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Home My WebLink AboutThe Citizen, 2005-05-05, Page 14PAGE 14. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, MAY 5,-2005. Elements to consider for backyard comfort Time together Familes can enjoy the original element of comfort that comes from a hammock (MS) — With spring comes the desire to start fresh and clean house of all that is stressful. It is the season for lying back and compiling a plan for bringing elements of comfort into your life starting with the great outdoors —your backyard. The number one element of outdoor comfort is found in a hammock. In fact, hammocks ard crafted with the sole purpose of providing comfort. But, a hammock is just a start for your sensory pleasure. From there, many other elements of comfort come into play including scent, touch, motion, as well as personal and natural comforts. Here are the elements you should consider for your hammock: 1. Comforting Spot: Choose a hammock that can provide not only unlimited comfort, but also long lasting life in the elements. Hammocks today are crafted of various types of materials that are How to install a ceiling fan are general to consult the included with installation of Ceiling fans play an integral role in heating and cooling your home. They help circulate cool air in the summer and make homes warmer in the winter. With so many styles on the market, you can find a ceiling fan that will match just about any decor in any room of your house. If you would like to install a ceiling fan in your home, follow these step-by-step instructions, courtesy of alsnetbiz.com and doityourself.com. Note: These guidelines. Be sure specific instructions your fan for correct your unit. 1. Shut off the power to the ceiling fixture circuit at the service panel, which is located in the basement, in a utilities closet or in the garage. The switches will be clearly marked so you’ll know which one to turn off. 2. Use a metal junction box to support a ceiling fan — never hang the fan from a plastic box. Depending on the brand, style and size of your ceiling fan — and the electrical code in your area — you may use a three-inch or four-inch octagonal junction box. If you are working on a first-floor ceiling in a two-storey home and can’t reach the junction box, a specialized fan support unit designed to be inserted through the normal junction box hole will save you from opening a hole in the ceiling. You can find both retrofit and regular junction boxes at the home improvement retailer where you purchased your fan fixture. 3. Assemble the fan: Fan assembly varies from brand to brand. Be sure to follow the specific instructions for the unit you bought. 4. Installing the fan: Install the hanger bracket on the junction box with screws and lock washers. If no lock washers are supplied, purchase some from a hardware store or home centre — they prevent fan vibration from loosening the screws over time. 5. Wire the unit by connecting the house’s black wires to the fan’s black wires, and the house’s white wires to the fan’s white wires. If your fan has light fixtures on it. follow the instructions that came with your fan. (Normally, the power to the light is supplied by a blue wire.) The fan should be electrically grounded to the metal box. The grounding wires will be either green or bare copper. Connect the ground wires from the box, the fan and the power supply together with a wire nut, which is a small plastic cap that connects bare wires together. After completing the wiring, the ceiling cover will be slipped up to its full height and tightened in place. 6. Turn the power back on at the service panel. Turn on your wall switch or pull the power cord on your fan to see if the fan is working correctly. Most fans will wobble slightly when in operation, even when correctly balanced. However, if the fan wobbles considerably when it runs, its blades may be unbalanced. To correct this, try interchanging two adjacent blades. If that doesn’t work, take all the blades off and weigh each one on a food or postal scale. If any is underweight, tape a soft object such as a pencil eraser or modeling clay to the top centre of the blade, which will make its weight the same as the others. Fan balancing kits with detailed instructions are also available where fans are sold. Reinstall the blades and the fan should run smoothly. durable in the outdoors as well as decorative with soothing colours and co-ordinating accessories such as pillows for even greater comfort. 2. Comforting Scent; By positioning your hammock next to a flowerbed or patio pot brimming with such varieties as lavender, peonies, freesia, or any stress relieving fragrance, you will soon feel your tensions soothed away. Positioning your hammock in a garden setting is easily accomplished with the addition of a hammock stand. Various hammock stand styles are available as well as wheel kits that can make moving your slice of comfort to any relaxing location easily. 3. Comforting Touch: Hand- woven rope hammocks can provide body-hugging comfort. This tactile, soothing feeling gives great comfort as it molds to the exact shape of the user. Hammocks, unlike patio chairs, offer the ability for full-body lounging, and quilted hammock styles also provide a “floating-on- air” feeling. 4. Comforting Motion: Even before birth, movement has been known to be soothing. In a hammock, a gentle sway or rocking provides that element of motion. Hammock accessories today include such items as a hammock rocking kit. With such a kit, movement can be provided even when a soft breeze is nowhere to b’ found. 5. Comforting People: Family and friends are often a source of comfort. Lying back in a hammock with a loved one, sitting still for the first time ;n “who knows when” will provide comfort for your heart. The stresses of the day won’t seem as important from the vantage point of a hammock. 6. Comforting Naturally: Nature itself, such as that found in your own backyard, provides comfort with its soothing sights and sounds all around you. Lying still to enjoy them is the secret. Place a comfy hammock pillow under your head, and relax your shoulders, your neck, all the way to the top of your head. You'll see that total comfort is possible. Achieving these elements of comfort can be realized in any size .backyard setting. And with the purchase of one of the many sizes and styles of hammocks available today, your spring-time home improvement project may end up improving more than just your outdooi spaces. Create the garden of your "Dreams! We offer a fine selection of: • Shrubs • Trees • Perennials • Mulch • Soil & rockery Season Opening April 30th MAITLAND MANOR NURSERY & LANDSCAPING Jed just east of Bluevale on Hwy. 86 335-3240 ...W. lUOt DOORS Wteinge Farm Flowers 83341 CURRIE LINE - RR 3 BLYTH 519-523-9407 Owner: Gaye Datema We sell from our greenhouse: <Ss bedding plants * hanging baskets £ planters & fill your own containers for an individual look Choose from: wave petunias, fuchsias, ivies, verbenas, geraniums, begonias, spikes, daisies and many more. * For long lasting beauty choose from our perennials. & Healthful and nutritious vegetables and tomatoes are also available. A stylish new MDL entrance system will enhance the beauty and value of your home. Choose from our complete line of steel doors such as Single Doors, Double Doors and Doors with a Sidelight or Transom • MDL Doors can customize your pre-hung insulated steel doors to suit any renovation or new construction project. Primed and ready to paint or pre-finished to match any decor - it's your choice! • MDL Doors offers a complete line of Terrace Doors for your deck or patio in a variety of hinge and swing options. Select clear glass for an unobstructed view or mini-blinds sealed between two panes of tempered glass for complete privacy and no more dusting of blinds. I ili I Sutpwe Atwn on Mother'a ‘J)ay with a fteautifat pLantoi fat coLowt at£ Mimtnwt tong. LOOK FOR US AT YOUR LOCAL BUILDING SUPPLY DEALER! Some local dealers in mid-western Ontario are located in: Goderich • Gorrie • Listowel • Wingham • Kurtzville • Brussels • Blyth (SINCE 1984)