Hanging Laundry on a Humid Morning




It seems to multiply in the night, this laundry of mine. Yesterday it rained on and off most of the day, meaning no clothes washing got done. By this morning the sky cleared but the amount of laundry seemed to have doubled in the night. I was not looking forward to hanging up numerous loads on this hot humid day. It is by choice that we do not own a dryer. If I had a clothes dryer I could think of so many reasons to not go outside and use the line. "Its hot". "Its humid". "I am tired". "Less ironing" and on and on the list would grow. But hanging clothes outside on a line is good for a soul. Good exercise, with all the lifting, bending etc. Aerobic for sure. It's good for you emotionally too. Clears your mind and its a good time to pray.
After hanging up 4 lines full of whites and lights, my face was dripping and my hair looked as though it had just been soaked under a hose. But while I was out there, my mood softened. I felt sorta grumpy lugging out the first heavy basket, filled with towels. It was hot, I was thinking maybe this is time for a dryer, and wondered why everyone has so many articles of clothing and questioning why Melanie has to take so many showers and use so many towels at one time. The sound of the cicadas making their summer noise, and birds singing caught my attention. Listening, I looked up to see a hawk soaring against some of the fluffy white clouds. I saw the sun playing hide and seek behind some harmless low level gray clouds that were racing across the ocean blue sky.
My eyes now searching for more wonders of the day. The Italian pine, reaching upward with new branches, resembling spiny fingers, was once just a table top Christmas tree, now it is home to the nest of cardinals. The sunflowers turning their heads upward to the near noon sun. With a dryer, I would have missed all this. I knew that standing there too. The grumpy heart changed and I was grateful now for this time outside.
Even with each piece of clothing I hung, I thought about the person who owned it and said a prayer for them and silly as it may sound I hugged a few shirts, before pinning them up, thinking about the man that wears them. My true love, still my boyfriend after nearly 28 years of being his wife.
With a dryer I would have missed all these feelings and wondrous sights around me.
Think its best for me to stick to my old fashioned ways and not give in to all the modern conveniences.

Hide and seek sunlight

Looking south of the clothes line, the little Italian pine beside the yucca

Clothes flapping in the light breeze

The baby cardinals hungry for their meal, they seem much stronger today, one is sleeping, there are 4 total

Comments

Finn said…
Neat post Patty! *VBS* I remember well the days of hanging out clothes for the 5 kids, DH and my dear, dear Dad. And most of the time but on a different day, line after line of diapers...LOL Yes, I'm one of those die-hards that used cloth..for all my kids and for the foster babies. Now a days these young gals probably would know a diaper pin from a hemostat...LOL
But it is a wonderful quiet, centering way to interact with our environment...certainly as good as in a church..*VBS*
Patty said…
Hey Finn, you are not the only die hard who used cloth diapers ! I did too, even on cross country trips by car. Love the way the diapers look hanging on the line.
Sunny said…
Patty, thanks for the update on the baby birds. They are so adorable. Keep us posted. I hung the clothes outside for years because I like the way they smell fresh from the line and, here it is so arid they are practically dry at the start end by the time you get to the end. We keep a dryer too though. Some things just don't come out right on the line.
Laurie Ann said…
Yeah, I would still talk to Melanie about using a towel more than once before having it washed! :) :) :)

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