This has been a week of rain and even tornadoes. The high school where my son graduated was practically destroyed by an EF 2 tornado that touched down...that is too close for comfort. We have had some very strong and powerful storms with thunder, lightening, and torrential rains...and it's been like 7 days since I've seen the sun until today! Winter is on the way back so they say.
Got Spring? This is about the earliest I've seen this! These are some of Mom's flowers, the great thing about life is we do leave a mark of some kind as we pass thru on our own trips around the Sun. Her bulbs continue on.
SO I decided I could tune up my van..why not. Well I need longer, skinnier, and more flexible arms to actually get all the plugs changed...I got 6 done and the last 2 whipped me, and those 2 are still in there! There is no way to get a tool in that small space... I broke one also, but it came out...the thing was: there was a lot of rust that had accumulated around the plugs and it made it hard to get the socket to seat well in order to break the plug loose.
I numbered the wires on the new distributor cap so I wouldn't get mixed up but still I did----> my attempt at this tune up was horrid...so today the van is in the garage to see where I went wrong! One thing was a vacuum tube I broke, I fixed that simple enough..the other was I cross matched 2 plug wires and possibly more and the motor was jumping and sputtering...SO I took it down and they are going to try and right my wrongs...I didn't think about down loading a firing diagram before hand. I am not ashamed to admit that I make mistakes! Here's 4 of the 6 plugs I got out...that one that is so rusty can you believe that? My numbering system by the way is NOT according to the firing specs, I simply started at 1 and went clockwise in order. I have since then downloaded the correct number firing sequence..and NOW I know where they should be.
The mechanic drove the van with it hooked to a code reader and he says it's number 1 and number 3 that are not firing correctly...that's the two I couldn't get out....SO Monday he plans to try and replace those...hopefully he has just the right tool to accomplish this!
With the rain steady coming down it's hard to get anything done...but the sun came out today (Wednesday) for the afternoon.
With the rain steady coming down it's hard to get anything done...but the sun came out today (Wednesday) for the afternoon.
I haven't seen one single American Goldfinch this winter! Its so warm they are not coming South. I hung my finch feeder, it sits empty. Just because you fill it doesn't mean they will come. Earlier in the fall a few stopped by but I haven't seen any since October. Our world is changing in leaps and bounds due to climate change. Our weather patterns are no where near normal for this time of year. There is more of a Tropical feel in the air.
Did have more Hermit Thrush show up in the yard...3 so far
this was taken thru the window glass you can see the cinnamon color of the tail...and another via the window is this very well hidden White Throated Sparrow I'm happy to say have finally arrived to the yard.
Another little brown beauty the Carolina Wren, stopped for a moment
So with the impeachment articles now in the Senate we will see if the Republican Party will do what they have sworn to do...or not. The wretched Lindsey Graham is leading the puppy pack that has been licking Trump's boots since he was elected...WHY I don't know because in the beginning he actually told the truth about how he really felt about Trump. I feel they will railroad a vote through while Trump screams about how it's all FAKE and his mindless supporters agree...I may not be on top of my game at this moment...but I have enough sense to know he is
GUILTY! --->Major Presidential Fail ....and you thought I was talking about my tune up!
GUILTY! --->Major Presidential Fail ....and you thought I was talking about my tune up!
PEACE
Every day is a new Adventure.
Hello, The daffies are pretty. It has been a while since I have seen any Thrush species. I do have some Goldfinches here and lots WT Sparrows. The Carolina Wrens are cute to watch. The warm temps have the trees starting to bud, they are in for a surprise this week with cold temps again. I think the Senate are all in cahoots somehow, definitely not working "for" the people only in it for themselves. They surely do not care about the environment or climate change, just making more money. Sorry for the rant, they make me so mad. I hope you have a great day and week ahead.
ReplyDeleteThank you Eileen, I agree with your rant! The current administration and all the Majority of the Senators in DC are all backed by big money and they pull the strings. I think the US Senate is the biggest scam being pulled on the American People to date. If Tom Steyer can get his name on the ballot my vote will be for him. He is a Washington Outsider and he has spent his own money so he owes no favors, I agree with his platform...the candidates have to receive monetary support from a certain number of people to get on these TV debates, so he asked for $1 from 200,000 people! And I got a bumper sticker for my $1.
