Clotheslines

There’s nothing like the sight and sound of billowing crisp, cotton sheets in the wind on a sunny afternoon. The fresh smell and softness of line-dried linens is one of the simple pleasures of life.

My clothesline at Otter Lake gets used nearly daily, with every inch of line space filled with linens from the cabins — sheets, rugs, shower curtains and duvet covers.

My clothesline at Otter Lake 🤍

The best drying days are in the hottest summer months of July and August. A breeze is necessary and definitely low humidity. On the warmest and brightest sunny days cotton sheets will dry in under 20 minutes — faster than in my electric dryer! It’s really quite amazing.

Line drying saves energy for sure. Allowing the sun and breeze to do the work is so much more economical than spinning items endlessly in a steel, heated drum. Of course on rainy or cold days, the old Maytag comes in handy, too.

I remember my mom had a beautiful, large wicker clothes basket with two handles on either side for lifting. It was filled with old wood clothespins. When I was 2 or 3, I remember sitting in the sturdy basket watching her hang clothes and sheets on the line. It’s probably one of my earliest memories. Somewhere I think there are even photos of me in the basket, looking happy and content.

She would meticulously pick up each damp item, shake out the wrinkles, carefully drape it over the line, and clip it on with two clothespins (sometimes three or four if it was a windy day).

The sun was bright and there were puffy white clouds spotting the brilliant blue sky. Surrounded by the hanging laundry and having my mom close by made me feel safe and secure.

Maybe that’s why I get so much joy from using that same clothesline today 🧺