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 windsleave 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*
Except when you live in an apartment building and your neighbors hang their underwear in your face. Not so nice then.....
ReplyDeleteOh that would not be nice, not nice at all!
ReplyDeleteI confess Roberta for just that very reason I've always hung my 'unmentionables'**in the center lines! Towels/sheets/shirts to the outside lines. Even tho I'm far from view I've never thought it kind to force driving passers-by look at my unders, lol. (Especially as they seem to involve more material with every passing decade, roflmo)
PS gosh I think I date myself by using the term ***'unmentionables'*** don't I? :-)
ReplyDeleteI have a friend who lives out in the country. Everyone hangs their laundry outside. She told me that they often know what is going on in people's lives with what is hanging on the line. Is that funny or what! For example a single woman suddenly had a man's long johns hanging....I thought that was hilarious!
ReplyDeleteROFLMAO - that IS hilarious Roberta!
ReplyDeleteAnd another good reason to hang 'certain items' on the center lines only! ** & to remember for long johns to pin the legs up to the line also lol
Hadn't thought of it in decades, but now you mention it I do remember my grandmother saying 'so and so must have had her baby because I saw baby clothes on the clothes line last week' etc. **The original 'on-line' communication** ha!
:-) Now I'll REALLY be aware of how/where/what order I pin up my clothes!! :-)