SOS - Powdery Mildew!!!

Powdery Mildew front and center at the base of those buds.  I hate it.  It has been pretty rainy the last couple weeks.  I wonder if that is part of the problem.  I have read to spray the roses with water, that the spores hate water.  I have also found a recipe for a home made antifungal.  

Anyone have any experience with powdery mildew?

Powdery Mildew Spray

- 1 Gallon Water

- 1 Tbl. Baking Soda

- 1 Tbl. Vegetable Oil

- 1 Tbl. Dishwashing Liquid

Mix and put in spray bottle.  Spray plants weekly on overcast days to prevent burning.

Charlie's Ice Cream Social

We have a new ice cream shop in the 'hood!  Within walking distance even!

It is 30's and 40's themed.  Read about it here.

The Nice Dreams sounds really good: vanilla ice cream, sea salt, caramel, chocolate sauce and potato chips.

We'll let you know when we try it out this weekend.

Pineapple Upside Down Pancakes

Erica was in Grand Junction this week on business.  These are the pancakes she ate this week at the Dream Cafe on historic Main Street.  They were awesome: caramelized pineapple, vanilla creme anglais, caramel and cinnamon butter.

She'll Hang the Baskets

I had picked up these hanging baskets at the end of the summer last year for $2 each.  They were originally white, but that was nothing a little Oil Rubbed Bronze Spray Paint couldn't take care of.  

Hanging Baskets x 2 = $4
Spray Paint = $0 (left over from chandelier project)
Potting Soil = $0 (left over from other plantings)
Annuals (marigold, petunia, dusty miller) = $7 plus leftovers for somewhere else.
Flower Fertilizer = $0 (previous home owner left behind)

Grand Total = $11 or $5.50 each

Hoping for some more height and fullness in a few weeks once all of the flowers are in full bloom.

Egress Windows

We had someone stop by the house to give a quote on two Egress Windows for the basement bedrooms.  This is a good idea of what the finished product would look like instead of the tiny above ground windows we currently have:

We have a couple more quotes coming in.  We might have to relocate a gas line and meter for one of the windows.    I guess you will see what we decide :)

Orange Rocket

New addition to the front garden - Orange Rocket Barberry.

It is described as coral in color which turns ruby red in the fall.  Chris planted it tonight. After 10 years it will be 5 feet high, but only 2 feet wide.  I think the space needs a few annuals as well...maybe white geraniums and purple salvia.

20x200

Sugarcoat by Michelle Hinebrook

We got this picture from 20x200.com.  Every week new artists work is posted on the site.  Each print can be purchased for as low as $20 (depending on size) and the $20 pieces of art are limited to an edition of 200 (and they tend to go quickly), hence the name 20x200.

When we bought it, we weren't sure where exactly it was going to live, but Chris always says, "if you like it enough to buy it, we will find a place for it".  And we did.  In the upstairs bath, over the toilet.  It adds some fun and color to the salmon and gray.

The artist, Michelle Hinebrook has three different pieces of artwork available on the site.  Here is a more clear picture from the 20x200 website.  It is a painting of candies (click on the picture to enlarge):

Stupid Squirrel

This squirrel was really stupid. It ran in front of Chris while he was on a bike ride this evening. There was nothing Chris could do. He hit the squirrel at about 20 mph. The squirrel's little neck snapped and that was that.  Chris didn't let this ruin his ride. What a stupid little squirrel.

Stoopid Squirrel

Full of Blooms

It's that time of year - you get to hear Erica go on and on about her roses for another summer!  

They are doing awesome!  So full of blooms.

Chicken Tika Masala

Made this for dinner tonight. It was really easy to throw together. I used 2 pounds of chicken thighs. 

 Prepare the following, mix and put in the fridge for at least an hour: 

1 yellow onion, diced 

1 inch chunk of ginger, minced 

3/4 pound of chicken cut into bite sized pieces 

8 oz can of tomato sauce 

1 cup plain yogurt 

2 Tbl curry powder 

1/4 tsp cayenne 

 After marinating, put everything in a baking dish and bake in a 375 degree oven for 1 hour.  Serve with rice.

Bike Derby

Yesterday morning we went for our 3rd consecutive weekend bike ride of the year.  We have already ridden 3 times more than all of last year.  Here is Erica sporting her new spiffy Bianchi bike gear.

In the afternoon we went to a Derby Party complete with Mint Juleps and Bocce Ball.  Here is Chris in his Derby attire.