The winds have died down, the waves have abated and the storm that had threatened to arrive on the Island with a greater ferocity than it actually did this week is fast becoming a memory.

Nonetheless, Hurricane Felix, the fast-churning tempest that is currently threatening the eastern coast of the US, did make his presence known to Bermudians, who must now deal with the all-important task of cleaning up his mess.

On a national level, the Bermuda Electric Light Company has said it expected to have electricity restored to all of Bermuda's residents by today, and -- with the exception of the causeway that links St. George's to the rest of the Island -- there was no major structural damage to speak of.

In the homes and gardens of the average individual, however, there were -- and continue to be -- countless broken windows to contend with, fractured or caved-in roofs to repair and toppled trees and bushes to clear.

In an effort to expedite the clean-up process and minimise the headaches that inevitably come with such tasks, Taste consulted this week with various home repair and horticulture experts, who offered the following advice to homeowners: *** BROKEN WINDOWS Despite the presence of shutters on many Bermudian houses and the preventative boarding-up efforts of most residents and businesses, broken windows and frames are a common problem after tropical storms and hurricanes, which can turn the most innocuous of objects into glass-smashing projectiles.

Having said that, though, shattered window panes are also among the easiest household fixtures to repair in a storm's wake -- excepting, of course, those that have had their encasements damaged as well.

"Unless a frame has been badly bent or destroyed,'' said Ms Mary James of Doors and Windows Ltd., a Pembroke sales and repair firm, "the glass can usually be replaced. It can easily be fixed.'' And until a new pane is eventually installed -- by a professional installer or otherwise -- she suggested that howeowners do the following: Tape up a shattered window as much as possible to prevent the wind and rain from getting in.

If the entire window is gone or a large area has been broken, cover the exposed part with plywood by nailing it to the masonry. "Most people,'' said Ms James, "will use garbage bags instead. They're a good wind deterrent, but not very secure.'' If, moreover, a broken pane rests in an aluminium frame, remove the glass with a pair of flat-nosed pliers and cover the exposed patch by cutting some plywood to fit the area and then "siliconing'' it into place. Protective gloves and other precautions, Ms James said, are not necessary "if people have the right tools.'' She recommended removing the broken glass by rocking it back and forth until it easily comes loose.

Ultimately, a storm-damaged window can best be avoided by protecting it from harm in the first place. Said Ms James: "Get hurricane shutters or even regular shutters when the weather is good. They are the best form of prevention.'' *** DAMAGED ROOFS While the damage to roofs and ceilings was considerably slighter than that which occurred during Hurricane Emily in 1987, Hurricane Felix did bring his share of roofing headaches to the Island's home and business owners, who had to deal this week with everything from crashing Norfolk pines to damaging tidal surges.

In Sandys Parish, for example, at least ten homeowners in the waterfront Boaz Island Village witnessed their upstairs ceilings cave in, while the Sonesta Beach Hotel, on the wind-savaged South Shore, had a large patch of shingles on its eastern side torn off.

Mr. Douglas Outerbridge, whose roofing repair and installing firm, SKB Coatings Ltd., has been called in by customers in both incidents, said that little can be done to protect a roof -- strong as Bermuda roofs may be -- if tornadoes accompany a storm (as they did during Hurricane Emily).

When, like Felix, a hurricane is unaccompanied by a twister, however, damage to roofing is usually minor, and can generally be fixed by a well-seasoned professional.

Mr. Outerbridge, who has also been tapped to patch up some roof damage at the Tucker's Town home of US billionaire Mr. H. Ross Perot, offered this advice until such pros can get to work: Cover a damaged roof with tarpaulin as quickly as possible to prevent any moisture from leaking in.

If damage to a roof is extensive, clear away or remove the damaged section, lay four-by-eight-feet sheets of plywood over the area and fix the wood to the roof's jowls with caulking.

In the case of cracks and fissures, seal the gaps in a roof or ceiling with some sort of reliable primer. SKB, Mr. Outerbridge said, uses a soft, latex-like material called Roofpatch.

Finally, the roofing and coating professional explained, repairs to a roof can be either temporary or permanent. The roofing expert consulted should be able to advise on which is most appropriate.

*** TOPPLED TREES AND BUSHES As the littered streets and beaches would suggest, Bermuda's trees and shrubbery were among the biggest casualties of Hurricane Felix's near-visit to the Island.

According to Mr. Peter Truran, a horticulturist who heads the Agriculture and Fisheries Department's parks crew, the vegetation damage that resulted from Felix was "nowhere near as severe as it was with Emily,'' but it nonetheless was significant, with countless trees and shrubs, including spice trees, shiners, fiddlewoods and pines, being wiped out.

In terms of clean-up, the horticulturist said that the clearing away of public roads and beaches would be the top priority of his crew, though he did inform Taste that residents could also call on his Department for consultation purposes.

In the meantime, Mr. Truran advised, residents would do well to think twice before disposing of any toppled foliage -- "The first thing people want to do when they see a downed tree is reach for their buzzsaws'' -- and suggested the following post-hurricane measures: Don't assume that a storm-damaged tree or shrub is dead and therefore unsalvageable -- the salt burn and leaf drop that has been noticed on some standing trees and hedges this week should heal itself with time.

Don't presume that a fallen tree can't be replanted. "Any vegetation damage or uprooting that has resulted from Felix can generally be taken care of with crown work,'' said Mr. Truran, who defined crown work as the reduction in size of a tree.

When performing crown work, downsize a tree at its head or top, pruning any split limbs, and at its roots, removing only the broken ones.

Don't try to move or replant a large tree solitarily.

Note any dangling or overhead wires when working around trees and bushes.

Do not hesitate to consult the Agriculture and Fisheries Department if in doubt over a foliage problem.

A PIECE OF THE ACTION -- Mrs. Verita Pacheco of Pembroke holds a chunk of roofing that was blown off by Hurricane Felix. Damaged roofs should be covered with tarpaulin or plywood until repairs can be made, roofing experts told Taste .

CLEARING A PATH -- Smith's Parish resident Mr. Joe Calauro (right) hacks away at a storm-toppled tree that was blocking traffic in his Verdmont Road neighbourhood this week. Agriculture and Fisheries is advising homeowners to use caution when dealing with downed foliage and replant vegetation whenever possible.