Sunday, August 21, 2011
The Almighty Clothesline
"A clothesline was a news forecast, To neighbors passing by. There were no secrets you could keep, When clothes were hung to dry."
Earlier this summer, my grand daughter and I spent a Saturday morning driving around visiting various yard sales. I was down to the last $8.00 that I had allotted for this adventure, when we stopped at this big older home, with so much stuff set out, it would take hours to check it all out. As I walked up their driveway, I spotted a treasure (at least in my mind).
It was a genuine umbrella type clothesline. Now there's a rule here in the mobile home park where I live~NO OUTDOOR CLOTHESLINES! But I have a private back yard and I've always felt it wouldn't be a problem for me to have one secreted in the back yard behind my house, not visible in anyway from the street. My neighbors never use their back yards so they wouldn't be bothered by one either. There's full sun all day~a perfect spot!
I asked the people what they wanted for their clothesline and an older lady said "$30.00...it's only been used a couple times." "Oh" I moaned..."I don't have that much cash left today." "How much do you have?" was her reply. "Eight dollars" as I pulled it out of my pocket. "SOLD" was her reply! I handed over the $8.00. I couldn't believe it. Her son even took it out and put it in my car for me.
I had to have Bob put a pipe down in the ground to hold the thing up and we put it down thru the umbrella hole in an old plastic outdoor table, which gives me a place to set the clothes basket when I'm out there hanging the wet clothes up and taking the dry ones down.
I'm sure we can all remember the smell of line dried sheets and pillow cases from our childhood. And yes, even the towels.....even though they weren't dryer soft, the fresh outdoor smell was worth the rough texture.
One thing I've discovered is that they don't make clothes pins like they used to. The ones sold today are pathetic replicas of the ones that mom used. But I love hanging out clothes, towels, sheets & pillowcases.
For some reason I find it not only a way to save energy but calming. And the view from my side of the pegs is.....well delightful!
I hope to continue to hang clothes out during those sunny winter days too. I remember was a kid, that mom would do that and yes they might freeze but she'd leave them out for as long as possible and then bring them in and hang them around the house on wooden racks. They might finish drying in the house but they'd still have that fresh outdoor scent.
The clothesline has played a huge part in America's history. Here's a story from the Civil War days.
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While the Union used many devious methods of spying during the Civil War, the clothesline telegraph was one of the most ingenious for relaying information about the Confederates' movements. When the Union army was camped along the banks of the Rappahannock River in Virginia in early 1863, a black man named Dabney left a farm across the river and got a job as a cook and body servant at the Union headquarters. Becoming fascinated with the army's system of telegraphs, he got the operators to explain the signs to him, and he immediately grasped and remembered them.
A short time later Dabney's wife, who had accompanied him to the Union camp, asked permission to cross the river and work. She was allowed to go, and landed a job as a laundress at the headquarters of a prominent Confederate general. Soon after, Dabney seemed to know all the Rebels' movements, and relayed the information to Union General Joseph Hooker within an hour after they were discussed among the Rebel generals.
One Union officer finally persuaded Dabney to reveal how he came by his information. Dabney took the officer to where they could view a cabin on the other side of the river and pointed out the clothes hanging on a line. He explained how his wife moved the clothes on the line according to the information she had gleaned from working around the Rebel officers at Lee's headquarters.
"That there gray shirt is Longstreet; and when she takes it off, it means he's gone down about Richmond. That white shirt means Hill; and when she moves it up to the west end of the line...[Hill] has moved upstream. That red one is Stonewall. He's down on the right now, and if he moves, she will move that red shirt." As long as the armies were camped across the river from each other, Dabney and his wife remained reliable sources of information.
One morning Dabney reported movements on the Rebel side, but said they were just a ruse. When asked how he knew, Dabney said his wife had pinned the bottom of two blankets together on the line, her way of symbolizing a fish trap into which Lee was trying to lure the Union soldiers.
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Happy Anniversary AOL JLand.....we all miss you but I'm so happy that so many of us have found each other on Facebook.
Earlier this summer, my grand daughter and I spent a Saturday morning driving around visiting various yard sales. I was down to the last $8.00 that I had allotted for this adventure, when we stopped at this big older home, with so much stuff set out, it would take hours to check it all out. As I walked up their driveway, I spotted a treasure (at least in my mind).
I asked the people what they wanted for their clothesline and an older lady said "$30.00...it's only been used a couple times." "Oh" I moaned..."I don't have that much cash left today." "How much do you have?" was her reply. "Eight dollars" as I pulled it out of my pocket. "SOLD" was her reply! I handed over the $8.00. I couldn't believe it. Her son even took it out and put it in my car for me.