DeleteBTW, I hope all goes well with your van!
DeleteThanks Eileen...Tom Steyer was on a bus tour Saturday and in the town of Hartsville only 30 miles away...I wanted to go! I was sitting here when I got the email notification about his bus tour and checked the clock and thought "OH I can be there on time if I leave now..." then it hit me, no van in the driveway! ugh.
DeleteBeautiful.
ReplyDeleteThank you kindly...
DeleteLoved the daffodils, and nice to see all the birds …
ReplyDeleteI hope all goes well with your van.
All the best Jan
Me too Jan, today it's supposed to be done, I just want it run good again the whole reason I decided to try this was it was skipping a beat when going uphill...last time that happened it needed a tune up plugs, rotor, distributor cap...so thats what I did...but??
DeleteI have but one comment. Please, please, please, voters of South Carolina, get rid of Lindsay Graham when the time comes to vote in the next senate elections. A turnip would be better.
ReplyDeleteDavid I've voted against him every time his name has been on the ballot he is disgusting to say the least...THIS time we have Jamie Harrison running against him...Jamie already has my vote, he is a black male, so if ALL our voters of color come out and vote we would be able to upset the old stooge! I'd dance in the streets for sure.
Deletedon't kick yourself over the van I would never even attempt the get in there.
ReplyDeleteGreat birds! hope the rain stops.
My knees are still sore cause there is NO way to get in there except on your hands n knees....Next van I won will have the entire motor outside the passenger cabin!
DeleteDaffodils are wonderful I love seeing them as they are a real sign that Spring is coming in. Again you are ahead of us with Spring.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure the mechanic will get the plugs out and the van will run all the better for it. Why are they so rusted though, is water getting into the plug sockets.
from somewhere? I would check the hoses and clips.
Does that Wren have a loud song, our wrens have a loud song for such a small bird, it seems out of proportion to their size.
Thankfully our rains have stopped and we are forecast a dry week.
All the best.
I wondered about that rust myself...one thing is the one that was so rusted, the metal Hood that was on all the other plugs was missing! Ripped off by some past ill tempered mechanic perhaps? The wrens is VERY loud and one of the first morning singers in the yard. The flowers are taken off guard by our Fake Spring! Thank you Dave for your always insightful and kind comments.
DeleteWe have spring flowers too - snowdrops! You're right about the climate, the weather here has been very mild for winter with very few frosts and not a hint of snow. It's scary to hear about the Tornados! A shame about the plugs but I agree 100% that is not a major fail and Mr Trump is (in all respects!).
ReplyDeleteThanks Pam, we completely agree...snowdrops are such a lovely flower, more of our daffodils are open now and the some of the flowering shrubs are starting to pop! And yes Trump is a major failure not only in Government but in business also!! You are only a success if you made money fairly, cheating, scamming, and screwing people over does not count as a good business man. John Gotti, also made lots of money but no one is saying he was a good business man!
DeleteHad a good chuckle at the end of your post! I was all ready to comment that even attempting a tune up meant you didn't fail, but I see now what you're talking about and of course agree. I'm so looking forward to November.
ReplyDeletehaha...yes I gave it a good HONEST try so not a fail, Trump however is giving it his usual lie, cheat and retreat. He is guilty in my book, I was so excited when the news people found an old clip of Lindsey Graham saying that Clinton was guilty of a crime this is worth a look.
Deletehttps://www.c-span.org/video/?c4848798/user-clip-lindsey-graham-1999
Adore seeing the daffys.. you are so lucky...I miss them. (None here in Florida). Tornados we have, they are a worry. Glad to know in your later post that the goldfinch came back. And of course better new abut the van.
ReplyDeleteHi Sallie, yes more flowers are open now and some flowering shrubs are being fooled into opening also...its a new world order for sure.
Delete