the clothesline post

Ah, yes. I am indeed on vacation when I take the time write about my clothesline! Seriously though, I've told you before how fond I am of clotheslines--vacation or not, and I did think that one day I would muse more about that here.

I have asked myself why so much love for this humble task--that of hanging laundry to dry? Several reasons, I think. Without a doubt, I'm very happy to be using less energy and all that that means. I read that the dryer is the second largest energy consumer in the home next to the refrigerator. I like knowing that I'm saving us money, not in huge amounts, but still it's significant. Of course, less energy used is better for the environment on many levels, and I like that too. Even so, with those alone being very good reasons to us a clothesline--and I would still use one if that were all--It's not what fuels my devotion to the line.

My first memories of a clothesline are of my grandma, hanging out laundry in the hot New Mexico sun, with the sound of crickets clicking and the smell of cut grass in the air. The line was next to a peach tree that was the reason for homemade peach ice cream. Her backyard was a magical place, with a giant willow tree always swaying in the breeze and the cheerful trickle of the fish pond my grandpa made. I loved it back there. It was unlike any play-place I had back home. Those memories no doubt are part of the reason I have such an affection for clotheslines.

Over the years I have used one on and off. Sometimes there was no space for one, and at other times, like when I had 4 children 7 and under---the dryer was my very good friend! Because it does take time to hang the laundry, time I felt I didn't have. As the kids got a little bit older and the opportunities to hang my laundry were more lasting...I realized that that simple task gave me time to think. Time to be quiet, time to listen to the birds, to feel the breeze and warm sun on my face. Time to be alone. It was a few moments to refuel, regenerate. To collect my thoughts, pray and focus. It's a small step in living a simple life, something I think about  a lot.  All of this is why I use and love my clothesline. Now I include Noah.

Mark and I teach our children to help with the home. We all live here, we all should help to keep it a pleasant place to be. Noah seemed to like following me out to the side yard when it was time to hang, and that's when I thought giving him the job of helping me would be perfect. When we first started he had the job of handing me the clothes. Then my son Micah put up a lower line that he could reach and hang the simple things himself, like my cleaning rags in the photo above.

Our time together in the morning is sweet. I think that he is soaking in the simple joys of working together. He often hums his own little tunes while he works or, if he gets out there ahead of me, he might put one of his plastic snakes in the grass and then warn me with great animation to "watch out!" Most of the time he finishes before me, leaving me once again, alone. I hope he will look back on this time with me as fondly as I do with my grandma. I know I already cherish this time with him.

Lastly, I've started a Flickr group! Yes! One that is devoted to clotheslines. I can't help myself, is there anyone else out there that loves them as much as I do?  Then please come along!