..... Washing on the line! Well to be fair several of my neighbours put their washing on the line throughout the year, but I am a "fairweather" washing-line person, so it only happens on good days between March and September!I just love the smell of fresh laundry direct from the outdoor line - especially bed linen. Oooh the luxury of curling up in bed tonight with the smell of fresh air! OK - sorry, bit whimsical there.....
What do I do the rest of the year I hear some of you wondering..... well one of the joys of underfloor heating is I can put laundry over the clothes airer and it dries overnight! I haven't used my tumble-drier (US equivalent clothes-dryer??) for about 8 years and it sits in the shed as a useful receptacle for anything other than clothes....
When I lived in my suburban home south, I had a "rotary" clothes line, but you don't see many of those in Orkney! If I put a rotary clothes line in the garden it would be in orbit within an hour! So it's back to the traditional line and pole and watching clothes blowing in the breeze!
Using the correct pegs is essential though - "storm" pegs which really grip the line. None of your wooden flimsy pegs (left in photo). Strong, thick plastic pegs that break your fingernails getting them off the line again are what are needed! (coloured pegs in the photo) Anything with less grip and my washing would be adorning the Stromness pier before it had chance to dry!
I love the idea of your laundry on the pier at Stromness. LOL. And I would give up my dishwasher before I give up my dryer - but that's me.
ReplyDeleteThe laid-stone wall in your photograph is the part that I love. Gorgeous!
Hello, recently discovered your wonderful blog and writing.
ReplyDeleteI can so identify with this laundry scene. Wellington is a very windy place.
With the strong gusts there are 3 peg days, and then there are the storm force 5 peg days. I'm referring to the number of clothes pegs to hold a single bath towel on my clothesline.
Here will soon enter into the 4 1/2months when my clothes line gets no sun. But over winter will be some very windy yet rainfree days when I can get it almost dry. Have avoided using the clothes dryer for 3 1/2 years now.
Enjoy your spring, it looks wonderful from here. And sending special hugs and pats to your beautiful puss-cat. My rescued lad, Zebbycat, is snuggled down on "our" bed, waiting for his human "Hot Water Bottle" to join him.
Hope you're having a very Happy Easter, Michelle in Wellington, NZ
Another blogger posting photos to washing blowing in the breeze (you are the 3rd I've found today - must be a theme going on).
ReplyDeleteI wish I could have a line - but it would not work on a highrise balcony! Still, I hang mine out on a clothehorse for that fresh air scent.
Mary Z - I'd give up my washing machine rather than my dishwasher! LOL! And yes the stone wall is beautiful. I want to take some more photos of it. It's a work of art and was built around 1860. some bits are tumbled down, but it's covered in lichen and moss and is just beautiful.
ReplyDeleteMickle - I must check out your blog again. It's interesting hearing about places on the other side of the world with different seasons. And I love hearing about Zebbycat, who sounds just like my old Fitzi-cat. Yesterday the wind increased and I had to hang onto lunge at the washing to get it off the line. LOL!
Violet - oh how funny others are posting about washing too! I did think it was an odd thing for me to post (I was teased about taking a photo of PEGS!), but, well - my blog is about my life and washing on the line is part of that! LOL!
Dear Sian, just looked properly at the photos of your pegs. Even ones like those on the right are not strong enough here. I reserve them for hanging out clothes on gentle wind days. otherwise my 'clobbers' get dried inside. Here I use "pink pegs" - really strong wotsits, yet still can become detached.......
ReplyDeleteYes, sheets and towels have a beautiful aroma after drying outside.
Care and huggles to you, and respectful pats and strokes to Button,
Mickle and Zebby the smoocher (and occasssional drooler) xxx and purrrrumbles
Happy Birthday Sian!
ReplyDeleteOur email servers at work are being de-fragged (whatever that might be..) so I am sending a message via your blog. How I miss that "fresh air dried" laundry smell. Washing has to be dried over the bath in my flat - I don't think I can dry it down the allotment! Have just finished rebuilding our new shed on said allotment and am celebrating with champagne! Happy Easter !
I'm a pegger-outer too - whenever and whatever the weather - well ish! Love outdoor laundry smell – can’t help burrowing my nose in it.
ReplyDeleteNow I'm glad you say your storm pegs work and you should be able give them a fair trial better than anyone.
Are you a 'folder' as well?
Mickle - well remember I'm a "fair-weather" hanger-outer! If it's too breezy I won't do battle with wind and washing. This weekend got breezy by the time I had to get the washing in and I disappeared under the bedspread trying to get it into the laundry basket - LOL!
ReplyDeleteWendy - thanks for my presents - lovely! Well you could start a trend down your allotment! In Stromness some of the houses have "drying greens" - you have to walk up the street to hang your washing out! Congrats on getting the shed up - I see you are celebrating in style with champers! I've got my "tatties" planted today - well to be more specific Cathy planted them... but they're in the ground in the garden - photos of earth soon - LOL!
Paula - yes I'm a folderer too! Largely because I hate ironing so I work on the principle if I fold properly when bringing the laundry in it won't need ironing! LOL!
I'm totally with you, I'm a fair-weather-washing-line person as well. That smell.... ooo, just the thought of it. Here in the Keys you just put it out on the line and within 5 mins it's dry. Totally alien to the normal Dorset 7-hour wait. Jane
ReplyDeleteJane - enjoy your time in the keys. Quite a bit of a difference in the climate to your usual residence! But does the washing smell the same if dried in a hot 7 minutes I wonder?
ReplyDeleteNo is the answer! That grassy, earthy smell you get in the dried washing in Dorset is totally lost in a 7 min Florida speed dry (but it is very handy!)
ReplyDeleteI love seeing the washing blowing against a backdrop of clear blue sky - and we all seem to share that sweet pleasure of burrowing down into fresh air-dried sheets.
ReplyDeleteDont like ironing though - so I use the folding strategy too!
Throughstones - oh the sweet pleasures of Spring and Summer!
ReplyDelete