Windmills have been used since the Middle Ages. The Netherlands are famous for its many Windmills of all sizes and one particular Windmill in La Mancha, Spain was made famous from a scene in Cervantes' Don Quixote, where the main character mistakes one of the giant Windmills for evil giants. A Windmill is actually an engine powered by the energy of the wind to mill grain or pump water on some farms. Today these Windmills are called wind turbines, a modern wind power machine used to generate electricity. The Windmills at Purple Puffin are not giants nor are they used to mill grain, they are mainly for decorative purposes and great as summer party gifts. We call these Wind Spinners, and Wind Spinners have existed for many many centuries as fun children summer toys and garden decorations. Wind Spinners were originally used to warn farmers of upcoming storms in the farmlands. The farmers can gauge how bad a storm will be and when it will arrive by the speed of these Wind Spinners. You too can test your meteorology skills using these Wind Spinners but in the meantime they're such cool items for the garden or just for a fun time during a picnic!
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