Jim Gardener

If you touched the button on the bottom of the carburetor, and fuel came out, then the problem is probably a dirty jet within the carburetor. Take a photo or draw a diagram of the screw coming out of the carburetor (with the spring on it). Clean the whole top of the carburetor with brake cleaner, so no dirt falls into the carburetor with the next step. Once you know the direction the screw will be facing when you reinstall it, screw it out one half turn at a time. Make sure you accurately count the turns, as you'll need to use the same number of turns when reinstalling it. You can use a small dot of nail polish on the edge of the screw head to make it easier to count the revolutions. Once it is out, spray it with brake cleaner, and spray a little brake cleaner down the hole you removed it from. Reinstall the screw, and it should run a lot better.

I am very satisfied with the Corona pruning saw. It is just the right size to get in and around the branches, cuts fast, stays sharp and is comfortable to use. Check out the YouTube reviews.

The difference between your apples and pears don't look significant, so it may be due to the characteristics of the dwarfing rootstock. Maybe it just grows slower, but that's not necessarily a problem... unless you tend to be impatient.

Did you graft the pear scions onto apple rootstock? I've never had any luck with pears on apple rootstock. They do better on quince. They grow for a while, but don't really thrive... eventually dying out completely.

If you want the grafts to thrive, remove all growth below the grafts once the scions have leafed out (including your frankenstein tree).

If you want a barrier that nothing other than birds and rodents will cross, try Dovyalis caffra (Kei apple). Osage orange thorns are nothing compared to these thorns. They are used in Africa to keep lions out. The plants are male or female, so if you want fruit, make sure you have both. You can grow them from seed. They are slow to start, but once established are extremely tolerant of any condition and can grow large or be pruned to any size you want. Don't buy into the sales pitch claiming the fruit tastes like apricots. Kei apples are definitely significantly stronger in taste.

Dale, thank you for your kind words. It is common to hear people say they want an open and honest relationship, yet most people are selective in their openness and honesty, withholding what they believe might limit the outcome they seek. People would be happier with their relationship if both clearly shared, from the start, what each expects of the other, the relationship and what can be expected from each person.

If everyone clearly shared their priorities, we could know, before heading down a path, if that path offers the possibility of taking us where we want to go. Unfortunately, people advertise themselves in vague generalities (I’m great… Pick me) or list what they feel entitled to be provided by the other. Going into relationships with the belief, “If it is meant to be, it will be,” is the reason most marriages end long before the death of a partner (even if they choose to stay together out of convenience). People tend to find it easier to blame others rather than do all in their power to learn how to create and nurture healthy relationships.

It is not about molding ourselves into what we feel the other wants, as the “real us” will always surface eventually. I wish our society promoted individuality and uniqueness rather than conformity, as promoting conformity only creates a society of people who feel flawed and defective. For every type of person, there are people who appreciate that type of person. Let us connect with those who truly value us as we are, not for the potential we could become. People on this site acknowledge they are different from the materialistic norm, choosing to respect and nurture our environment, while discovering how our environment reciprocates in kind. I admire their willingness to proudly take a stand, rather than conforming to society’s indoctrination.

I would love to see people prioritize making sure others always feels safe, rather than feeling entitled to demand and criticize. Until we feel safe, it is hard for us to be clearly open and honest. I hope all of us connect with special partners, allowing us to share the beauty of our environment and love.

It was much easier to connect with new partners when we were young, as we had limited experiences and hadn't learned about compatibility between ourselves and others. The more experiences we had, the more we had the opportunity to learn about that compatibility. Rather than growing together, as we did when we were young, as we get older we become set in our ways, so we find areas where we aren't very flexible, limiting the pool of potential compatible partners.

Most people are very vague when it comes to advertising for a potential partner, not wanting to limit any possibilities. Unfortunately, this leads to frustration and disappointment on both sides (unless they are just looking for a free meal and not a relationship), as we really aren't as flexible as we'd like to see ourselves. I acknowledge while I am extremely flexible in most relationship areas there are certain qualities that are mandatory for me. I feel everyone deserves to know exactly what they are buying before committing to any purchase. The same holds true for relationships, in my opinion. Bait and switch never leads to happiness. Though people assume opposites attract, I've found similarities tend to provide more stability over the long-run. I don't look for someone to complement my deficiencies to make me whole. If I feel a deficiency in myself, I do all in my power to learn how to eliminate that deficiency in myself. If I don't want to do something, or it isn't a priority for me, I don't view that as a deficiency. So no one has to waste any time, I've come up with a list of my mandatory mutual attributes. As long as those are met, I am open to any other possibility that might present itself. What society promotes as the ideal partner is not something I find myself drawn to, so I'm more likely to appreciate a unique non-conformist (a plain Jane over a Barbie Doll). Here is my list:

Mandatory Attributes

Clear, open, honest communication
Responsibility (financial & commitments -- never minimizing accountability by blaming others)
Living within one's means (making the most of what is available rather than feeling entitled to more)
Prioritize functionality over materialism
Respectful (of all, not just those who conform to our beliefs)
Consideration (no yelling, demands or criticism)
Caring (about the impact of our choices on others)
Affection (enjoy giving and receiving -- never losing sight of where the other is)
Gentleness, tenderness and sensuality
Playfulness (creativity is an added bonus)
Tranquility (subtleties over extremes -- patient & quiet -- nothing to overwhelm any of our senses)
Making the most of natural over artificially enhanced
Partnership (enjoy planning and doing together -- sharing)
Health & fitness (maintain health and slender, fit body -- no contagious diseases)
Nature & ecology (enjoy, respect and care for balance on this earth)
More introverted than extroverted (easy-going, down-to-earth)
Self-esteem (believe the quality existing in ourselves and in what we bring to the relationship)
Self-confidence (not threatened by differences in others)
Inner strength (not power used against others)
Realistically optimistic and positive (focusing on opportunities rather than obstacles)
Appreciation (of what exists, not potential of what can be molded into becoming)
Safety (prioritize making sure we both feel safe, always -- no off-limits topic)
Uniqueness (thinker and individual, not blind conformist -- beliefs based on experience not indoctrination)
Balanced independence/dependence (see partner as icing on the cake, not provider of everything)
Realistic expectations (expect no more of a partner than we are already offering)
No interest in tobacco, alcohol & drugs
Enjoy the journey without focusing on the ending

If this is you, or you know someone this describes, please reach out to me. If not, hold true to what you've discovered works for you, and I wish you happiness and fulfillment.

Glad to hear it worked.

Generally, the vents come out of the plumbing, not the septic. Your plumbing (sinks/toilets) should have vents to the roof of the structure.