Thursday, August 14, 2014

Hints & Happenings

 

Good afternoon Folks ~ Here is is Thursday and August is zipping right along. Remember my last post about ‘hint’s of autumn coming?  Well, I had two mornings of ‘hints’ right after that, now it’s back to ‘dog days’.

I’ve been working outside for 2-3 hours in the mornings, this morning I mowed, and after I write this post I’m going to take a nap.

Since around the 20th of July, my refrigerator has been making noises never made before. I’m very sensitive to noises, and when things don’t sound right I wonder why? and try to figure it out. Day before yesterday the noise got worse, so I decided to call my appliance repair guy. He came out later and I told him when he got here the noise had stopped right after I called him and hadn’t started up again. He listened for awhile and since there was still cold air in fridge and freezer and the noise wasn’t happening, maybe it was nothing after all. So we left it at that, and he said to call me if I needed him. I had asked questions about the fan and the compressor so that was that. That noise didn’t happen again. Well, the next morning I noticed a moderate light squeal, which came and went, and sometimes didn’t happen at all, so I went about my day.  Well, I went to the freezer to get something out for supper and noticed the meat wasn’t totally frozen. I called the repair guy and he said oh no, and that he’d be here shortly.  It was around 5ish. I hurriedly stuffed frozen items into the floor model freezer I have, then wiggled the fridge out of the space/cubbyhole and turned it so that the guy could get to it.

When he got here, he took the back off, and oh my the ‘dust’.  The fan was going, but when he touched the motor, it was very hot to the touch.  He said there’s your problem.  The squeal I had heard was no doubt the bearings. I got out the vac and he sucked out the dust, took old motor out, hoped he had fan motor in his van, he did, he put it in, it worked fine, I paid him and now I have a quiet running and cold/freezer/fridge once again.  This fridge is a Maytag and 18 years old.  I’m hoping it will last me many years yet.  It’s a simple, no frills fridge, white and small, just right! I was so thankful I didn’t have to buy a new fridge.

Outside right now it is 88 but feels like it’s 110.  Rain clouds are gathering and T-storms are predicted for later on this afternoon.  I will be so glad when cooler weather gets here.  I am ever thankful for air-conditioning.

Here are some blooms, statues, and critters from my tropical jungle gardens.

I’m wondering if this is not the ‘female’ of that bright green lizard from the other day.

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Zebra longwing and hamelia paten blooms

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Spicy Jatropha ~ Zebra longwings just love this.

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Vanda ‘Miss Joachim’

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Statues are getting quite the patina these days. I just love how they look old.

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St. Francis

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He’s wearing a ‘bagworm’ earring.

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‘Prosperity’

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I just love the colors and layers of these clouds the other evening. Rain came a little while later.

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“When the sky is totally covered by the dark clouds,

be strong enough to see the bright stars beyond them!”

Mehmet Murat ildan

***

Enjoy the rest of your week ~ FlowerLady

24 comments:

Unknown said...

Pics are beautiful as usual! Made me laugh at "bagworm earring"...lol. How big is that lizard? She looks like a little dino...Take care; glad your fridge is fixed...XO~

Jean Campbell said...

I am a fan of Patina.

Glad your problem was only a fan motor and quickly repaired.

Rose ~ from Oz said...

Cloud shots are surreal Lorraine, and just love those lizards and I agree this one could be the Mrs.L.
Oh wow, I had almost the exact same thing happen with a fridge of mine - it was a Westinghouse only had 2 small repairs over 26 years! and as far as I know it's still going strong with the new owners. It never had a scratch or rust mark on it either.
Oh yes, I'm always, always so grateful for airconditioning. In the tropics ones life would be quite miserable without it!
Stay cool for the coming weekend
x

Julie said...

Oh I am jealous you got your lawn mowed this morning! Although I did accomplish many things this morning, the rain came before the lawn mowing happened. I wanted to save my husband from having to do it as I will not be around the next two days. Oh well.

My refrig is making noises too. It is over 23 years old....an old thing. It has had a good run!!! Glad you got yours fixed!!!! Yeah!

I will be so happy for cooler air. I love Jan, Feb, and March here!!!!!

Ruth Hiebert said...

Glad to hear that the fridge was a fairly simple fix. I am waiting for cooler weather as well. With the heat,my energy drops to almost nothing.

Morning's Minion said...

I overdid it with weeding today, so it is soothing to 'visit' your blog and enjoy your beautiful flowers. Your needlework leaves me hoping that when summer--and my garden--are over I'll be inspired again to make quilts.
Re the dust in your fridge: My computer tech-man in WY once scolded me for cat hair and dust inside my PC tower--he said that in my case, dust 'bunnies' had become a family of full grown 'rabbits!' Oh dear!

The BUTT'RY and BOOK'RY said...

