We saw the deck and thought, "Oh, sitting out here would be so lovely on a warm summer night..."

The realtor and the builder said, "...and it's this amazing tropical wood that just ages beautifully... you never have to treat it."

Visitors say, "This deck is amazing. It must be so relaxing to sit out here all the time..."

Three and a half years into home/winery ownership, the heat and the sun and the fires and the dust have overtaken the beautiful, tropical, miraculous hard wood. (No offense to the builders out there, but... California is not TROPICAL. It is VERY dry here. You kinda overpromised what a great match tropical wood was for Northern California.) Anyway...

I'm starting with this...

After hosing and treating and scrubbing I get to this...

Then I'll treat with some timber oil to get to this...

If you are reading this post and can't see the difference, well, then... I just don't want to know you. 

If you are reading this post and thinking a place in the country is idyllic, here is how I'm spending my 'relaxing' evenings and weekends...

But then, sometimes there is this...

...and this...

So, okay ; )