GardenMama

.: Welcome To Wash Wednesday! :.

.: I have started (and will continue) to post the handmade gifts and knit squares that are being created  for Ari here :. 

As the children  awoke from their evening's sleep I walked out into the brilliancy of this new day and hung the days clothing on the line knowing that with the sun sharing itself so beautifully we would only need to wait until after taking our showers and finishing breakfast to retrieve our newly dried clothing and start our day...

Welcome to Wash Wednesday!

After many cool gray days that have been spotted with rain, today was met with the promise of sun. In celebration of this day my children took joy in running through some handmade blankets that hang on the clothesline! - gardenmama

Lynette shared her photos for Wash Wednesday! In her words...

The summer air was thick and warm today. After watering the garden this morning I hung up clothes before the sun had reached over our large cottonwood tree. My kids were already playing in the sand with their straw hats perched on their heads to shield the rising sun.

 As the day wore on I let the clothes bring color to our landscape until this evening when the storm clouds decided to drop their heavy load. As I raced out to snatch up my clean, dry clothes I heard the beautiful words of a All in a Day that I love by Cynthia Rylant.

"Rain could show up at your door and teach you how to dance."

Nikki McClure's papercut illustration shows the family running in the rain carrying clothes fresh from the clothesline. Oh how I love this book! I hope to add it to our family library.

Kendra shared her photo for Wash Wednesday!  In her words... 

"Truth be told, i sometimes leave my wash on the line overnight in all kinds of weather. lucky for me, because these diapers were quite beautiful capturing the morning sunrise. i remember leaving some socks at a friend's house as a child. many days later, i discovered them cleaned by the rain and baked in the sun on a piece of wood in her backyard. that smell convinced me all my clothes should be cleaned by rain and sun."

Lucy shared her photo for Wash Wednesday! In her words...

"As a child I had to hang out the laundry. I don't think we had a dryer. If we did, it didn't work or my mom hid it or something. Hanging the laundry was a terrible chore. It took so long to do!

So looking back on those memories I would be the last one to think I'd ever have a clothesline. I guess with growing older and wishing time would slow down a bit that the quiet time that it takes to hang clothes out to dry is now something I look forward to." 

Elizabeth shared her photo for Wash Wednesday! In her words...

"A rainy wash wednesday here...

we are grateful for the much needed rain

despite the laundry that will not get dried today."

Karen shared her photo for Wash Wednesday! In her words...

"Without question, this is my favorite laundry line sight.
First, the color red is predominate. Red is my absolute favorite color.
Second, the placemats I made this spring are not quite gently swaying in the breeze, but just hanging around doing their thing.
Third, my backyard from this vantage point doesn't look so small and city-like.
Happy Wednesday."

Leah shared her photo for Wash Wednesday! In her words...

"I set up this new little makeshift clothesline a few weeks ago. It is used almost daily for hanging dripping doll clothes, damp dishtowels and cleaned ziploc bags. Handy things clotheslines are!"

 Lisa shared her photo for Wash Wednesday! In her words...

"Enjoying the simple things in life can be such a gift. To do these things surrounded by those I love most 

makes these simple acts even more treasurable. I can't help but smile at the way my son hung up his clothes in the third picture. It is pure innocence at its best."

Nicola shared her photo for Wash Wednesday entitled "Don't Rain!" 

Jeanene shared her photo for Wash Wednesday! In her words...

"I went with my children to drop a truck load of grass at one of the local Dominican houses, so many children and nowhere to play, they play on hard ground that could be made so beautiful, so hopefully they will plant out the grass then i will bring them some plants, flowers and trees. They had all their washing hanging out, what amazes me most is that most of them hang their washing out on the dusty, polluted street after it's been washed. "

Thank you to all who participate in and enjoy Wash Wednesday! I take joy in seeing all of your clotheslines!  I am increasingly impressed by the creative and beautiful photos that continue to come in for The Wash Wednesday Book project! 

You are warmly welcomed  to continue submitting as many photos as you wish for the book project with a deadline for the end of this month!

With a link back to "Wash Wednesday" please share your clothesline photos on your blog as well as in the comments here for us all to share in this beauty and fun!

* Edited to add: I would love for the book to share many different landscapes, both city and country alike.   There is such beauty to be found through both.   I would also love to feature different countries.   I think this will be a beautiful aspect to the book and hope this inspires continued creative photos of your clotheslines! 

.:Welcome To Wash Wednesday!:.

As the sun shares herself each day and the scent of flowers from the gardens fills the air, freshly laundered clothes are hung out on the clothesline to infuse the radiance of summer itself into the fabrics that adorn us each day...

Welcome to "Wash Wednesday!"

 

[We recently discovered the 'original' clothesline posts  that have been here since the house was built over a century ago. Now they are bejeweled with lovely scented white flowering blossoms and vintage handkerchiefs.] - Gardenmama

As I prepare for the Wash Wednesday book I continue to take many photos of our clothesline! I couldn't resist sharing a few of my photos along with yours here today!

Shalet shared her photo for Wash Wednesday! In her words...

