It's amazing that a little Shaker-made structure constructed for "women's work" could make me so happy. But the repetitive bending down, standing up, shaking out, hanging up motion while the Colorado sun is beating down on my bare back does just that. My brother's partner had one of these in Ithaca when we went to visit them in June. I was in awe of its simplicity and compactness, so upon returning, I searched online and bought myself one. A friend told me the novelty will wear off, and perhaps it will, but for now, I am enjoying my conversations with the birds and the flowers as I bare my underpants to the neighbors.
There are numerous neighborhoods in Colorado Springs governed by strange rules about what you can and cannot do with your own home . In many of these so-called covenants, you are not allowed to hang your laundry outside. I don't understand the people who live there.
11 comments:
Tis a gift to be simple, tis a gift to be free.
Gotta love those inventive Shakers.
There are actually campaigns about this (sorry, can't find the link now!) I always thought the best way to challenge anti-clothesline covenants would be through your constitutional right to freedom of expression: You're not drying your laundry, you're making a political statement about the need to tackle global warming!
It's pretty crazy that in England, which is one of the wettest climates, people hang clothes out year round - yet in California, one of the driest, everyone seems to have tumble driers.
oops, didn't mean that to be anonymous!
This is the solution I've been looking for!!! Clothes lines fall down from my maple and don't have enough room anyway. Perfect - thank you!
weird covenants drive me nuts...who comes up with "no clothes lines" ... seems so odd to me!
I've had friends who have lived in covenant-restricted neighborhoods, and it's crazy. There's always a hyper-vigilant neighbor who's always knocking or calling and leaving messages — you can't paint your siding that color, you have to mow your grass every two weeks, you can't park that car on the street, you can't build that kind of fence, blah blah blah. One couple I know had the police called on them by a neighbor because their backyard barbecue with three other people (including me) drifted just past 10 p.m.
I guess that's one way to make up for getting bullied in fifth grade.
I love many things about Noel and Marina's little house, but nothing is more charming than their clothes lines. Hanging clothes on the line was an integral part of my childhood. I remember helping Mom and aunts wash clothes, then running them through the wringer, and then hanging them on the line. I remember the fun of racing to grab them whenever we heard thunder.
do you mind telling us what site you bought it from? i'd like one too!
When I went looking for it again, I actually found that it was Amish. Not Shaker. Oops.
Anyway, you can find it HERE
Huh. I can't post a comment on your Colorado River posting. I'll have to wait until I'm home to look at your pics: my fun at work is filtered. :( This clothing rack is a good idea - I have been wanting a clothes-line, but they are a pain to have installed. I'll look for one of these instead.
The one at our house is bombproof- it doubled as park gear as you know! Cheers to whoever made it.
Coming from SF where nothing was really "dry" I was SHOCKED that your clothes would dry faster out there than it took to wash them.
Gotta go shlep fifty pounds of laundry up the street now actually. laters.
Post a Comment