Clothes in Wind

Wash Day, 1898 by Edmund B. Leighton

My Wash day, July, 2010

The Wind

I saw you toss the kites on high
And blow the birds about the sky;
And all around I heard you pass,
Like ladies' skirts across the grass--
                  O wind, a-blowing all day long,
                  O wind, that sings so loud a song!

I saw the different things you did,
But always you yourself you hid.
I felt you push, I heard you call,
I could not see yourself at all--
                 O wind, a-blowing all day long,
                 O wind, that sings so loud a song!

O you that are so strong and cold,
O blower, are you young or old?
Are you a beast of field and tree,
Or just a stronger child than me?
                O wind, a-blowing all day long,
                O wind, that sings so loud a song!

- Robert Louis Stevenson

One of the perks of being at home full time is that moments of work are often moments of pleasure too. Hanging clothes on a line takes more time, but the wind and the sun on the clothes sanitizes them, lightens stains, brightens whites, puts starch in them and gives them a fresh scent.  This effort carries on into the rest of the home, where, for days after, I enjoy the fresheness of the sheets and towels. A half a cup of vinegar added to the water during the rinse can take away the stiffness that occurs when line-dried, if preferred.

It is a pleasure to look out the window and see the clean laundry flying in the wind, on the line.  I prefer wood clothespins, as they seem to last longer, and I always give the clothes a shake and a snap to free them of any leaves or other things from the outdoors.  It is nice to be home with all the conveniences, but there is something more to washing clothes than just getting the laundry done. I enjoy the process of hanging them on the line, where I can hear all the different bird sounds and look at the grass and trees dancing in the wind, and remember past times, when most people hung their laundry out.

I have hung a bit of string between two posts, and added tiny clothespins for any small children who want to hang their doll clothes. When women, young or old, are home, it means they have time to show a small child how to hand wash clothes in a little pan, wring them out and hang them up. Then, they enjoy un-pinning them from the line and putting them in a pretty basket and bringing them in to fold or iron.  

Hanging clothes outside takes more time but it can be relaxing time if you are not in a hurry and will enjoy the time. It cuts down on the expense of using a dryer, as much as $100 dollars a month for some people. Not all clothes benefit from line-drying. I find that cottons benefit from line drying, the most, and I enjoy washing newly-purchased cotton fabric and hanging it on the line.

You will notice the painting by the Edmund B. Leighton, with the laundry hung over bushes. That is the way people used to do it. The air could dry the sheets and large items quite well if they were hanging on a bush.

Furnishing Without Spending

Someone gave me this 100-plus old wicker couch. They said they were "sure glad to get that thing out of our house" because it took up so much room. I have owned it for about 15 years now and have changed the fabrics and cushions several times. The lamp on the right came from a yard sale, as did the table it rests upon. The pictures on the wall are greeting cards put into old frames or dollar-store frames.

Here is my favorite rug, made of strips of old sheets, old dresses and fabric that I didn't need, crocheted with a giant crochet hook, by my daughter. She sat down one day and did it in a few hours.

You can use baby things in your house even if you do not have children. I kept this old high chair that someone gave me, and used it in the dining room. It is a good place to park things I have kept for years.

It is too bad there is not a "before" picture of this shelf. It was a beaten up old thing someone had thrown in the trash. The pieces had come apart and it was unpainted and simply awful looking. When I brought it home, my family groaned! However a bit of wood glue and some cabinet paint fixed it up just fine. The floral design is painted with flower shaped sponges. I use cabinet paint or bathroom paint for my projects because it does not chip as easily.

In this shelf are cottage tea pots and old doilies left by a great-grandmother. I learned to decorate up high when my children were little. That way I could function with children in the house and not always worry about things setting out.

I am not saying that it is practical for everyone to live like this, but that it is important to know how to furnish without spending, when necessary. These things, if taken care of can be sold for 100% profit. Taking care of them increased their value. One thing many new homemakers have to learn is that it that one of their duties is to find ways not to spend money. It seems in better times, many of us have felt it our duty to spend. However, when the family budget is tight, the homemaker can not only make do with free things or cheaper things, she can actually make them better and make money from them if she has to.