Life On Deck Archives - Page 2 of 18 - DeckTec Outdoor Designs

We Demand S’more!

August 25th, 2021|Blog, Colorado Life, Life On Deck, Outdoor Recipes|

Warm, gooey, crunchy s’mores are staples of camping trips and backyard BBQs stretching decades. Early recipes of the campfire treat first appeared in Boy and Girl Scout publications in the 1920s. Over time the unique blend of flavors has been incorporated into everything from pop tarts, ice cream, craft beer, even English muffins! Today, classic s’mores are having a bit of a pop-culture moment, spurred on by a renewed interest in getting outdoors. The combination of toasted marshmallow and chocolate smooshed between graham crackers is cherished not only for its simplicity but as a national comfort food designed to get scarfed down with friends around a glowing open flame. Despite an almost universal recognition as the ultimate campfire snack, I am always left wondering, is there anything s’more to s’mores? I mean, is chocolate, graham cracker, and toasted marshmallow the best we can do? I say, “No!” We’ve seriously underestimated [...]

The Best Time of the Year

August 23rd, 2021|Blog, Colorado Life, Life On Deck|

Those who lament the lack of four full seasons in Colorado must not have a deck. If they were like you, they’d know that Colorado actually has five seasons: winter, spring, summer, fall, and deck season. Guess what approaches? After a cold, snowy winter, historically wet spring, and brutally hot summer we’re now approaching the best time of the year in Colorado. Sure, fall in Colorado is stunning, but sandwiched between the heat and the first snowfall is a season officially sanctioned for Colorado’s outdoor living enthusiasts. When the air to deck wood ration become irresistible. When all of the effort put into the backyard and garden is in full display, and bounty of the summer harvest is in peak quality. Honestly, it’s tough to describe what makes this time of the year so enjoyable. It may be different for everyone, but after a long, hot summer, perhaps its simply [...]

Colorado’s Many Native Bees

August 9th, 2021|Animals Out the Back Door, Blog, Colorado Life, Garden & Lawn Care, Life On Deck|

While everything might be dry and brown down here on the Front Range, our state’s highest location may just now be reaching peak wildflower time. In Colorado, wildflowers often come in three phases and are dependent on moisture and elevation. August through October represents a final opportunity to revel in Colorful Colorado flowers before the white stuff starts flying once more. For many, it’s important to get up and see them before they’re gone, but chances are a variety of our native bee population will beat you there, busily buzzing through mountain meadows – pollinating the flowers in the process. Behold Our Bees! Did you know Colorado has over 900 native species of bees? And none of them make honey. That distinction goes to the Western Honey bee which ironically is a transplant from Europe and originated in Africa and Asia. Though our native bees don’t produce the sweet nectar [...]

A Room with a View: Relaxing on Deck with Jim & Susan Judge

November 20th, 2019|Blog, Deck Project Highlights, Life On Deck|

When it comes to Jim and Susan Judge’s deck, third time’s the charm. The Judge’s first deck, which came with their Highlands Ranch home, was a poorly constructed “builder deck.” On their next deck, they tried the “Trek type stuff,” as they put it. “We saw the commercials on TV,” Jim said. “We figured it was low maintenance ha-ha.” While the composite deck didn’t splinter like the first deck, that second deck didn’t work out so well either. “The floorboards warped and there were screws popping up. I was afraid to have our grandkids running around out there, I was afraid they’d trip and hurt themselves,” Susan said. “We never sat on it because it wasn’t appealing or comfortable. We wound up spending all our time below the deck where we have a concrete walkout from our finished basement,” Jim said. Outdoor living was about to take a turn for [...]

Passionate about Outdoor Living

June 26th, 2019|Blog, Life On Deck, Outdoor Living|

Ever since I can remember, every holiday, birthday and family event were held outside on the deck and patio if the weather allowed. Beginning with landscaping as a summer job in high school, my career evolved through landscaping, sunrooms and cedar homes before I came to specialize in decks and outdoor living. Not everyone sees a deck and patio the same way. Builders and architects usually see these additions as a necessary extension of the house (if they give any thought to it at all). Typically in the past its main function was as a way to get out of the house with a little space for a grill and table. Mostly square and very generic, this is what we currently refer to as a “builder deck.” Having begun my career in landscaping, I have always viewed a deck and patio area differently, more a part of the overall outdoor [...]