On a Line

For as long as I can remember, clotheslines have been an important part of the history of the women in my family. As a little girl and even now one of my favorite moments with my Grandma is hanging clothes on the line with her. When I was small it was my job to hand her the pins. I loved feeling the cool dampness of the clothes while she'd pin them up.

When I got my first house in New Mexico, my Grandpa made me my own clothesline and drove it all the way down from Idaho for me. I loved having it to hang the cloth diapers on. Especially living there, everything dried so fast in the heat. I was sick when we had to move and leave it behind.

It's been 4 years since I've lived somewhere that I'm able to finally dry clothes on the line again. Last weekend my sweet husband broke out the "Honey Do" list and made me my own in my backyard. I painted it blue and added the copper tops. As soon as the paint was dry I grabbed all the sheets in the house and washed them. The kids handed me the pins while I shook the sheets out and hung them up. Today it's towels and tomorrow it's shirts. Now if I can just get the garden to grow, that would be something!