Hi Lorraine,
I enjoyed my visit, and am happy things worked well with your fridge!!
Many Blessings, Linnie

Sunray Gardens said...

With the way things are made nowadays you are fortunate it is still running. I think they are giving the life of refrigerators less time than yours is now. Hope this takes care of your problems.
Cher Sunray Gardens

Sallysmom said...

I am so glad your refrigerator was an easy fix. Take care.

Carol- Beads and Birds said...

thanks for the nice chat this morning. Hope you have a great weekend with a break in the heat.
xx, Carol

(Northern Indiana is having September temps right now. This morning it is 50 degrees at 8 AM. definitely not normal)

Stephanie said...

Your photos are always so lovely to look at - thanks for sharing with us.

Happy to hear your refrigerator is fixed :) Happy weekend!

Betsy Banks Adams said...

Hi There, Gorgeous sky photos.. I love seeing clouds like that. Beautiful!!

Glad your fridge could be fixed. Our clothes dryer is OLD (washer is too) ---but still working. SO--I won't replace anything til I have to..

The oldest thing though in our house is our big AC/Furnace unit outside... That big unit came with the house --so it is over 30 years old.. Still working though and when the maintenance people come once a year, they are amazed that it is still doing so well....

Love your flowers... Stay COOL down there... AND--remember to name your little male and female lizards!!!!! (like Bonnie and Clyde)... ha

Love the sculptures --and the earring is perfect... ha

Have a great weekend.
Hugs,
Betsy

Marti said...

I mowed the yard too this morning. I'd be napping now except for a double dose of caffeine.

I didn't know dust could get inside a refrigerator motor. Is that what made it fail, or did the repairman say? I need to make a note to go check my motor, wherever it is.

Your photos are beautiful. I wish I could learn how to use the camera I have. I think it could take nice photos if I knew what to do.

Your garden looks great even with the heat. The lizards sure seem to like it too. I got a kick out of the bagworm earring!

Karen @ Pieces of Contentment said...

Your garden is filled with delights! The Zebra longwing is amazing and your flowers lovely. Hope the rain brought relief front the heat and humidity.

Sandra said...

You have such a beautiful garden, it really shows how well you take care of it :)

Love the cloud shots, you know clouds have to be one of my favorite things to photograph.

Hoping you're having a good Friday and wishing you a great weekend too.

Hugs,
Sandra
xoxoxo

Gardener on Sherlock Street said...

Love your photos. Glad the refrigerator is working still. That's how old our's is and it's a basic Maytag model too. Maybe the same frig. Ha!

Annie said...

What a relief about your fridge...no water was going in my tank, and a kind neighbour has been over and dug trenches and fixed the problem...I even managed to fix a light globe in the range hood....I'm feeling very independent.

CYNTHIA CRANE said...

What a treat to visit your blog first today and see such wonderful photos! You have flowers that I've never seen before since I live in zone 6b/7a. Fall has arrived too early here. My basil is even browning from the too cool nights, and I never even had a chance to cut it for preserving!

I adore St. Francis' bagworm earring - what a hoot! And your flowers are so vibrant and lush. I'm glad you got your fridge repaired without too much loss, and esp. that you did not have to replace it!

I've been playing house lately, but today I'm finally getting back to work in my studio. So bye bye for now dear Rainey!

Deb J. in Utah said...

Such lovely pictures. I totally love how you fixed your old fridge to keep it going even longer. Have a great week.

M.K. said...

Oh, I'm so thankful about your refrigerator! I found out a few years ago that they no longer make refrigerators that are meant to last 20 years, like they used to. B/c of gov't regulations about the motors (or some such nonsense), the motors only last about 7-8 years now, and that's all you can expect a frig to last. Can you believe that? How many frigges go into the landfill now, after only a few years? How is that an improvement?

Ah well. So glad your fellow had a part in his van and it's humming along happily now. Your statues are very lovely.

Rebecca said...

I really like St.Francis' patina and the garden that surrounds him.
Those clouds look powerful. And so glad you got the refrigerator thing figured out. (Our appliances are quite ancient also -- all of them! So thankful that we've had so little troubles with them so far.)

Kit said...

Great photos! Glad you had an easy fix to the frig. :) Kit

Wsprsweetly Of Cottages said...

Lorraine, we still have my parents little refrigerator from the 1940's. Believe it or not it still runs. It's in my sisters garage. It's just a tiny little thing with a tiny little cubby for ice cube trays. Has to be defrosted. :) It's always been taken care of and used for extra drinks. I cannot think of the name but it was a famous name back then..and I think is still around. Will have to ask my sis.
I LOVE the pictures of the clouds.
My favorites..always.

Debra Howard said...

Everything is so beautiful, even the lizard ;) Maybe he will decide to be a permanent fixture...he certainly looks nice in the garden.