

First time I have sat outside and drank my coffee since last year. Even sharing the space with my old friend Chip Munkerson.

Friday, March 6, 2026

A beautiful sky in Huntsville, Alabama

A beautiful sky in Huntsville, Alabama this morning

A beautiful sky this morning. If you look closely you can see the moon as well.

Sunday, February 1, 2026

ICEAGEDDON 2026

Wednesday, October 1, 2025

Meyer Lemon Tree is covered up with lemons this year

Meyer Lemon Tree is covered up with lemons this year.

A large mum that came back to life from last year is about to bloom. It had a producing tomato plant that was a random volunteer that grew out of the middle of it all summer. I think they helped each other in some kind of symbiotic relationship. It sits in a semi-shaded area on the northern side of tall banana plants.

It's October 1st, and produce production has almost slowed to a stop.

Saturday, September 20, 2025

A Blue Skink (Five-Lined Skink) is enjoying my compost bucket

A Blue Skink is enjoying my compost bucket

The blue tail on this skink is meant to attract the attention of any predators that discover the skink. The predator will grab the tail and it will break off or be shes by the skink (autotomy), saving the lizard. The tail will regenerate. the skinks around our pond area were captured around the Mentone (overlook) area by my boy's when they were young. Skinks are great to have around your yard as they eat spiders, crickets, and other insects.