Tintinnabulation

Know Your Words

tintinnabulation-(tin-ti(uh)-nnab-u-la tion) -[ˌtin(t)əˌnabyəˈlāSHən]- sounds of bells ringing-a jingling or tinkling sound-wind chime sounds, tinkling of metal; to ring, clang, or jingle

Darlene experienced a scare with Mrs. Worthington one time while visiting the Pilsner Flower Farm. MW got out of sight and snooped in the barn…she pounced on a sleeping barn cat. The cat blew itself up, scratched at MW’s canine barring face and the two somersaulted around in the hay until Darlene heard high pitched screeches from the cat. Darlene broke the fight up, suffering a few cat scratches as she pulled Mrs. Worthington from the brawl.

Nothing stopped Mrs. Worthington's ire except, thankfully, the quick disappearance of the cat. Confused, MW stopped, sniffed, pawed, and wagged long enough for Darlene to scoop her up and scold, “That was bad Mrs. Worthington!” MW wagged her tail with increased speed, panted, and tried her best to communicate to Darlene that a golden treasure had almost been in her possession… “never again little lady."

So that is how MW came to wear a collar of bells on these visits to the Pilsner Flower Farm. The constant jingle of bells kept an auditory eye on MW and served to cue any enemies that she was afoot. This was Darlene’s attempt at giving MW leash freedom. Mrs. Worthington did not appreciate this tinkling jingling solution. She stayed close to Darlene-shaking her neck and head-to request an extraction of the belled collar...all the while keeping an eye out for treasure. So, on this visit, when Mrs. Pilsner brought out a large bouquet of Bouvardia and asked Darlene if she could possibly help transport “this bouquet and several others, to the spectator tent”, Darlene was happy to oblige. Together they loaded boxes of the stunning bouquets into Darlene’s equine ambulance.

Upon hearing MW’s constant fairy bell movement,Mrs. Pilsner laughed and said, “ Such tintinnabulation, Rose (this is the name Mrs. Pilsner chose to call MW back in post #23!), your own signature sound!!”

Darlene grabbed the word saying it over and over-quickly-in her head: tin ti nnab u la tion…….. tin ti nnab u la tion…….. tin ti nnab u la tion

“Mrs. Pilsner that word-tintinnabulation-Can you shed some light?”

"Oh certainly….. well dear it means the ringing of bells like church bells or chimes- little tinkling bells or even the sound of bracelets tinkling together - now that's a tintinnabulation that makes a memory. Ever have a grandmother or someone who wears stacked charm bracelets and they jingle? When you lose that person-you'll keep going in life and one day you will be somewhere, and you will hear the tintinnabulation of someone's tinkling bracelets and your loved one will be right there with you… in heart and mind… an auditory Love Note…an Angel Jingle….”

Darlene loved so many things about visiting the Pilsner Flower Farm and helping Mrs. Pilsner…but garnering wisdom from Mrs. Pilsner made the blue-ribbon list of reasons. She imagined the tenderness of “an Angel jingle” or “an auditory love note”...a spiritual visit from a beloved someone. “That’s beautiful, Mrs. Pilsner…and that word-tintinnabulation-it almost has its own jingle… unlike Mrs. Worthington’s jingle which is starting to sound like a tambourine! Well, guess I better get these flowers over to the spectator tent. They are so beautiful!!”

“Thank you dear…Bouvardia...they are Bouvardia flowers and they symbolize enthusiasm…which is how we are all feeling with the start of a new Polo season! I will have some of my helpers unload and set up…thank you for helping us transport” Mrs. Pilsner bent down to pet Mrs. Worthington and then picked her up. “Would you like me to bring Rose? I will be coming over a little later so I can let her have some time in the barn…but I think I prefer the leash option over the three-piece band you have put around her neck.” Darlene laughed and accepted Mrs. Pilsner’s offer to bring “Rose”.

Once on the grounds and set up-all the Bouvardia bouquets unloaded, Darlene set out to find Trent. Tintinnabulation was rolling around in her mind like the telltale heart…she felt an urgent need to deliver this word to Trent at all costs .... before it left her brain….

no way would Trent know tintinnabulation...

She checked her watch. Match play was not for another two hours but she could see that Trent’s team was present…pony preparations underway. Polo ponies can experience a spectrum of stressors so good prep protocols of maintenance care and love serve to promote healthy athletic performance on the pitch. Trent was top tier when it came to tending to his ponies, so it was no surprise to Darlene when she walked up and saw Trent on the other side of Dime, holding up her front hoof-making sure it didn’t need to be picked or cleaned.

“All good, Girl” he said as he lowered Dime’s hoof “Now, let’s just see what the Pronto bit guy has to say about your bridle” He patted Dime’s neck…and heard Darlene on the other side of Dime say, “Hey Ho…how’s Dime today?” Trent, who had grabbed a curry comb to brush Dime’s neck and side, looked over her back and said, “Hey-Good… this Dime Girl is all good…we are just waiting on a visit from the Pronto Bit guy. I’m trying to figure out a better bit system for Dime…. looking at switching her to a Pelham bit. He’s going to show me some choices. What’s up with you?”

Just like when an actress hears action, Darlene drew in a breath and delivered her lines: “Just came from helping Mrs. Pilsner with flowers for today's match. White Bouvardia bouquets- beautiful little white star shaped flowers that remind me of charms on a charm bracelet…which makes me think of the tin ti nnab u lation of many charms - you know?” There…it was out-let loose and tossed to Trent…even if she was choppy articulating her way through it….

Trent leaned around Dimes head and said "K.....” He instantly detected the planted word tin ti nnab u la tion…Darlene was clumsy and robotic making her way thru it probably practiced all the way over here

Darlene tried her best to casually say, “What?”

“That word- I know you just snagged it… - tin ti nnab u la tion Where did you get it? Might I have the context sentence?”

Darlene stroked her side of Dime’s neck, pretending to be all involved with neck petting… “I believe Mrs. Pilsner said something like: Such tintinnabulation, Rose your own signature sound!!”

Trent laughed and tried to decipher this sentence at the same time. “Tapping-it must mean tapping-like nails tapping on the floor…what other sound could Mrs. Worthington possibly make?”

Darlene had to admit she was impressed with Trent’s guess, given that she left out the bell collar being the reason for Mrs. Pilsner’s comment. “Not bad Trentcoat…but I confess I left out that MW was wearing a collar with bells on it. So rather than tapping, it is a word that means a bell sound, jingling or even tinkling like metal tinkling…like my charms comment.”

Just then the Pronto Bit guy walked in…they knew it was him because he had several horse bits on a ring….and as he walked the bits made a tintinnabulation sound…

Trent and Darlene stared at each other over Dime’s back…as the tintinnabulation of the bits got closer, they both widened their eyes and mouthed, ‘tintinnabulation’! Darlene turned to go, saying a brief hello to the Pronto Bit guy and “see you later” to Trent. Trent stepped out, greeted and shook hands with the bit guy and called out to Darlene, “Yeah, see you later, Darbell……”