Resonant presence | Deb B.

Assembled piece by careful piece

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This is my window of sound.

Wind chimes are among the most beautiful sounds, with so many layers. I have one hanging on my patio. That one was a gift from a friend given to me at my mother’s funeral. She thought I might like the sound and that I might remember my mom fondly. She was right. Mom loved to feel the breeze on her face on a cool summer evening. That was the same breeze that rang the chimes.

When I moved to Mississippi, one block away from the Gulf of Mexico, I knew I needed more than just one set of wind chimes. I have this glass door to the patio, and it catches the morning sun just right. I wanted to hear the sound of chimes too. I began collecting these strands of beads, wood, and capiz shells. I found them on places like Etsy, and those came with lovely stories of how they could be used. I visited second-hand stores like Vintage Flamingo in Gulfport, MS. It’s only open the 2nd weekend of every month, and each month the array is different. The strands were often hidden amongst other treasures, and it took some digging. I had a friend give me one because he knew about my project. And I collected a few during Mardi Gras parades. I’m from Iowa, and I never knew how special Mardi Gras is, and what it means to the locals here. It is our own celebration of the good times, the reminder that life is not always dull, and that one should always be living their best life.

It took a year to collect them all. And I sit and marvel at their sound, at how the sun reflects into the house through them, and how much my chihuahua loves to play with them!

Design and America explores American perspectives on beautiful design. In each post, individuals share a thing that is their most beautifully designed functional belonging. They get to own and express their personal standards for what that means. To learn more and/or share yours, start here.