This is the time of year when people start hanging things out to dry instead of using their dryers. I am amongst that group of people and I have to admit that I absolutely LOVE taking the clean sheets, Sunday shirts, nicer clothes, or delicates out of the washer, putting them in a basket, and taking a stroll out to the clothesline! I find great satisfaction in accomplishing this little task. Why?
Maybe it's because we love crisp sun and breeze dried sheets on our beds (try it sometime!! It's wonderful!).... Maybe it's because I feel that I'm truly taking care of our family by taking extra pains with the clothes.... Maybe it's because hanging the clothes out to dry has been something that women have done for ages and I like doing the old fashioned things.... Whatever the reason I LOVE hanging the clothes out to dry! I feel the job has been well done as I fold the outdoor dried clothes!
What do you think?
Last weekend found Momma and I once again in the local antique mall looking at all the wonderful (and not so wonderful) things from years gone by. We both came home with "goodies" that day but what I found touched me and made me think in a different way about antiques.
I found a set of four "place mats" and a set of six napkins; now, although they do not match each other we believe that they were made by the same caring hands. See, the fabrics were the same kind just slightly different shades of cream, the floss is what Momma thinks is silk on both sets, and the stitching is so incredibly neat and precise.
This is what the back looks like.... see how neat it is?! It is such a contrast to what you normally see.
As I looked at these I am struck with how much time it took someone to embroider these items. This wasn't accomplished in a week, it was a project. This lady obviously loved her home and took pride in how it looked and was kept. It's made me think about what I do in the home? Could I be doing a better job at what I do? With a little extra effort could I do a little something extra each day that would make the house a more welcome place (such as sweet the back porch, dust an extra room, take fifteen extra minutes to put a room back together, etc....). And I've started to look through the eyes of the "unknown visitors" that could show up unannounced. I'm here to help my Mother in what she does.... what else can I do to ease her load?
I just love this picture!! Sawyer arranged all my "garden rabbits" several weeks ago and then came and told me that "wa-wa's ea fower's"! Today the "wa-wa's" are still sitting there "munching" on pansies!
3 comments:
Dear Ashley,
After just visiting your dear Momma and being treated to a delightful and inspiring post, not to mention that delicious looking strawberry shortcake! I was equally delighted to find your inspiring and lovely post!
I, too, love to hang clothing, sheets, and linens outside to dry! I agree with everything you said, and I do think the job has been well done as the outdoor dried clothing is folded! Everything smells so fresh and there is nothing like sleeping on sheets that have been dried in the sunshine with a warm breeze! Indeed, you are truly taking care of your family! I love doing old-fashioned things too!
The embroidered placemats you found at the antique mall are so beautiful! Oh yes, the stitching is very neat and precise. I love how this dear woman took the time to make these to beautify her home, and as you said, "loved her home and took pride in how it looked and was kept!"
You are a visionary daughter... thinking of ways to do extra things each day to your home and thinking of ways to ease your dear Mommas' load! You are doing a wonderful job of preparing yourself for your own dear home and what a wonderful wife, mother and homemaker you will be! You are using your time wisely and I am proud of you!
I love that sweet Sawyer arranged all your garden rabbits. He is precious and I can see the delight on his face, looking at a job well done! I like how he has them munching the pansies!
Those place mats are beautiful! We have a small antique barn in downtown Castle Rock, unfortunately not everyone in there is selling real "antiques". Some of the things in there look more like things purchased off the internet for resale. I still love digging through to find the real stuff!
Mom and I wanted a clothes line to dry things, since our dryer doesn't work very well anyway, and takes forever to dry our sheets! One of the curses of living in a neighborhood though is the Homeowners Association, who likes to put bans on things like a good 'ol fashioned clothes line.
The pansies at little Sawyer's feet are lovely :) I went to start some seeds yesterday, only to find that I only 4 seeds in my pansy packet left! Our growing season is very short here, when the seed's instructions say "plant past danger of all frost", that means late May, as it snowed last week. One good thing about Colorado, the weather is definately not boring!
Have a lovely day!
~*~Jessica~*~
Ahhhh. What a sweet post Ashley. I can't imagine our home without all your special touches.
Mama
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