Tintinnabulation
Our Treasured Bell Tolls For Chris and Me
Ceramic bell sounding nigh onto fifty years.
Handcrafted wedding gift from a young artist.
Chris' school chum later became world renowned luthier.
Our bell combines his artistry in shapes and sounds.
Intriguing images whether silent or sounding in the wind.
Wise owl on one side, primitive man on the other.
Images and sound have stood the test of time.
From bitter cold, to scorching sun.
From gentle breezes and blowing gales.
Throughout our marriage lasting sounds remain.
A constant companion be it day or night.
A familiar sound, a familiar sight.
Unchanging over decades it faithfully resounds.
From soft and gentle, to clanging alarms.
Wind direction, speed known by its timber.
Noreasterlies ring loud and clear.
Mellow, haunting as south winds draw near.
Tintinnabulating, gentle, soft, dulcet, distant.
Clarion, brazen, discordant, strident, present.
Enduring yet ever changing sounds of our life so dear.
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Chris went to highschool with David Iannone, and fortuitously, he too moved to Victoria in 1974 to attend university. When I met David in Victoria, I soon discovered he was a talented musician and artist. When we announced our engagement in 1977, he gifted us a beautiful ceramic bell. A few years later David apprenticed as a luthier and soon became successful guitar maker.
His bell remains one of our most treasured possessions.
A few years ago, we noticed the bell clapper seemed to be hanging lower and not ringing as often. When we investigated we realized David's bronze handcrafted chain had stretched and was worn very thin over the hook that held it high over our deck. It was about to break! We are so grateful we were able to repair it before it fell and broke.
“Play music. Be happy. Hear the passion.”
Quote from David Iannone's Morgan Guitars website ( https://www.morganguitars.com/ )
As an interesting aside to the Time Has Come community, I learned at our Saskatoon Farm gathering, that Donny Mac purchased a Morgan guitar years ago.
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Written for a recent TuesdayCreations theme on sound.
Photos and writing ©️ Karen Howells, July 2026
What a special and lovely gift. I would love to hear the sound.
Karen that is so beautiful !