I love it. My white swan from last year's batch is blooming now. I should have some Harvest Moon in a few weeks, I hope. They're growing like crazy. The purple ones are doing well too. I really want to add a lot more of these to the garden. They bloom all summer here. And I scatter seeds like nobody's business.

Woodrich brightner ,oxalic base with a buffer, with what we call a scrub n rub I use a hand brush like you can buy at the supermarket put on some gloves splash the stuff on and scrub. This would be for the rail system and the skirting. Add the brightner to the water not the water to the brightner. Water wash it all off with a garden sprayer, All of it. Remember your not trying to remove the finish just the crud the wash effect will happen on contact even tho you wont see it. For the deck itself I use a 14'' floor machine with a scrub pad stuck on this goes very quickley. If you cant find one of those use a handled deck brush finish off the corners with the hand brush. Be tidie around the alum balusters thay are power coated but just be carefull. Sand with an orbital sander 60 grit pads where needed if the little sharp whiskers come up. The covered area will always be in different shape then the rest nothing to do about that. Woodrich was crafted from twp nither need stripping just another coat after cleaning I advise two coats using the sprit of a sound mind , that is waiting for the first one to set up, and another come late spring. after trying a test area first. And Dont Wait so long for a recoat!!!!!!!!!!! Ghesssssssss. J.

The last picture is devastating. Are those recent pictures--are you still flooding?? I really admire the way the people in North Dakota took care of the problem by all working together--days and nights of sandbagging, to protect their property and that of their neighbors. You guys are awesome!!! Isn't it a shame we can't distribute that water evenly across the country? We sure could use some of it.

I agree -- it's stunning! I've an almost all-white kitchen (cabs / countertop / backsplash) so I know that whatever is different is really going to catch the eye. I am neither encouraging nor discouraging; how about this, I'm asking: in your mind's eye, when you see your kitchen can (or do) you see this on your island? How does it make you feel? It sounds as if you want a statement-making countertop (the striped hickory) anyway -- or am I misunderstanding? Thinking of your kitchen, I don't think it'll be too busy. If you'd been planning on a really subtle island top I might say yeah, could be too busy. But not if you were already envisioning the striped hickory. You've a great eye -- thanks for sharing the picture with us!