Today as the summer winds presented themselves as more than a gentle breeze I allowed the wafts to blow me back to an earlier time.
Recently I had cause to visit a local store and noticed automatic washers and dryers that looked like something from outer space. I thought; my word how things have changed.
The hot gust of winds today where perfect for line drying clothes as my memories collected themselves. I could almost visualize the white billowy sheets flapping on the line tugging at the pole used to prevent them from touching the ground.
Used to a back yard without a clothes line pole was near impossible to find.
Monday's found the females of the family stripping beds collecting the family's dirty clothes and praying for a sunny day.
A windy day was a plus; it brought a shorter day as the clothes dried quicker and could be taken down, folded retaining a bouquet of freshness long after the sun and the wind had finished their wash day duties.
If personal lingerie was stretched a bit or over sized; if dad's underwear had seen better days they were discreetly pinned on an inside line where neighbors passing by were spared our admission of spending money where it showed.
I recall those pant stretchers we women put precisely in the legs of men's pant legs. What responsibility we women had on Monday’s to see to it our families had clean clothes the other six days of the week.
When I saw that giant red automatic washer and dryer in the store the other day, I couldn't help but remember the old Maytag washer I slaved over as a young girl. That was back before clothes dryers were even thought about.
Yes, we depended on Mother Nature to dry our clothes. First I had to see to it the clothesline was clean by using a clean wet cloth to run over the metal or plastic line.
Next the clothespin bag filled with wooden pins was hung over the line so it would be convenient to grab one as I pushed it along.
First the white clothes were washed and hung. According to the amount of light clothing and the amount of clothes line and the temperature of the day a Monday could be grueling or a pleasant event.
One thing for sure that night when you crawled between the clean sheets and breathed in the odor of all outdoors, sleep came easy.
If the weather was like today and the wind chased the dampness away almost before the clothes were hung, the week was off to a good start.
I can also remember winter days when clothes froze as they were being hung. Levi jeans could stand alone after being taken down from the clothes line. Those were not pleasant days to do weekly washing.
I remember also hanging a line in the house or basement as the outside temperatures plummeted. Hanging items over a floor furnace or around a heater was also an option.
Several years ago when we added on to our house our clothes line was removed from our back yard. It had become another difficult thing for me to accomplish to hang more than a couple of items. Still there are moments like today when the wind blows; I remember how things used to be on wash day before automatic dryers.
Perhaps another day my memory will allow me to remember those Maytag moments!
If you want to share your memories of drying closthes on the line, I am creating a forum for just that.
