I just can't see cats eating impatiens. This must be some underfed alleycat! Try setting out catfood, see if it's eaten instead, and you'll know it's a cat. u probably don't have opossums in the city, right? They are omnivores, and will eat ANYTHING. A good cat and opossum repellent? A dog! Hope it works out for you.

This isn't about h-birds, and it's more about buzzers than hummers, but it seems like a reasonable follow up anyway. There's a narrow path along one of my borders, between a mixed bed and a small pool - about 25' long and only 3' wide (the path; the mixed bed is about 10' deep) and for over a month now the racket from the mixed bed has been astounding. This border is backed by old spruce trees and has a long row of evergreen euonymous (not one of the invasives, this is 'Manhattan' or a similar large-leaved variety) between the trees and a row of tree peonies, mountain laurel and azaleas, underplanted with gingers, geraniums, and various other perennials. Closer inspection revealed that the racket was coming from the euonymous, which has been blooming for weeks. After an even closer look, I realized that the buzzers were not bees at all, but flies. I can't detect any odor from these flowers, but there must be one, and it must not be anything that would appeal to people. Are there other plants that attract flies by the millions? These bugs (or are they insects?) don't seem to congregate anywhere else in the yard, and don't seem to be doing any harm. And, they don't scare anyone the way the bees that are swarming the clethra do.

You say the carriage is stuck. I hope you mean the bottom half of the trolley. If it is stuck against a bolt in the up position remove the bolt and you should be able to shut the door. Before you do anything else look at the side of the motor unit and you will find a hole with a control inside labeled 'up limit'. Using a small screwdriver turn this 3 or 4 turns in the opposite direction of the arrow printed on the cover. Replace the bolt.

Sounds as if the fan runs 24/7. Definitely different from my usage pattern-- to each his own. And running in the living room while you are sleeping in the bedroom? My hearing is quite poor and if I heard the fan, I might rejoice for a while. After all, many things are a matter of perspective. To a worm, digging in the dirt is more relaxing than is going fishing. But guesses are all I have. Perhaps the bearings are just worn out. Perhaps the accumulation of dust on the top of the blades is uneven and has upset the balance of the assembly. Perhaps the screws holding the fan to the ceiling box have worked loose and need tightening.