“I continued to pull down and fold bedsheets, napkins, pillowcases, tablecloths, shirts, chemises, aprons, handkerchiefs, collars, caps. They had been hung carelessly, bunched in places so that patches of cloth were still damp. And they had not been shaken first, so there were creases everywhere.
“From me she learned to sprinkle clothes with water to bleach them in the sun. . . “
Girl With A Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier
When I was in France I was obliged to hang out our clothes, and after some time became accustomed once again to using an outdoor dryer. When I told Captain O that I would use one when I got back to Texas, he warned me that there may be a bylaw instituted by our neighbourhood association against errecting one. Obviously I didn’t listen because I went ahead and bought one.
Here’s a picture of the outdoor dryer I got from off the internet—an aluminium two-piece pole umbrella clothes dryer. It is lightweight and uses little space while getting upto 165 feet of drying space. Not as sturdy as the line I used back in Australia but I like that it can be put away after use.
A couple reasons why I like using an outdoor dryer:
1. It cuts down on the power bill. Already we have the problem of an overused airconditioner during summer so finding ways to use less electricity has been high on our priority list.
2. It cuts down on greenhouse gases, however small I think this contribution will make.
3. The sun makes for the best natural bleacher which can account for less chemicals used in the home.
4. I like the the fresh smell of clothes after they’ve been hung out.
5. Seeing clothes hung out also gives me a homely feeling and sense of lived in space that I find inviting.
July 18th, 2006 at 10:00 am
Athena,
As usual, your blog is inspiring!!!
celia (big smile from)
July 18th, 2006 at 11:53 am
HEY! I JUST INSTALLED THE EXACT SME THING, I HAD PURCHASED MINE THE SAME DAY YOU POSTED ABOUT YOUR WORRIES, WE DUG A 12 INCH HOLE, FILLED IT WITH 5INCHES OF ROCKS, MISED THE CONCRETE AND PUT THE PLASTIC THINGY IN, IT WAS RAINY FOR DAYS SO YESTERDAY WAS MY FIRST DAY OF DRYING!! YIPPPEEEEEE
I PUT 2 LOADS ON AT MIDNIGHT, THE HEAVY BLANKET IS NOT DRYING, MAYBE I HUNG IT WRON, I JUST DONT WANT IT TO STINK WHEN IT DOES DRY! IF IT DOES, ILL REWASH IT AND DRY IT IN THE DRYER, I LOVED THE WAY MY WASHRAGS AND TOWELS SMELLED WHEN I USED THEM…..MMMMMMMMMM
GOOD LUCK WITH IT, I GOT MINE AT LOWES, BY ACCIDENT, AFTER SEARCHING FOR ONE FOR 3 MONTHS ALL OVER!
THERE HAD BEEN A DISPLAY OF MAYBE 50 OF THEM IN A BOX AT WALMART, AND I DIDNT HAVE MY TRUCK, THE NEXT DAY THEY WERE GONE, THEY WERE ONLY 35$ AND NO OTHER WALMART OR STORE HAD THEM. I WENT TO LOWES TO RETURN SOME SCREENS, LOST MY RECEIPT AND HAD TO GET A GIFT CARD, SO I DECIDED TO GET SOME NAILS ETC…LO ND BEHOLD, WHAT DO I SEE?? AN OUTSIDE CLOTHES DRYER STARING AT ME!!!
I AM SO EXCITED!
July 18th, 2006 at 11:55 am
I HAVE LOTS OF SPELLING ERRORS…LOLOL
July 18th, 2006 at 6:56 pm
My favorite is to wear jeans hung on the line. I also like hanging cloth diapers on the line. The sun just bleaches all the stains away!