Yep…time to begin thinking about Spring projects around here (and most likely it is the same with everyone else, as well).  I am rethinking our plans for a side yard garden this year. For the work put in for the past two years we have gained very little in return. I am beginning to think my green thumb is more a gray or black color.

On a positive note, we are working on getting my new laundry line up. I was hoping to have a fence up by now, but it looks like it may never happen which means I cannot have my solar dryer up where I really want it to be. I have to hide it behind the house, which presents an entirely new problem–the GAS LINE! {deep sigh}. My Hero is in the process of making the base where I might be able to move it if/when we do get a fence. Using a 5 gallon bucket, he set the base inside with concrete and hopes to bury it temporarily for immediate use. Currently I have it placed over a huge stand/base that we use to support some rather large outdoor Christmas decorations.

A couple of days ago, I hung my first laundry load of the spring and boy was it a challenge! Not only does the stand make it a bit tall (I am 6′1″ so that means it is REALLY tall for most people), but once I hung the first towel, the wind would spin the line around like a whirlygig. I am sure it was a sight watching me try to hang on to the line while balancing the towels and clothespins…all in the process of hanging them without dropping them in the dirt first. My Hero promises he will rig something up so that the next time we have sustained 40 mph winds and 60 mph gusts I won’t feel as though the line will gain some lift and fly off to Nebraska.

Several times, My Hero has asked me what I want for Christmas. Every year I beg for Mr. Clean Magic Erasers for my stocking. I am almost embarrased to say, but one Christmas the Erasers were not in my stocking, nor were they under the tree…and boy did I pout. I was so, so, so disappointed! Don’t think he will ever make that mistake again.

This year, I am asking Santa for a solar dryer! Yep! A REAL clothesline, not a make shift line tied between a pole and a hook on the garage. After a couple of days of research, I believe I have made my choice. I think I like the idea of a parallel collapsible clothesline. Whitney make a galvanized steal arm version of a parallel with 182 feet of hanging space. With this type of clothesline, I can store it away during the winter or when we have guests in the back yard.

Unless I want to drive about 150 miles, I have no way of being able to see these in person or to compare a parallel with an umbrella. The parallel above is on sale at Amazon at the moment. After searching several sites, I have found that Amazon has the best price on the Whitney Designs 4000 Parellel Clothesline, so I am thinking I will be including the url on the list I hand over to My Hero Santa.

This past summer was more than crazy for us and I am ashamed to admit that I didn’t feel I had the time to do  what was best for the environment. I never hung any clothes on the line and our electric and gas bill showed it.  Summer before last we saw a 33% energy savings over the prior summer. Soon after Christmas this year, as our household quiets down, I plan to have more time for being more environmentally responsible. The new clothesline is only a first step in the right direction.

Many of you know that I have a thing about air drying our clothes. Unfortunately, I do not have a fancy-smancy, nor handy-dandy, laundry line….just a make-do-with-whatcha’-got line that is cobbled from an inexpensive retractable single line attached to my garage and ending on at a tall pvc pipe slipped over a t-post. Isn’t that something?

Last year I reported to you that we had cut our utility costs by 33% for the months of June/July and that I felt that solar drying and cold water washing made the huge difference. Unfortunately, my solar drying is meeting with some opposition this year from Hais and JMorgan. Both cannot stand the smell of fresh, air dried laundry…nor do they care for the crisp feel of nature on their clothes. Between their protests and my own issues with my life being totally unorganized I confess that my solar dryer is not getting much attention this summer. I still hang MY nicer clothes up in the basement instead of letting the dryer vent fill up with the threads from my favorite garments, but I have to admit that I have thrown loads of towels into the dryer lately.

Maybe the wet beginnings of summer kept me from getting in the groove with things…or maybe it is that I am just being lazy because my thoughts are scattered from here to yon. Who knows? Maybe today will be the day I begin to work toward re-establishing my old laundry habits. Hais’ comforter is hanging on the line as I write. She will be home from school in a few hours…maybe it will be dry before she arrives and I can just throw it in on her bed without her noticing. Maybe she won’t notice the lovely aroma…maybe it will soke up the “aroma” from her room before she gets home….maybe I can get away with saving some money while making a tiny impact on energy overuse.  We’ll see.

For those of you who are looking for ideas and motivation for solar drying your own clothes, I strongly urge you to take a look at Project Laundry List. From their website….

“Project Laundry List is making air-drying laundry acceptable and desirable

as a simple and effective way to save energy.

Save approximately 15% on your energy bill.

Do your laundry the green way.

Want your clothes to last longer?
Use a clothesline and cold water wash.”

They even have a store where the profits benefit the non-profit Project Laundry List.

See what I ordered? Adorable! I can hardly wait for it to arrive…..

from the website….
Nova Scotia Dress Clothespin Bag

“These beautiful bags are sewn in Nova Scotia by a woman who spent decades pinning things up on her clothesline. She wanted to have a place to store the pins that was attractive and whimsical. We bring you…the Nova Scotia Dress Clothespin Bag.”

Stop by and take a look at all they have to offer at the Project Laundry List Store.

The laundry is piling up, so I think I am going to be forced to used the electric dryer. I had thought about at least doing loads of handwash articles and hanging them up inside, but the humidity is too high. I would just be having to wash them again because of the odor that usually follows from trying to dry clothes in a damp basement, during a very humid, rainy period. Guess I will have to find some offsets elsewhere.