MEEKER I Why do I bring up the topic of clotheslines? It’s time to do your spring cleaning and air the linens on your outside line so they smell fresh and renewed for the year ahead. With warmer weather arriving, now is the time to put that clothesline to good use.
That presumes you still have a clothesline which is rapidly becoming a part of our history. Many communities prohibit them as unsightly, so I am grateful that Meeker doesn’t seem to care about this topic. After all, we allow farm animal of all kinds in town, so why not an innocent clothesline?
Clothespins and I have a testy relationship. During my childhood I was tasked with helping my Mother hang out the clothes, even if it meant donning our galoshes when Indiana rainy ground conditions were adverse. My mom believed the wash “smelled better” so to her, it was worth all that endeavor.
Many rules dominated the correct way of hanging the clothes. Some were to be upside, some upside down. Sheets on the outside, so they wouldn’t blow into the smaller items. Small items like handkerchiefs and undies would be clipped together in a row. No clothespins wasted!
Just when my family finally purchased one of those new-fangled clothes dryer machines, my younger brother was born with some rash causing allergy that was difficult to diagnose. The doctor recommended hanging his diapers (cloth, of course) on the line – no dryer! Turned out it was a milk allergy, but we continued hanging all his clothes outside, despite the modern convenience of a dryer.
As you may gather, I came to resent wash day and hanging out the clothes (and, of course, retrieving and folding them). At least, it was confined to one day per week as my Mother believed in the old principal of one day to bake, one to clean, one to wash, etc. plus Sunday to attend church and rest.
Today, I have eco-friendly friends who love the smell of clothes hung outside plus feel it is a contribution to saving electricity and promoting clothing longevity. They are right and I periodically use our lines for swimsuits and other delicate items to preserve the fabric. Admittedly, they do smell better!
Then, there’s the next generation including our son who asked if we were planning to take out our clothesline. I was somewhat astonished, as even though we don’t use it lots, it remains a functional resource. Birdfeeders hang from each end and that’s a good use right there, isn’t it?
We inherited about a million clothespins from the former generation along with a clothesline in the basement. It seems to me, the clothespin has never changed. Evented around 1853 with two prongs, fulcrum, and spring, wooden clothespin do the job reliably and cheaply.
Clothespins are practical, functional, rarely wear out, and don’t need some fancy upgrade. Isn’t it nice to own one thing that works as promised?
Thankfully, a few things endure over the years as is. That includes our clothesline and clothespins.
By KAYE SULLIVAN | Special to the Herald Times
