After All These Years, How Can I Replace It?

When my clothesline suddenly ripped this morning, my first reaction sas:

"After All These Years..."

And since I knew exactly where I had bought the rope, I wasn't all that worried. True, I had last replaced it about twenty years ago. Luckily I had only planned on hanging out one wash.

Instead of one of my "fitness" "trying to lose weight" walks, I went down to the grocers. That's where I had bought the one that had lasted for about twenty years. It was a thick metal wire coated with some plastic. I wanted exactly the same thing. It will probably last longer than I will, at least longer than my laundry hanging capabilities. Only Gd knows, for sure.

At the grocers, I said:

"I need to replace something I bought here twenty years ago."

Everyone in the store was my kids' generation, so they looked at me kind of funny. When I explained what I needed the manager went to help me find the clothesline. Problem. It wasn't the same sort of material. It reminded me of the lanyards we used to make. And even worse, it came in ten meter packages. I would need four packages for the four lines of five meters each plus enough to tie them. That's crazy; I need one long 25 meter package.

There's a hardware store down the hill in the Shiloh Industrial Zone; maybe they sell it there. But before I had time to go down, my husband said he'd be in Sha'ar Binyamin. So, I asked him to go into the store where I got the plastic bag holder. We struck out again. He didn't find one there. So I still must go down to the industrial zone. Gd willing.

The Science of Hanging Laundry for Quickest Drying

Yes, I know that for many, hanging laundry is an old, primitive chore, like cranking an early automobile to get it started.

Even in Israel there are many homes without clotheslines, because everything is dried in the clothes dryer. I do have one for "emergencies" or when the wash doesn't completely dry before the sun starts to go down and the humidity up. Though sometimes the wash will complete the drying process on folding racks in various rooms of the house.

I'd like you to know that hanging the wash for most efficient drying is, or should be, a science. Maybe a physicist can explain it in scientific terminology. I will do my best to simplify it.

Basically there are about five important factors which you must take into account to efficiently dry your laundry:

• temperature
• humidity
• sunlight
• type and thickness of fabric
• power in the spin of your washing machine

The higher the temperature, the quicker the drying, just like in an electric or gas dryer. Very high temperature may dry the laundry before the wrinkles blow out from the breeze. That's why woven clothes and sheets sometimes become terribly wrinkled when dried in the hot, strong sun. A slightly cooler day, with gentle breezes produces lovely smooth sheets and shirts without needing to iron them.  

Humidity is the measure of moisture in the air. High humidity will keep your wash from drying well. The wash can't get drier than the air around it.

A hot, dry night or shaded clotheslines are best for delicate fabrics or colors that fade in sunlight. Also towels can dry very "rough" when the temperature is high. I, davka, like the rough towels, because drying my skin with them is like having a non-chemical facial. But you should know that the sun not only bleaches some fabrics, it also purifies them. The more direct sun on the laundry, the quicker the drying process. If you hide/block small items with larger ones, the small ones will dry more slowly. I make sure that sheets and large towels are closer to the building, unless I'm using them to protect other items from the strong sun.

Of course the type and thickness of fabric are crucial factors, and that includes how you hang the wash. If you fold or double up fabric, it will take much longer to dry. It's sometimes necessary to rehang items "upside down" for them to dry completely. Get to know your clothing, sheets and towels to know how easily they dry. Woven sheets dry much more quickly than jersey ones. Take that into account when hanging the wash.

Whether you're drying the wash in an electric/gas dryer or outside in the sun, your washing machine will make a big difference in how quickly and easily everything will dry. The spin cycle is of crucial importance. The higher the number the less water remains in the fabric. Of course, there are fabrics that warn about spinning and the dangers of the fabric. Sometimes it can be ignored, but there are clothes that never recover from being spun at 1,000 or even 800. Good luck in your scientific experiments. I do not take responsibility for ruined and damaged clothes etc.

Not everyone has the facilities to dry their laundry outdoors the way I do, but if you can, it can be very enjoyable and suits those who are worried about global warming. You'll also save money. A sun porch can also be setup for laundry drying, as can any room that is heated or gets a lot of direct sunlight. 

Enjoy! I've loved hanging out the wash since I was a little girl in Bell Park Gardens, Bayside, New York.

When "Red" Brings Wonderful Memories

This week, I needed a photo with "red" for 52Frames. After taking lots of photos, I ended up submitting one which wasn't planned at all. Some red clothespins caught my eye.

"Red Clothespin, Memories"
I get very nostalgic about clothespins and hanging clothes. It's my favorite household chore, and we even planned the terrace so I'd have lots of clotheslines, 20 meters total. I grew up in Bell Park Gardens, Bayside, NY, which has not only the expected playgrounds and parking lots, but even until this day, there are areas with clotheslines for the residents to use to hang and dry their laundry. I absolutely adore the smell of freshly sun-dried laundry.
As a little girl, I loved helping hang the wash, and when I couldn't reach, I'd stand on a milk-box. Way back in the middle of the previous century, milkmen delivered milk straight to the door and the glass bottles were placed in sturdy boxes, strong enough to hold me.
Memories...

I know that many, many people have absolutely no experience hanging clothes on lines to dry, but for those of us who grew up, or even still live, in Bell Park Gardens, Bayside, NY, clotheslines are normal. Here in Israel some people, like myself still hang out the wash, and there are apartments designed with clotheslines, but they are "hidden," which reduces the sunlight on the wash, very much defeating the purpose of the clotheslines.

Here are the other photos I had thought to send in to 52Frames, but some members who helped me choose thought there was something more mesmerizing in this photo of the clothespins.

"One Man's Trash is Another's 52Frames Photo"
When the time frame started I noticed this "red garbage" among the leaves on a bush, I couldn't resist, but this wasn't acceptable by others.

Still Life in Red
Not having planned this, I suddenly noticed that these "kitchen tools" could be perfect for the "Red" challenge. But nobody agreed.

I took lots of photos of these flowers, but I didn't like the focus.