Just north of Anderson Snow Park, there is a large oak tree that is covered in wind chimes. When the wind blows, the songs of hundreds of chimes sound in unison. The tree has an almost mystical status.
The origins of the wind chime tree are more earthly. School Board member and businessman Gus Guadagnino added some wind chimes to the tree in memory of his parents when he owned the land on which it sits. He added a few more and people started adding their own.
At one point, a local youth vandalized the tree, knocking down the wind chimes and making a mess of the area. Gus managed to find out who he was and spoke with the boy and his father. The vandalism stopped.
People have added hundreds of wind chimes to the tree. It is often used as a place to gather and remember loved ones who have passed. The sheer unexpectedness of hundreds of wind chimes hanging from the tree can bring out childlike wonder in adults.
The tree has become special to the community and when the land is developed, hopefully, the county and the developers will take that into account.
Rocco Maglio is the co-publisher of The Hernando Sun as well as a software engineer specializing in cybersecurity.
