Why I Oughta...

While it doesn't top the Festivus House that I posted about all the way back in 2011 , but thanks to Nat (one of the biggest BTTF fans that I know...she even rivals my friend Steve), we piled into the family truckster and drove up to Park Ridge to go see the Back to the Future Halloween Decoration house.  And, it was worth it.  Here's a look at the set-up below: Here is a quick video showing the full set-up:

A few days ago, I posted a couple of photos showing how I was using some frost covers to try to extend the dahlia-growing season just a little bit after the first 'hard frost' had arrived in our Zone.   I only have a couple of frost covers, so I wasn't covering *everything* in the garden, which lead to some things suffering from the cold.  The most-prominent plants that took the biggest hit from the frost is the coleus that I've planted as bedding plants.  In front and back.  Below are a few photos showing the 'morning after' - where the frost worked FAST to kill the Sun King coleus in the front yard island bed.   And, the large colony of Inferno Coleus in the backyard, near the patio died back, too: I'll leave this stand for a while and I assume the next time the frost arrives will be permanent for the Winter.  And, this will decline even more without the need to cut-back.  Most of the rest of the perennials weren't affected as significantl...

The last time that I checked in on the backyard pizza oven build, I showed off the full enclosure and roof and talked about how I had some success with a lower-temperature bake .  This was in late September and the oven - at that time - looked like this below.   From the front, you can see the block base and how I had made a temporary hearth landing out of a 2x6 that is supported by some firebrick cut-offs.   That was (obviously) temporary, but it has taken me a while to figure out what I wanted to do there. We seem to have landed on installing a hearth/landing ledge of Soapstone that will stick out from the front of the oven about 10-12 inches.  That will give me a little ledge/counter to work on before/after sliding the pies in/out of the oven.   But, in order to install that ledge, some permanent support needed to be installed.  Based on how I poured the hearth and placed the oven, I left myself four-or-five inches of space to build on top...

The last few nights, we were getting freeze and frost warnings from the National Weather Service.  That means that the gardening season is coming to a hard close.  All of our dahlias, however, still have flowers and tons of buds on them.  Before the frost arrived, I cut everything that I could (more on that later), but for most of them, I opted to leave on some of the smaller buds and took action:  covered most of them with frost blankets.  And...crossed my fingers.   Here, below, is one of the Wizard of Oz Dahlias that I wrapped in a frost blanket.  Will the plant make it?  We'll know tomorrow.   The forecast calls for temperature moderation over the next week or more.  So, all I'm looking to do is to simply try to 'extend' part of the growing season with some of the dahlias for another few days.  

I don't have to read the press release on this new (to me) launch to *JUST KNOW* that it says something like:   "Two iconic Chicago food brands collaborate to bring to market an only-in-Chicago product:  Chicago Pizza popcorn."      The story writes itself.  But...I'll admit:  the 'collab' (I hate saying that) is a genuinely good one.  A really good fit.  Garrett has the best corn in town.  And Home Run Inn (even if I am a homer for them because of Nat and our friends) is the best in the business when it comes to pizza.   So, it was natural that when I came across this bag of Chicago Pizza Popcorn, I brought home a couple.   Does it takes like pizza?  Yeah...kinda.  Does it taste like Home Run Inn?  Not sure.   But, does that matter?  No.  This is a fun buy.  An easy 'add to cart' if you see it.    Bring it to your next party and it will CERTAINLY be a conversatio...

Earlier this Fall, we went down to check out both the Barstool College Football Show and Fox's Big Noon Kickoff at the University of Illinois.  I wrote about the first visit for the Southern Cal game here in late September .  Both productions (and they were BIG productions) set-up shop in Grange Grove on the West side of the (Gies) Memorial Stadium in what is typically a quiet corner of the Grove.  (We were at an earlier game this season when the crews weren't there and there was a corporate hospitality tent in the same corner that BNK was set-up).  Seeing both of these shows was a fun experience, but due to our arrival time (We walked into Grange Grove right as Barstool was wrapping up and before Big Noon was starting), most of the 'space' was filled in, so we were standing near the back.  With the KoTBT being well...a kid...that meant that his 'line of sight' is such that if we moved in closer, he couldn't see anything.  Not to mention the signs and such ...

The season REALLY *is* winding down now.  And the colors of the Melina Fleur dahlias are changing color to be much more middle-pink with little yellow appearing aside from the center seed head.  These three went out the door to folks all at the same time.  They each have some Dusty Miller, Arkansas Bluestar and some fern fronds in them.  Each of them are in thrifted or recycled jars (mason or jelly).  My rough count shows that these are (around) the 40th arrangement of the season.  A few with roses, but mostly these ball, pompon and decorative dahlias.