As mild as our winter was, we got enough wind to cause a few minor problems around the homestead. One storm trashed one set of our wind chimes.
Broken wind chimes (Photo: Mark A. Zeiger).
We really love our wind chimes. Right now we have two sets, the big West Minister Abbey that we only hang in the summer, because a strong wind quickly turns its church bell tones to wild clanging pipes, and the small one that hangs in the dooryard.
I used to take this one down in the late autumn as well, but this year I decided to leave it up. Sometime in December or January, the swinging chimes chafed through their supporting cords, and the set fell apart in the next big wind.
No matter. I grabbed a roll of seine twine in a similar diameter to the original cording, and restrung the set on Wednesday.
I left it for a long time, because we have so many more pressing jobs around the homestead. But, now and then, we need to restore the less essential pleasantries of the home. We live sparsely compared to many, but that doesn’t mean we have to live like Spartans.
I consider this repair a temporary fix. We bought this set secondhand; the previous owner left it up while painting the porch, so the wooden pieces of the chimes are lightly spattered with paint. Also, the varnish used on the pieces has begun to chip and wear. Eventually, I’ll either sand the old finish off and hand oil the wood, or build all new pieces to replace them.
In the meantime, the gentle ringing of the chimes has returned to our compound, and we’re glad of it!
The restored chimes, back in service. I haven’t trimmed the cord yet, in case I need to readjust the lengths. (Photo: Mark A. Zeiger).