With a basket full of fresh-smelling laundry in arms and three little
ones gathered at my side, we venture outdoors into the sun and fresh
air.
On this morning the sun feels just right as our bare feet meet the cool green grass that is still wet with dew. Ahead of us our vision is met with our clothesline that holds our families clothing with beauty and care. I smile as I wonder just how many women have set their families laundry out between these same two old posts with their basket, wooden clothespins, and little ones in tow...
Welcome to the third session of "Wash Wednesday."
Teena shared her fabulous clothesline photo!Thank you Teena! Your photo is certainly one of my many favorites here!
Hinged wings,
Mirror image, seesaw,
Picket twin, swallowtail,
Wind foe.
Clatter in the sack
With your sisters--
Clamp cloth on rope in sun.
Cousin to peg,
To wheelbarrow,
To stool, to wagon, to needle and thread.
Cousin to button, to home remedies.
Instrument of the familiar.
The crux in hand, a woman’s tool.
Well worn as my feet.
O wood in palm,
Purveyor of order,
The business of carrying on,
The tune whistled under my windowsill.
--Ann Quinn
Conny shared her clothesline photo along with a poem written by Ann Quinn entitled "Clothespin"
Thank you Conny for sharing this poetry of the clothesline!
Erin shared this photo of her children happily running under the clothesline! In Erin's words...
Thank you Erin for sharing this beauty through photography and words!
Elizabeth shared her peaceful clothesline photo. In her words...
The laundry line is always changing. Cloth diapers come and go. Favorite colors change. Every ones clothes seem to grow and at times shrink as the years march on. No longer to I have all those tiny white socks and t-shirts blowing in the breeze. Now my line is full of the unique and vibrant personalities that fill our house. I love the time I spend with my laundry line. Reflecting on all that I am blessed with. And to think I would have missed it all if I had thrown the wash into the dryer and pushed a button."
I appreciate your sentiments here, Thank you Elizabeth!
Eoforhild shared her colorful clothesline photo! In her words...
I love the smell of line dried washing and I'll hang laundry out all year round, except in rain or snow. In the summer I've even hung washing out at night to get in the next morning."
Thank you for sharing this beauty on your clothesline!
Tonya shared this photo of her new hand made of hemlock clothesline. In her words...
Thank you for sharing this inspiration Tonya, I too appreciate this simple way to help our earth!
Suzy shared her beautiful clothesline photos. In her words...
Thank you for sharing your lovely clothesline photos Suzy! I appreciate your sentiments here!
Juniper shared her sunny clothesline photo. In her words...
Thank you for sharing this beautiful color on the line Juniper!
Wabi-Sabi Wanderings shared these gorgeous photos from her clothesline at her farm. In her words...
"It is so wonderful to have a cleaning chore to do that babes and big 'uns can participate in, without having to be hosed down after helping -- like in the case with gardening or toilet-cleaning-helpers. Or not having to change their sopping wet clothes after they've helped with the dishes. Laundry-hanging is good clean fun!"
Thank you for sharing these sweet photos paired with words!
Guusje shared this sweet photo of her drying rack. In her words...
Thank you Guusje for making me smile through your sweet photo and words!
Lisa shared this homemade laundry soap recipe!Homemade Laundry detergent (from Natural Cleaning for Your Home by Casey Kellar)
1/2 cup baking soda
1 bar glycerine, castile, or Ivory soap grated finely (the finer the soap the longer the shelf life)
1/2 cup washing soda (Arm and Hammer)
1/2 cup borax
Mix ingredients together and keep in a closed container. Use about 1/2 cup for large full loads. A few tablespoons for smaller loads.
Thank you Lisa!
Nicola shared her favorite recipe for laundry detergent! In her words...
Thank you for sharing your clothesline photo as well as recipe, I look forward to trying it!
Susan shared this gorgeous vintage quilt on her clothesline. It is set so beautifully among the green grass!
Thank you Susan, I love the Enamelware that is holding your clothespins too!
Lynnette shared her clothesline photo of a recently dyed playsilk drying. In her words...
"Come Spring, there is a saving grace to laundry. Hanging clothes on the line is refreshing. The world is greening, the flowers are emerging, the wind is blowing through the fruit trees full of blooms. In the heat of summer, the cool fresh clothes brush against my skin. In fall, the leaves float around me as they make their way to the ground. In winter, I find myself struggling with my static filled clothing from the dryer and long for the clothesline."
Lynette also shared this photo of her handmade apron that she uses to hold her clothespins!
Thank you for sharing these beautiful words along with your happy clothesline!
Jenna shared her indoor drying rack. In her words...
Now, anyone have drying suggestions for bath towels? I am a sucker for machine dried fluffy towels (almost as much as line dried bed sheets!!)...how can I air dry them without making them stiff as a board?"
Thank you Jenna for sharing this lovely photo, I look forward to hearing suggestions to your question!
Stephanie shared her wonderful clothesline photo. In her words...
I have happily hung my clothes on a line ever since. My fondest memories include that pre-birth washing of yellow and green baby clothes and diapers, hanging them out, and carefully folding them in preparation of the birth. Then the rural equivalent of a birth announcement in the newspaper: little pink or blue garments strung across the yard. And the nursing bras and postpartum undies, of course."
Thank you Stephanie for sharing beauty through photo and words!
Suzanne shared this photo of her daughters drying rack! In her words...
"Little Olivia has a Waldorf weekly rhythm chart that she fits in with her school work. We have water play days, painting days, baking days and drama days. Wash days are Mondays. Out comes the buckets, the willing hands , a little ray of sunshine, a smile or two and happy days!"
Thank you Suzanne for sharing such sweetness and fun!
Jodi shared her beautiful clothesline for Wash Wednesday!
Thank you Jodi, there is nothing quite like wonderfully-scented sheets from the line!
Your participation in Wash Wednesday has been incredible. It has proven to be a beautiful connection with you as we all share in this daily chore as mothers. We undertake this humble task with mindfulness and sow peace in our own spirits and those of our children as they watch us inform our actions with joy.As my gaze often turns to the beauty of the clothesline while working in the gardens, I am now also reminded of all of you and this piece of our lives that we are sharing in together!
.: Thank you for participating in Wash Wednesday! I truly enjoyed this photo challenge and found such joy in each one of your photos! For now, this is the closing post for this project! :.
May our children remember their sweetly scented dreams of the sun and wind of their childhood!