Undoubtedly, one of the first set of wind chimes were made from plain sticks and/or strings of small sea shells. Then wind chimes graduated to those made from the hollow stalks of bamboo, which resulted in a more pleasing sound. Once that sound was discovered, some smart soul went on to learn if those hollow tubes were cut to varying lengths, wind chimes could become almost musical in nature.

Today, some of the most beautiful sounding wind chimes are made from hollow tubes made of light weight metal such as aluminum. The longer the tube, the deeper the tone. It is now common to cut 4 or 5 tubes of varying lengths and attach them to a wooden disk at the top, while inserting a second wooden disk in the center of the tubes. The purpose of the second disk is to allow the sound of each tube to come forth as it hits the wooden disk, as driven by the wind.

One of the first wind chimes I ever noticed was made of thin pieces of glass. They were extremely common at the time as they were available in amost any dime store for less than $.50. I believe they were made in China and/or Japan. They were not that well put together, but while they lasted, the sound they made was, and still is charming. And to this day, the sound of glass wind chimes is still my favorite. But because of their being so fragile, I know hang them inside my home.

Yes, you can enjoy wind chimes inside your home as well as outside. I'm kind of surprised more people don't seem to know that. Just hang them in front of a window which you are inclined to leave open all summer long. Mine hang just inside my kitchen and bedroom windows and offer beautiful, melodic tones upon the whim of the breeze all summer long.

The best thing about wind chimes are they are still cheap. In general, they start at about $4, but can cost as much as $200. They are made from all sorts of materials. Bamboo, sea shells, aluminum, metal, glass, ceramic, and even flattened table ware, such as old spoons, knives and forks. Take a listen, then decide what kind of sound you would like to unexpectedly hear in your own home and garden when that breeze begins to blow.