Lighting up the Windmill

 Each year John's dad would string lights on the windmill in their farm yard and we kept up the tradition after we moved here.  I have been trying to get a good photo of the lights for several days so I could share with you how pretty they look.

The first photo is what it really looks like at night all lit up but to be honest you would not know if it were 2 feet tall or 200 feet tall.  John and I estimate it is probably 40 to 45 feet tall.

This evening I went out again before it was pitch black out and took a few more photos and changed the settings on the camera so you could see the rest of the farm buildings to give you some perspective on size.  It made the lights a little fuzzy but you can see it in comparison to the other buildings.  Our house has the two larger lights clear to the right of the windmill near the edge of the photo.

This windmill does not have the blades on it but still has the tail blade that catches the wind to position the wheel to catch the wind.  You can see the reflection of the lights from the star on it above the star.  If you look closely you can see the silhouettes of the calves.  They are in a pen across the driveway from the windmill.

This windmill is not functional anymore although we do have our water well under the windmill but it is pumped out of the ground by an electrical pump.  Someday John and I would like to put the blades back on the windmill to make it look like it used to.  The blades were saved and are behind the barn so we know where they are.  It is just a matter of figuring out how to get them up the tower and attached again.  We might have to get someone to come out with a boom to help.  Will let you know when/if that ever happens.

In the mean time we put the lights up and enjoy them.  People that the frequent the highway past our house always comment about the windmill lights, especially if John doesn't get them up the first week of December.  You can see them from several miles in each direction.   John does extend out the base of the windmill with some boards so the strings of lights will not hit the metal supports and break the bulbs when the wind blows - that is why  it is wider than normal.  The windmill has 4 legs and he has 8 strings of lights coming down from the star.

Enjoy our lights and the ones in your own communities....they do look so magical this time of year. 

Lynn