The clothesline was busy today since today is Wash Day. I'm not legalistic about it, but I almost always wash the sheets on Monday. It's a routine that I learned when I lived at home as a girl, and I have instituted this simple practice in my own home. Everyone knows that Monday is the day to strip their beds and carry sheets down to the laundry room.
We had a gentle breeze today, perfect for hanging out the clothes, which is not always the case here on the prairie. Most often the wind is strong and persistant and would prefer to tear the clothes from the line and tumble them across the plains into South Dakota. The temperature went up into the 80's today so drying time was short and thorough, and yet........ gentle.
This set of sheets belongs in our bedroom, as you can see by the embroidered pillowslips -- "Mom, Dad." They were embroidered by one of our sons (yes, I said sons) as a Christmas gift to us a few years ago.
Lest you think that Hanging Out the Clothes is a romantical kind of thing, let me assure you, it isn't always. I do enjoy this simple chore although sometimes the clothesline has to be cleared in a hurry as it was today when my eldest son decided it was time to haul gravel in the Big Truck, to and fro, on the loose-gravel road next to our house. The dust cloud he creates driving by is enough to make me a sprinter!
Also, when you bring in laundry on a fall day like this, you must shake everything out carefully to "set free" the wasps that like to hover in and out of pants legs and arm holes. It's a nasty thing to put on a pair of clean jeans and get stung by a wasp who was neatly folded and stored in a dresser drawer.
Do you have weekly or daily routines that you keep?
I wanted to give you a glimpse of what my backyard looks like now that it's September. It's dried up, tired, and ready to lay its seeds down to rest. Such is fall.
While pulling up some weeds in the yard, I spied this furry little creature. As I looked around me, I noticed they were everywhere. When I went back inside for a drink of water, I took out my trusty field guide to see if I could find him, and I'd say he's an Acraea Moth (well, not just yet). He's a fuzzy caterpillar just now.
Hanging the laundry out is a simple task, but one that I really have come to enjoy. I know what you mean about shaking the clothes out, though. The wasps were a problem here last month, now, unfortunately, it's the flies. Yuck! What a wonderful gift - pillowcases embroidered by your son!! He did a great job!
ReplyDeleteMonday is always washday at my house too. There's something so calming when I know what the 'home routine' is on Mondays: washing, watering plants, picking up the house from the weekend and maybe ironing (but that's often on Tuesday).
ReplyDeleteI lilke your new photo heading Jody!
Ah. Monday Washday. It does indeed sound very romantic. Especially when paired with your beautiful photo of the clothesline. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteI'm loving your clothesline photo--there's something soothing about clotheslines with the clothes drying in the breeze. Mondays are my laundry days, although I do a smaller effort on Thursdays, too. As I write this, my sheets are laundering so I can hang them on the line--tonight we'll have our showers and slip in bed with the sweetest smelling sheets. That is bliss to me.
ReplyDeleteCheryl, I really hate to see the clothesline days go away so I really do try to hang everything out that I can. I'm not fond of the bugs either. Thanks for stopping by.
ReplyDeleteAnon, I agree with you that "routine" gives a sense of order and quietness to ones life. I like that.
Thimbleanna,
Hanging out the clothes *can* be romantic, but there are little inconveniences to it too -- like gusts of wind and rain showers and bird poop. Thanks for stopping in.
Junie Moon, is there anything much better than going to sleep under fresh, line-dried sheets? I love it!
Jody
Cute little fuzzy!
ReplyDeleteI like that fuzzy catepillar! Nice lil' color too!
ReplyDeleteCool find!! Nice pic!
like the pillowcases that your son made for you...at least you know that he can mend his own clothes and sew on a button if need be.:0) your clothesline looks nice too.
ReplyDelete( before I forget...wanted to invite you over to the drawing I'm having on my blog if you'd like to join in)
have a good week!
Iowa Gardening Woman,
ReplyDeletethanks for stopping in!
Debbie,
I kinda liked this fuzzy cat too, but I'm not sure I'll like the moth that he'll turn into.
Garden Goose,
All my sons can handle a needle and thread and even stitch a little on my sewing machine. It was "one of those things," like running the washing machine, that everyone had to learn before leaving home.
~Jody
Best wishes on your baby niece and nephew. I was just thinking the other day about how much I enjoy having little ones in our family circle again.
ReplyDeleteMy mom used to hang out her laundry, and I would help her. I loved the scent of towels, sheets and pillowcases afterwards.
Speaking of pillowcases, embroidered ones always seem very special to me. How wonderful that you have these to treasure.
I love the photograph of the laundry. I love all of the photos you share!
Mrs. Staggs,
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you had the time to stop in and share your thoughts about doing the laundry with your mom. We learn well alongside our mothers, don't we?
Thanks for your comments about the pictures. I'm really a "click-and-go" photographer with very little skill. But it's fun!
~Jody
Jody, thanks for sharing all the wonderful photos! I love the embroidered pillow cases ~ what a treasure!
ReplyDeleteI love taking advantage of these late summer days to hang out the laundry; and I can relate to the wasp in the jeans!!
Deb
I used to hang out clothes on teh line, and loved the smell of them when I brought them in, but the ease of using the dryer won me over
ReplyDeleteYour laundry is so beautiful. Monday laundry with the bed sheets sounds like a really good idea. I have other things scheduled for this Monday, and probably won't get to beds. Nope. I don't do anything in particular at any certain time, because my plans are always being changed by outside influences. When I want to get something done, I write it in a notebook, which I leave open at my place at the kitchen table, and that way I eventually get the thing done.
ReplyDeleteHappy Autumn. I too love to hang out my laundry always have. Not all of it but what I can if it gets too hot they get crispy so I leave them slightly damp and then give them a quick spin in the dryer to soften them up. I enjoyed my visit today. You are blessed surrounded in beauty and the wonder of the land. I love the old hymn. I miss old hymns.
ReplyDelete