Sunday, April 28, 2013

Romancing The Laundry


It's funny how we romanticize certain things like old aprons, canning jars, and laundry pins. Tools of labor that we have all been mostly liberated from. But there are still a few wise souls making use of these artifacts in the manner for which they were intended.





And I do feel foolish putting bedding in the dryer in good weather with our very dry New Mexico air. In summer the laundry gets crisp on the line in only a few minutes. Much faster, in fact, than the dryer could possibly do it.




I like doing the laundry when I'm sure to have the time to iron afterwards while the linens are still damp for it. If I had an outlet by the fence I might enjoy smoothing out wrinkles under the shade of a tree.




I usually only iron hems of sheets (if at all). But I love the feel of a freshly ironed pillow slip to lie down on at night.





I like the look of linens hanging so orderly on the line, sheets swaying in the breeze like waves lapping in and out on the shore, or leaves fluttering overhead. So relaxing.




For me, a clothesline has become one of the little luxuries of life. . . .

























































I'm far from the only one romancing the laundry. I saw a lovely post by Christie Repasy of Chateau De Fleurs this week that you won't want to miss. Here's the link.

Happy laundry days!

Jacqueline




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18 comments:

Pamela Gordon said...

Beautiful photos! Yes, doing laundry is really romanticized these days but at least the electric washer can do the cleaning and we can enjoy the rewards of hanging it on the line to dry. Have a beautiful week Jacqueline. Pam

Ivy, Phyllis and Me! said...

Good Afternoon Jacqueline, Yes maybe "washing day" is romanticised nowadays, but, there really is nothing like hanging the washing on the line, watching the sheets billowing in the wind, drying beautifully and smelling fresh as a daisy when they are brought indoors.
This is how I dry all our clothes, I only use the tumble dryer when the days are wet.... and then I do try to hold on until the weather clears.
I agree, there is nothing like freshly laundered sheets and pillow slips.... just so lovely.
Before I go, I have to say, you have some beautiful pieces of linen.
Enjoy the rest of your Sunday.
Best Wishes
Daphne

Salmagundi said...

I also love my clothesline - there is nothing like it especially for vintage linens. They just seem to DESERVE to be hung on a line in the sunshine. Sally

Cranberry Morning said...

Beautiful photos! And nothing better than the scent of fresh-from-the-line sheets. And I don't mean a fragrance purchased from Yankee Candle. lol Whenever we have overnight guests, I like to make sure they have line-dried sheets on their beds. Ahhhh.

Pam@OurAdventuresInHomeImprovement said...

What a fun post! I love the pictures of the laundry hanging on the lines.

Have a great day.
Pam

sweet violets said...

Oh how beautiful!!! I can smell the freshness all the way over here!!! How I miss having a clothesline outside. I have them in the basement and in the garage....sometimes I sneak a wooden clothes rack on the patio for linens to dry in the sun. Nothing like it and I remember so well working with my mom as a child, there is so much comfort in some rituals.....

Shabby chic Sandy said...

I bet your sheets smell wonderful :) So pretty too

Anonymous said...

I love your clothesline post. It brings back memories of my father building a 'stoop' as my Mom was quite short and had problems reaching the new higher clothesline. I think the stoop was painted white once, then it just weathered over the years. I loved hearing the squeaking of the wheels and the flapping of the sheets, and of course the fresh aired scent of our sheets and clothes. It's rather silly how I live in a development where one of the rules is 'no clotheslines'! We have bent the rules a bit and they now allow the umbrella style. Thanks for another lovely post. Patty/BC

Suz said...

Where do you find those clothes pins? I love the fourth to the last photo of the beautiful pillowcases(one inside a pillow) and the linens on top tied with a pink ribbon. Precious shot.

On Crooked Creek said...

Jacqueline,
I just took a deep inhale and imagined the freshness of those sheets!!! Ah~h~h...so calming, dear friend!!!
Sweet dreams!!!
Fondly,
Pat

Linda @ Itsy Bits And Pieces said...

Such lovely linens...I love the beautiful pillowcase edging! Old clothespins have such a wonderful patina...

The Quintessential Magpie said...

Oh, Jacqueline! This is so beautiful! I enjoyed every photo and every word.

When I was little, I used to help hang the laundry on long clothes lines. There is something so special about crisp sheets as you say. Unfortunately, I live in a city and can't do this because there are ordinances if you can believe it about hanging laundry out to dry. This took me back, though, to a gentler age, and I hung on every word.

Your vintage linens are GORGEOUS. I enjoyed seeing all of them, and those pillowcases... swoon!

Dropping by from Becky's blog party...

XO,

Sheila

Jeanette@Creating a Life Studio said...

Oh Jacqueline, with laundry this beautiful, who would ever want to take it off the line? Sigh. Love Mrs. Tiggy-winkle :)

Jeanette @ Creating a Life

Unknown said...

oh my..it really does sound all SO romantic!here in new england, the pollen count is through the roof and, alas, our lovely sheets would be covered in it and we would be sneezing all night long! how glorious for you that you can sleep on your sun-kissed linens...sigh....

sandy said...

Lovely images! It makes me want to go and do laundry right now!
Happy May Day!
sandy ; )

Bella's Rose Cottage said...

Hi J,
I LOVE it when you do laundry, lovely linens and lovely pics! Dry in a few minutes, not so here... I hung some laundry out to dry on a sunny day last week, an all day affair :-) I do love the idea of ironing under a shady old tree, delighful for sure:-)
Hugs...

Sandi~A Cottage Muse said...

Just beautiful!
This is reminding me of the summers spent with my Nana on Cape Cod. From opening the cottage and making sure her white cafe curtains were crisply ironed to look beautiful blowing in the summer breeze to my outfits ironed each day to play in.
Thank you!

Haworth said...

Such a lovely post, Jacqueline. The scent of laundry on the line is so sweet and clean, good for the spirit and the environment. And ironing is my favorite house chore. Especially what I call "flats"... pillow slips, handkerchiefs, guest towels, napkins, table linens. Wishing you happy hours in the sunlight, pegging and unpegging your sheets and ironing them!