A Little Laundry Line

 

"And she hung up all sorts and sizes of clothes - small brown coats of mice, and one velvety black moleskin waist-coat; and a red tail-coat with no tail belonging to Squirrel Nutkin; and a very much shrunk blue jacket belonging to Peter Rabbit; and a petticoat, not marked, that had gone lost in the washing - and at last the basket was empty!" (The Tale of Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle)

This passage came to me as I watched Bill hang my new clothesline this weekend - for it's a rather compact affair, only stretching a scant several feet between the house and the shed. Plus, it's set at the entrance to a corner of the yard fondly known as "critter corner." I could not help but imagine that this line was perfect in size and location for Mrs. Tiggy-winkle herself, and I half considered placing out a small wicker basket to see if any tiny garments might appear overnight. :)

But, enough of the imaginary, on to the sensible! Here's how my brand new clothesline looks in our rather overgrown corner:

As no laundry is hanging just yet, it might be hard to see, but it is there! :)

I've long admired backyard clotheslines, particularly my neighbor's, whose lines stretch wide across her entire backyard. Mine is quite small, as you see, but that is good for me - for now. I figure I can always expand my line if this new domestic endeavor "sticks." The line Bill put up is a retractible, 40 foot line. I plan, for now, to hang just some pillowslips, perhaps a sheet or two, and a few fine linens, like tea towels and doilies.

And though I've wanted a washing line for some time, it was Nissa's suggestion of a Fair celebrating their loveliness that prompted me to ask Bill to set one up for me to use. He was happy to do so, mindful of the potential energy savings. I can hardly wait to read through Nissa's fair; I'm sure it will be inspiring and informative.

Clotheslines have a special place in my heart - though due more to memory than acquaintance. I grew up knowing a clothesline at my grandparents' house - I can still feel the rough, silvery poles that held it up across their long sloping side yard. I remember standing beneath, and between, the myriad linens - which depending on the season were pale cotton sheets or colorful beach towels - and feeling them whip about in the breeze.

For me, a clothesline might be new and a novelty; for my grandmother it was matter-of-fact - just one element of her housekeeping routine. Her laundry line stood just outside the lower door. If you went in that door, you stepped into the cool, shadowy basement (a refuge on the hottest of summer days). Here was  - and still is - grandmother's laundry room, with its washer and dryer set just beneath a crank-open casement window, just beside the upright freezer, and around the corner from the pantry. To its right stood a tall set of shelves that held all the necessities to good laundry keeping - soaps, detergents, baking soda, brushes, vinegar and shaker bottles.

I'd skip past these corners on my way out to play, never giving a moment's thought to the work that went into my sweet smelling clothes - or the plentiful provisions or the freezer filled with fruit. Even as I grew older, I never really considered Grandma's way of laundering, though the memories of her bedsheets - the softest and finest I've ever felt in my life - linger with me still.

So at long last a clothesline has become more than a symbol of nostalgia for me, for I have one of my own. My plan is to clean up this garden corner and grow some herbs and flowers that will serve as a pretty and practical backdrop. I hope the next warm breezy day sees me out at the clothesline, enjoying the sunshine and the children running about ...

Maybe I'll meet you there? :)

Comments

[Barbara]

I wish we could meet out there! I love to hang out my laundry. Love to hear the birds busy at their day and breathe some fresh air, for just as long as it takes to hang the laundry. I sometimes think I was born in the wrong era. I wish we had days when all we had to worry about was the laundry -- no running errands or cleaning house in between loads. But, I'll have to be happy with time slowing down for just as long as it takes to get the shirts and pants on the lines! Have fun!

[Theresa ♥]

I miss my clothes line. We took it down when we added on to the house and haven't had a chance to put it back up. I'm looking at a retractable one that attaches to the house and has about 4 or 5 lines. When in use I would just pull it out and hook it.

It's similar to this:

http://www.homevisions.com/hvprod/assets/product_images/23712_f.jpg

[Jenny Foster]

I too have happy childhood memories of a clothesline, although it was my mom who was hanging out the laundry, and then myself once I was old enough. I can still smell the freshness of the sheets, and how crisp they were after hanging outside in the Kansas sun all day. I've been thinking of asking my husband to hang one for me for awhile now, so I'm thrilled that you posted this. Thanks for the reminder!

[Shay]

When I was stationed in Southern California in the mid-80's, I was absolutely stunned to learn that clotheslines were banned in the entire (planned) community in which we had rented a house. I never found out why; perhaps hanging out clothes was considered too declasse by the developers. What a waste of all that sunshine...

[KatieButler]

So often your posts coincide with what's going on in my life--just the other day I thought about putting up a clothesline after laying out some not-quite-dry clothes on chairs outside. (I, too, have memories of my grandmother's clothesline). I asked at our local mega-store and the man there looked at me a little oddly and said, "Clothesline? It's been a long time since I heard that word!" Unfortunately, they only carried standard 'rope' clothesline, so I will have to order a retractable one online and be patient until it's delivered!

[Heather]

I wish I could join you! Unfortunately, both mine and my son's alleriges to everything that grows would prevent that. Also, the fact that I temporarily live on the sixth floor of a highrise would also sadly prevent the use of a clothesline...

[Gill]

I LOVE to hang out our laundry, and am a trifle fussy about just how it is done! One of the sweetest photos in our baby books (other than those of Baby!)is a line full of adorable vintage smocked nightgowns which all my children spent their first 6 weeks in.
Nothing beats a bed freshly made up with line-dried linens, and oh the joy of the first line-drying day in the spring!
I use a regular line tied between two trees, and oldfashioned wooden clothespins; my favourites are the sort that used to be made by gypsies. Yes, I am definitely a clothes line girl! Gill.

[Lynna]

Hi Dawn, I love your blog. I check it everyday for inspiration and happy thoughts. I happened to come upon this picture of the Blessed Mother and Baby Jesus on another blog and couldn't help but think of you. Maybe you have already seen it but here is the link.

http://steasetonblog.blogspot.com/2006_05_01_archive.html

Thanks for the great ideas and sharing them with all of us. Have a Blessed Day!