I had to have Bob put a pipe down in the ground to hold the thing up and we put it down thru the umbrella hole in an old plastic outdoor table, which gives me a place to set the clothes basket when I'm out there hanging the wet clothes up and taking the dry ones down.
I'm sure we can all remember the smell of line dried sheets and pillow cases from our childhood. And yes, even the towels.....even though they weren't dryer soft, the fresh outdoor smell was worth the rough texture.
One thing I've discovered is that they don't make clothes pins like they used to. The ones sold today are pathetic replicas of the ones that mom used. But I love hanging out clothes, towels, sheets & pillowcases.
For some reason I find it not only a way to save energy but calming. And the view from my side of the pegs is.....well delightful!
I hope to continue to hang clothes out during those sunny winter days too. I remember was a kid, that mom would do that and yes they might freeze but she'd leave them out for as long as possible and then bring them in and hang them around the house on wooden racks. They might finish drying in the house but they'd still have that fresh outdoor scent.
The clothesline has played a huge part in America's history. Here's a story from the Civil War days.
**********************************************************************************************************************
While the Union used many devious methods of spying during the Civil War, the clothesline telegraph was one of the most ingenious for relaying information about the Confederates' movements. When the Union army was camped along the banks of the Rappahannock River in Virginia in early 1863, a black man named Dabney left a farm across the river and got a job as a cook and body servant at the Union headquarters. Becoming fascinated with the army's system of telegraphs, he got the operators to explain the signs to him, and he immediately grasped and remembered them.
A short time later Dabney's wife, who had accompanied him to the Union camp, asked permission to cross the river and work. She was allowed to go, and landed a job as a laundress at the headquarters of a prominent Confederate general. Soon after, Dabney seemed to know all the Rebels' movements, and relayed the information to Union General Joseph Hooker within an hour after they were discussed among the Rebel generals.
One Union officer finally persuaded Dabney to reveal how he came by his information. Dabney took the officer to where they could view a cabin on the other side of the river and pointed out the clothes hanging on a line. He explained how his wife moved the clothes on the line according to the information she had gleaned from working around the Rebel officers at Lee's headquarters.
"That there gray shirt is Longstreet; and when she takes it off, it means he's gone down about Richmond. That white shirt means Hill; and when she moves it up to the west end of the line...[Hill] has moved upstream. That red one is Stonewall. He's down on the right now, and if he moves, she will move that red shirt." As long as the armies were camped across the river from each other, Dabney and his wife remained reliable sources of information.
One morning Dabney reported movements on the Rebel side, but said they were just a ruse. When asked how he knew, Dabney said his wife had pinned the bottom of two blankets together on the line, her way of symbolizing a fish trap into which Lee was trying to lure the Union soldiers.
**************************************************************************************************************************
Happy Anniversary AOL JLand.....we all miss you but I'm so happy that so many of us have found each other on Facebook.
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Crock Pot Apple Butter
Crock-pot full of apples, peeled, cored & quartered
2 cups apple cider or apple juice
2 cups granulated sugar
½ cup brown sugar
2-teaspoons ground cinnamon (you can use less)
¾ teaspoon ground cloves
Fill your crock-pot (5 or 4 quart) to 1 inch over the rim with prepared apples. I suggest using several different varieties for a good flavor. They will cook down considerably.
Add cider or apple juice and place lid on top of apples. If you have a vent window in your crock-pot lid, keep it closed for this step. Put on low and cook for 12 hours (I do this over night.)
In the morning, stir well; add the rest of the ingredients, stirring well again. Put the lid back on the crock-pot with the vent open or the lid tilted to the side to allow moisture out. Cook for 12 to 24 hours on low, stirring occasionally until mixture reaches the proper consistency. (Test on a plate~liquid will not accumulate more than ¼ inch around edge of what you’ve placed on the plate when it’s completely done.)
Your apple butter should be a rich, dark brown when it’s done. Pour into clean, hot pint or half pint jars, place clean lids & rings on the jars and water bath for about 20 mins. Remove from water bath, place on towel and let the jars cool. The lids will seal as they cool.
For giving as tuck-in holiday gifts, unscrew the outer ring and place a piece of round holiday fabric on the jar top and replace the ring. Some ribbon or raffia sets it off nicely.
2 cups apple cider or apple juice
2 cups granulated sugar
½ cup brown sugar
2-teaspoons ground cinnamon (you can use less)
¾ teaspoon ground cloves
Fill your crock-pot (5 or 4 quart) to 1 inch over the rim with prepared apples. I suggest using several different varieties for a good flavor. They will cook down considerably.
Add cider or apple juice and place lid on top of apples. If you have a vent window in your crock-pot lid, keep it closed for this step. Put on low and cook for 12 hours (I do this over night.)
