The Completed Deck and Garden Update

I just realized that I never posted a completed deck/screen porch photo! I still have a few things that need to be finished (staining the door which was only recently installed, stain a few panels that needed replacing due to warping and cleaning/clearing up the corner where the hoses are presently parked.) All in all we are quite pleased.

News flash: The garden is growing! That's saying a lot since, other than herbs in containers, we have never gardened before. The tomato plants have little flowering buds on them. The corn is coming up quite nicely and the carrots have started to make their presence known. I don't think the cucumbers, zucchini, watermelon and honey dew will fare well but I could be wrong. Should I be "staking" them, too, I wonder? We will have an overabundance of peppers I do believe (3 each of green, yellow, red, jalapeno and banana). Mr. Sister added the "fence" to keep critters at bay. So far so good!

To my followers who also happen to be gardeners, any and all advice is welcome by this novice!

The Tiling of the Porch!

Update: It's looking good! I can hardly wait.

What do you all think of the design we came up with?

Diagonal with a border!

Thin strips will be going in the space you see that remains open.

'Tres chic', don't you think?

Grouting will be completed tomorrow.

I finally decided on "Sandstone".

I hope it will be the right decision.

Coming next...the screen!

Project Porch!

Today is the beginning of a major project on our home. We are having an addition of a 16x22 foot screened porch with an attached 10x16 deck installed. I've designed this addition myself and am really looking forward to seeing it come to reality. I plan to chronicle the process on these blog pages over the coming weeks. Meanwhile let us pause, for a few moments, in remembrance of our old deck. This farewell is bittersweet as this cramped backyard porch served us very well over the past 10 years. It is a sturdy old guy that remains very good shape. However, families grow and now is the time to move on to a larger, more usable, outdoor living space. Goodbye, little friend.