"A gentle breeze rustles through the pines. In the distance a crow caws and a train bellows. A pair of Canadian geese fly overhead honking their greetings. The chickens cackle and chatter begging to be set free on my compost pile. One cat sits and watches me while another climbs the juniper tree dividing my yard from the neighbors. Our resident scrub jays are not pleased with this development and begin to screech and dive bomb the cat. Mickey is unperturbed. Me? I'm on the back patio hanging laundry."

Stephanie shared her photo for Wash Wednesday! In her words...

"My children are reminders to slow down and have fun in whatever way the moment presents itself to me....like running through the wet laundry!"

Suzy shared her clothesline photo for Wash Wednesday from a camping trip at the Great Sand Dunes National Park! 

Tonya shared her photo for Wash Wednesday!

Mama and child have clotheslines side by side built by Tonya's husband from Hemlock.

 

Mary shared her photos for Wash Wednesday! In her words...

"Oh, the smell! Warm earth and clean linen.... "

 

Zoe shared her photo for Wash Wednesday! In her words...

"Here is a photo of my little sweetpeas hand washed nappies.  They are hung up in Mallorca at my parents villa which is in the middle of nowhere, the nearest neighbour is a goat!"

 

Elizabeth shared this photo for Wash Wednesday! In her words...

"There is something meditative about laundry. Maybe it is the routine and repetition of hanging and folding. Maybe it is the glimpse into the lives of those I love. Maybe it is a way to relive the past week, as each outfit brings to mind the adventures had while wearing it. It might just be that I get to slow down, actually sit down, while I fold and get a minute to think, ponder and pray."

Erin shared this photo for Wash Wednesday! In her words...

"Spreading a little love on the line"

Erin shared her photo for Wash Wednesday! In her words...

"At the current home we live in, the HOA has strict rules. One of the rules is "no clothesline". We are allowed however to put up whatever we want in our backyard as long as our neighbors on either side don't see it.

So, I didn't set up a line. I set up a non-line below our neighbors wooden fence line hanging from the column of our patio.  It really is a shame they don't get to enjoy this as we do. Enjoy the peaceful beauty of nature, sun and wind drying our clothes. Seeing the colors blowing slowly back and forth with the wind. "

 

I also shared this photo for Wash Wednesday! (Gardenmama)

"At our prior home we would make our annual pilgrimage to a local apple orchard. There the farmer's wife would always hang her laundry among the branches of the apple trees in the orchard. This image has stuck with me, and today in homage of this memory our laundry was hung on this apple tree."

Thank you to all who participate in and enjoy Wash Wednesday! I take joy in seeing all of your clotheslines!  I am greatly appreciative of the many photos that have come in for The Wash Wednesday Book project! You are warmly welcomed  to continue sharing photos with me!

With a link back to "Wash Wednesday" please share your clothesline photos on your blog as well as in the comments here for us all to share in this beauty and fun!

.: Timeless Summer :.

.: Foxgloves planted themselves among the tall grasses! :.

Summer has arrived this weekend in all of her glory. Time seems to slowly move by as we sit in a field picking three leaf clovers and search for lucky four leafs.  We feel time itself relaxing as we watch the ocean of greens sway around us and the day slowly drift away.

.: The tomatoes enjoying a good drink from a shower above! :.

This gift of time that summer affords us has led us to notice the first tiny yellow flowers on the tomato plants.  There is anticipation of many red, orange and yellow varietals gracing our plates. Others will be shared with neighbors and friends or eaten fresh and warm right off the plant.

 

.: Spinach, dried cranberries, strawberries, gorgonzola, and nuts paired with a balsamic dressing! :.

Summer salads of fresh leafy greens and ripe fruit sit beautifully upon our plates. These meals are made even sweeter by sitting outdoors where we dine together as a family sharing in the beauty of the day.

 

.: Garden children pull weeds as they search for snails! :.

Today the children collected snails to observe in mason jars. Watching them climb around the glass jars gave smiles all around even after we let them go. 

 

.: With much anticipation this poppy shared with me her pale pink dress! :.

 

.: A garden child stops to smell the Foxgloves that have sewn themselves nearby! :.

This weekend brought with it an abundance of new blooms to surround us. In our own time we have each paused to smell each intoxicating scent.  

 

.: Roses that float across the back of the house, take my breath away as I gaze out the window! :.

.: I can't resist placing flowers in each of my children's hair! :.

Walking barefoot around the gardens we choose the most beautiful specimens for the vases that grace the tables indoors.  I tuck flowers into my daughter's hair and into mine as well.  Bare feet with flowers in our hair feels like just the right attire for a summers day.

.: This bird was as tiny as the flower it had perched upon! :.

Earlier in the day I noticed a baby bird sitting innocently on a branch of the honeysuckle that holds her home.  Sharing a long hello with this new baby, we stood in awe of her incredible life and gave thanks for the moment in all of it's fine details.

.: Inspired by nature my daughter crafted this nest from hay and added in a glass egg! :.

Strolling outdoors during a rain shower, we soaked up the cooling rains that were soon followed by a new sun coming back once again. Once again we were reminded how this season brings with it new life in so many beautiful forms.

May you be present in each moment as you greet your days alongside your family.

.: Gather up all of your clean laundry to hang on your clotheslines! Due to the incredible reception, Wash Wednesdays will be back each Wednesday in this space and on your blogs! I look forward to seeing your clotheslines as I prepare the Wash Wednesday Book! :.