Frankly, I love them. In the years of living out on the farm, I had the most fantastic clothesline. Practical, serviceable, and there were only a very few days during the spring, summer, or fall that freshly laundered clothes, sheets or towels were not heeped into a basket, carried outside, and pegged onto the clothesline. Even in the cold chill of winter days, I would continue to use my clothesline to dry my bed linens.
In the ten years that I have lived in this house and this particular neighborhood, I have mourned the loss of something so simple and satisfying. But now I've discovered the neighborhood "rules" allow for discreet clotheslines, ones that can not be seen from the road.
I have literally awakened from sleep for several years with the sweet thoughts of hanging clothes on the line.
Finally, I have a clothesline in my life once again, retractable, modified for sure, and just big enough for me to hang one set of sheets and pillowcases. It is situated in an out of the way corner of my yard, and for the most part it is private.
Today I washed my bed linens, took my new clothes pegs, and with utmost delight I hung those sheets and pillowcases onto my little retractable line. Tonight I shall snuggle under their fragrant crispness.
All day the blanket snapped and swelled on the line, roused by a hot spring wind.... From there it witnessed the first sparrow, early flies lifting their sticky feet, and a green haze on the south-sloping hills. Clouds rose over the mountain....At dusk I took the blanket in, and we slept, restless, under its fragrant weight.
-Wash- by Jane Kenyon
5 comments:
How wonderful!! Fresh line dried linens are amazing. I would be lost without my clothesline.
Blessings!
Deborah
We take it for granted, the lovely smell of sun kissed washing... the dryer is a last resort; which we feel guilty for using.... but oh so handy sometimes.
You are right though; so nice to have washing lines...
Ours is in our backyard, luckily hidden due to the layout of our neighbours.
I love seeing the diligence of those who work long hours; with their washing out early, those enjoying holidays; with towels out in the rain, and even for me lately to see a lady newly diagnosed with breast cancer, still with white shirts blowing in the breeze, I hoped her mother was helping her.
Using a clothes dryer just doesn't compare for freshness. Clothes lines are the norm in Australia, although we do have dryer for those very wet weeks.
I share your clothesline enthusiasm, as well. Good for you! I am still trying to convince my husband that I NEED a new one here. The old one was a round type that went up like an umbrella, and it did just that in a storm. I want that long stretch of one. And soon! ;)Enjoy!
Oh, I am so happy you have a place to hang your laundry! We have rules, too, and because we are an end house on a park/pond/green space no less there is not much we can do discreetly. I did spot an open garage down the street with a line strung inside.
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