In the morning, stir well; add the rest of the ingredients, stirring well again. Put the lid back on the crock-pot with the vent open or the lid tilted to the side to allow moisture out. Cook for 12 to 24 hours on low, stirring occasionally until mixture reaches the proper consistency. (Test on a plate~liquid will not accumulate more than ¼ inch around edge of what you’ve placed on the plate when it’s completely done.)
Your apple butter should be a rich, dark brown when it’s done. Pour into clean, hot pint or half pint jars, place clean lids & rings on the jars and water bath for about 20 mins. Remove from water bath, place on towel and let the jars cool. The lids will seal as they cool.
For giving as tuck-in holiday gifts, unscrew the outer ring and place a piece of round holiday fabric on the jar top and replace the ring. Some ribbon or raffia sets it off nicely.
Sunday, July 17, 2011
I've Been Doing Better
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Anyway, back to my original thought this morning. I am trying to be a better Blog reader.....but I find I'm having trouble leaving comments. Sometimes it's no problem, but other times I'm forced to log into Google (which I've already done since I go into my Blog and then go to the Dashboard). So I log into Google and then it takes be back to the Blog's comment area where it shows my comment as an 'Anonymous'comment. Then when I click on the 'POST' button it takes me back to the Google log in page. Very frustrating. So I am reading Blogs, it's just that sometimes I'm unable to leave a comment.
Our weather here in the Pacific Northwest has not exactly been what most people think of typical summer weather. This morning for instance it's 61* and there's a sprinkle now and then. The western Washington humans may not like this mild weather but let me tell you....my garden and the weeds are loving it. I've been able to harvest some strawberries, rhubarb, swiss chard and sugar peas. There are lots of cherry tomatoes (hope they get enough sun to ripen)out there. There's tons of carrots and the bush green bean plants are loaded with blossoms.
We have had some lovely, sunny and warm days (The 4th of July weekend was delightful for instance) and I know in my heart there's more coming. In fact the Saturday of the 4th of July weekend my grand daughter and I drove around town looking for deals at various yard/garage sales. That day it was in the 80's and I felt sorry for the people out 'guarding' their stuff.
My grand daughter was 19 on July 4th....she is such a sweet young woman. She is still at home, a part time caregiver of her mom (my daughter) who had a massive stroke 9 years ago. She is very active at church and has a 'nanny' type job caring for a 5 year old girl.
Bob and I are considering a little road trip around Washington's Olympic Peninsula. We do that almost every summer and always enjoy our time camping and seeing the beauty of that area. There's a primitive campground right on the Pacific Ocean where we love to spend a few days. He likes to go to Sol Duc Hot Springs and splash around in their pools and while he's doing that....I can read my book.
Well, my friends I hope that everyone is having a wonderful summer. I know some of you are enduring miserable heat...please stay as cool as you can. Drink lots of water...and don't forget your sunscreen if you go out. Until next time.....
Saturday, July 9, 2011
July has finally brought summer to the Pacific Northwest
While away from home this last March 27th thru May 16th….I fell in love with palm trees and blooming cactus.
But the weather that produces palm trees and cactus is not my favorite. I don’t do hot & dry very well. One day in Sun City West, Arizona it was 106* with 5% humidity. It literally takes your breath away not to mention drying out your skin and hair.
Even as we were traveling northwest I was anxious to get home and get to the garden store so I could plant my hanging baskets and various planters around the yard.
I completely missed April’s tulips and I didn’t want to miss the Spring planting season here in the Pacific Northwest. Now that July is here, everything is growing well (as long as I remember to water them) and I love looking out and seeing the beauty of flowers all around the yard.
So here are some of what I have growing at my house this beautiful July day. The first picture shows some strawberries. Last fall I obtained an old water-bed frame and I turned it into a raised garden. I have strawberries, rhubarb and green bush beans growing in the water-bed garden. I’ve already harvested enough strawberries and rhubarb to make a couple pies. I’m looking forward to green beans in a month or so. Also in large pots I have carrots, swiss chard and tomatoes growing.
Don’t you just love summer…..as long as it doesn’t get too hot anyway. We are blessed here in the Pacific Northwest to have many summer days in the mid to high 70’s. And only a few days where it’s up in the 80’s and 90’s and totally unbearable.
And finally...the latest touch to a flower bed away from the street, on the side of my house. Pinkie the flamingo that was rescued from the Goodwill Outlet. She had no legs so I drilled a hole in her tummy and whittled a garden stake to fit the hole, painted it pink so it looks
like she has a 'leg to stand on.'
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Friday, June 3, 2011
Sunday, April 24, 2011
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