Laundry Lines In Winter

You know I love to hang laundry outside Spring/Summer/Fall. Love it love it love it.  Earthy, simple, free, eco-friendly. There is a comfort and timelessness in the sound of clotheslines full of fabrics slapping in the wind as they move, sway and fly. There is a scent to clothing and linnens that are wind whipped, sun soaked, buzzed by bees and sung to by birds that bounce can't provide in a bottle.

The weather-worn clothes pins, the hawks that circle, watching as I work (curious to see if the small white wash cloths are 'edible prey' perhaps)?  Each of these pieces and parts of line drying are momentary enjoyments, interaction with the outside world that no electric dryer can give me*

Then winter arrives. Cold - oh my gawd - colder than cold in NY!
Damp hands stick to everything!

Clothes pins freeze. Fabrics freeze dry (literally! lol) Yet still, it's an odd kind of beauty (if it's not blowing 30 mph winds)   :-)  The bees are, of course, asleep. But the birds chatter and the hawks circle still....   The wind whips each offering (tho only for as long as it takes to freeze)!

On the sunny days it's still beautiful. I don't linger in the winter, lol

And the clothes have to thaw before I fold them  :-)

                                              But the snap-freeze, the chill winter winds

leave their own unique scent on each piece dried on the winter lines

And in spite of my lack of fondness for winter

I love the clotheslines still...

*There's no substitute for an electric dryer when you need something quick or when it rains for dayssss*