DeckTec Archives - Page 5 of 13 - DeckTec Outdoor Designs

Birding on Deck Part 2: Woodpeckers, Birdhouses and Nesting Structures

June 13th, 2018|Animals Out the Back Door, Life On Deck, Outdoor Living|

Welcome to our second in a series of articles about backyard birding “on deck!” You can find the first article here You may be thinking, “I want to attract birds such as robins, wrens and hummingbirds to my yard, but I don’t want woodpeckers poking holes in my house!” Well, of course you don’t! No one wants holes in their house, but according to Scott Menough, co-owner of Wild Birds Unlimited in Lakewood and host of BirdTalk radio on KNUS and KDMT, there’s nothing to worry about. “We don’t look at woodpeckers as pest birds, although we may be concerned about some of their activities. We may want to modify behaviors so people can enjoy these birds. The little downy woodpecker is one that people often enjoy watching,” Menough said. “If woodpeckers start making holes in the side of your house, put up a [northern] flicker-specific nest box and these [...]

Creating an Adult Treehouse

June 6th, 2018|Life On Deck, Outdoor Living|

Years ago, (I won’t say how many) when I was growing up as a young child in Maryland, our community was surrounded by wooded areas that came to form an important part of my elementary school years. When summer arrived and school was out, my three brothers, my friends and I seemed to live and play in those woods from morning until night. After playing our usual round of games several kids of all ages would invariably get together to create some kind of makeshift “Swiss Family Robinson” style treehouse. We would do this by wedging, notching and nailing whatever tree limbs we could find laying around. We made our own fun and it didn’t get much better. I think I got tuned into that unique feeling of elevation, having a private sanctuary for my friends and I that was literally above it all. Speaking of elevation, I eventually moved [...]

Spicy Lime Grilled Salmon

April 25th, 2018|Outdoor Recipes|

Try this light salmon recipe the next time you're looking for something new to try! SPICY LIME GRILLED SALMON Serves 4 Ingredients 1 lime 2 tbsp. olive oil 1 garlic clove, minced 2 tbsp. soy sauce 1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes salt and pepper to taste 1.5 lbs. wild Alaskan salmon lime wedges (optional garnish) olive oil to coat grill Directions 1. Using microplane, zest lime into small mixing bowl. 2. Juice lime. Add juice to zest. 3. Whisk together juice, oil, garlic, soy sauce, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. 4. Lay fish in small baking dish, filet skin side up so marinade soaks in. Pour marinade over fish, turning to cover completely. 5. Cover salmon with airtight lid in fridge for 30-60 minutes, or until you’re ready to eat. 6. Heat outdoor grill (or grill pan) over medium-high heat until piping hot. Brush olive oil over grill [...]

Deck to Table Dining

April 18th, 2018|Blog, Garden & Lawn Care, Gardening|

Our March issue offered helpful tips for designing an “on deck” container garden. Now we’re ready to “get growing!” If you’re up for the container gardening adventure, the rewards are great – imagine the joys of watching plants you’ve carefully tended grow into maturity. How wonderful is a dinner party with friends and family gathered round enjoying the “fruits” (and vegetables) of your labor from the deck where they were raised? There’s just no better way to impress your guests! Salad greens such as arugula, mustard, and mesculun, sassy, baby and braising mixes as well as lettuces grow quickly and easily from seed. They do well in cool weather and ideally should be planted now, as rain and snow will aid germination. These greens are especially great for pots because they don’t take up much room, and, even better, they grow back after being cut for multiple harvests. You can [...]

On Deck with Joe Freemyer

April 11th, 2018|Blog, Employee Feature|

Lead DeckTec carpenter Joe Freemyer wasn’t born in Colorado, but he might as well have been – this guy takes to the mountains, so to speak, like a fish to water. “Colorado is where it’s at. I’m a very outdoorsy person, I just love the mountains and everything that comes with it – hiking, mountain biking, trail running, bouldering, climbing. I definitely take advantage of it all, a lot more than some people do,” Joe said. “I’m an avid mountain biker.” “Exercise is really important to me, I work out every day,” he added. “I definitely take advantage of the trails and open space.” While it may seem hard to believe, Joe actually grew up in the oh-so-flatlands of Pleasantville, Iowa, a small town of about 1,500 folks near the center of the state, and also lived briefly in Tennessee, which didn’t quite suit him. “I was in Tennessee for [...]