Deck Stain...What a difference!

Good Morning! We just spent the last three and half days at our home in Arkansas.....working....our cans off!  With all the rain, the grass had really grown, so it kept Bob really busy cutting and spraying for weeds in the yard and using Roundup under the fences.  I of course had projects!  I planted some trees on the back fence row.  I moved some retaining wall blocks to the back of the house.  And, I stained the front deck and wood fence.  I can't wait to work on the back deck now and I want to stain everything here now as well.

What a Difference the deck stain made!

Before

After :)

 The view from another angle.  The guy that built the deck last year told me that with treated wood, you should wait till it dries out before using the deck stain/seal. I am just amazed at how good it looks.

Before

After

Those retaining wall blocks that were around the front tree and flower bed.....

 Gone! I moved them to the back of the house where the yard really slants.

Blew off drive after picture, my bad!

This is the back of the house.  I forgot my camera, so all the pictures are taken with my phone.  What a pain!  I really didn't take enough pics, but next trip over, I will get some more.  I started laying the bricks in lowest place around the tree.  Actually, I added a third layer and came around the tree almost completely to the left side of the picture.

Then on the other side of the tree, I extended the bricks across the back of the house.  This was NOT my plan, just flying by the seat of my pants....So, now I need more brick and guess what?  Lowes didn't have any to match.  I will have to figure that out.....If, I can't find any to match, one option is find a contrasting color that looks good, OR Stain them all.  What do you think?

 My husband liked the deck so well, he thought the fence would look good stained as well.  I asked him if he was helping and said yes.  But, he didn't...he cut grass along the fences and walkway to the pond.  Oh well, I knocked it out.  It actually went faster than the deck.  I had to use a brush on the deck and I rolled the fence.   I ran out of time and stain. On the next trip over I have to do the back side of fence.  A project always leads to another one.  Yep, keeps me from being bored. :)