Even though my family had one when I was a little girl, I took it for granted. And for the past 10 years or so, I’ve wanted one of my own. And finally, my wishing and hoping have paid off.
This past weekend,
I got my very own . . . clothesline!
The dryer stopped working on Thursday, the repairman couldn’t come until Monday, so we were forced to string up a make-do clothesline in the corner of the yard next to the Azalea bush. I scrounged around the house and found a few clothespins – some on bags of half-eaten chips, some holding the powdered sugar bag closed, but enough for a load of laundry.
It worked so well, now I want to make it permanent.
It didn’t hurt that the weather in Fairhope this past weekend was sunny, breezy and in the high 60’s. Of course, I reserve the right to revisit the idea of lugging wet laundry outside when the temps are in the low 100’s.
My son took a shower, and I waited.
Wait for it . . . wait for it . . .
“HEY! THESE TOWELS ARE SCRATCHY!”
There it was.
Other than that, the clothes smelled so good, and it was actually a soothing ritual hanging them out, then taking them in. Forced slowness. A nice, sunny break from the confines of the dungeon of a laundry room.
Who needs a loud automatic clothes dryer anyway? I’m going to be eco-friendly and retro-chic. I may even wear an apron.
I just heard twenty previous generations of women in my family turning over in their graves. Hey, it’s not like I’m churning butter or anything!
Happy laundry day to you too.
This story can be found along with other fun things at: Coastal Charm, Cedar Hill Ranch, Cozy Little House, Savvy Southern Style
My mother still uses hers. I hated lugging the laundry basket out it was so heavy.
I hang mine on an inside airer, it takes longer to dry but at least then I dont have to walk outside in the rain and my washing gets all wet! I dont have a dryer but it is on my wish list when I renovate my laundry 🙂
I want a clothesline, too!
I grew up in Southern Illinois. I can remember my mama hanging towels on the line during the middle of winter. They’d freeze, of course. Taking them off the line was like folding and bending sheets of poster board. LOL A few minutes in the basket sitting in the warm house would thaw them right out, tho.
Nothing smells better than crawling into bed between sheets than have been dried on the clothesline. They smell like cotton, grass and sunshine!
I don’t hang clothes but remember how nice they felt coming in off the line. I wear an apron though! heehee!
I just hung one the other day as well! I’d had one years ago and stopped using it and this spring I wanted it for quilts and sheets and such! The poles / anchors or whatever you call them were already there ; i just had to buy the line! 🙂
When my dryer went out a few years ago I totally panicked and ran to Lowes as fast as I could to get a new one after finding out mine couldn’t be fixed. I never even thought of a clothesline. All I could think of was how were my clothes going to get dry without a dryer. Not my brightest moment! I never thought of a clothesline.
We all need to relearn patience on this level. Great post!
I thought the other day how much I wanted a clothes line 🙂
The last time I had a clothes line our dog would fly around the yard and snatch the clothes off one by one. I am now a dryer fan, but vintage linens are washed and laid out on the grass to dry. Something about the chlorophyll? Well, Martha says so.
I still line dry all of my pants… Now, I’m not saying I’m expanding but I don’t want to see them shrink! Enjoy your clothesline:@)
And you didn’t have to beat the clothes on a rock at the river to wash ’em either! I have been without a dryer for over a year now. Ours died and I’ve been hanging out my laundry ever since. I too find it a soothing ritual, esp. when the weather is so beautiful and we only had a few times where I had to beg dryer services from a friend. Enjoy!
Liz
That is so nice! I believe in slow food and slow living and would have a clothesline if we did not have so many birds flying overhead. We really have a bird haven here and my husband is the most generous landlord around. I do hang as much as I can on the front porch. Nothing beats sleeping on sheets dried outside.
I bet you’ll soon have a wardrobe of cute aprons!
Nothing beats the fresh smell of hanging laundry outside! If you think about it, this is just one of many ways proving our mothers & grandmothers were true conservationists.
We camped all across the USA when I was growing up and always had a clothesline. Once in Arizona, we were amazed to see how fast the clothes dried — by the time we hung them, we started at the beginning and took them in. True story. It’s drier than dust out there. Great post, have fun with your new clothes line and be sure to hang the unmentionables behind something!
I confess that I’m spoiled and like my towels dryer-soft, although I grew up with a clothes-line and used one years ago. It’s still the best spot for hanging antique linens and big tablecloths.
Are you eating Red Beans and Rice for supper? In New Orleans, Monday is Laundry Day and traditionally the day for feasting on this tasty dish!
Ha, I love that: “forced slowness”. I’m a laundry-on-the-line gal because I’m cheap and don’t wanna pay for all that electricity but wow does it seem to take forever when I’m out there. I will think of you now, and the glass will be half full. 🙂 Now, to get to the big heap of laundry waiting for me….
I hear ya. I had no drier at the yellow house for two years and really it was not an issue. I like a clothes line too plus with all the vintage linens I sell most of them must air dry anyway.
You are so right! There is nothing better than the smell of sun-dried laundry.I even like the texture of the towels.
A. Pat
I wish I had a more private place to put up a clothsline. We live on a corner, our back yard is exposed, and all those trees provide a perfect roost for evil bomb dropping birds!
Other than that, it’d be perfect.
😀
Debbie