Okay, so I'll admit I'm a little weird, but I actually like hanging the laundry out to dry. As long as the girls are content playing I find it very peaceful, a good activity for thinking while my hands are occupied in a very useful way, meditative. If the girls are not content, then that's a different story altogether. But just look at this, isn't that attractive?! Hanging clothes look so colorful and homey and fresh and clean and satisfying and healthy! Healthy? Don't ask me about that last adjective, but for some reason clothes hanging on the line do look healthy to me. Maybe part of it is that in order to hang clothes on the line you have to live a life that is intentionally slow enough to make space for an activity like that. In a culture that bases your value as a person almost entirely on doing and on what you can accomplish, I choose to live a life that takes time to just be, to enjoy the domestic art of clothes hanging on the line, a life that makes space for my daughters to play outside and be kids for as long as possible.
And what were Anna and Josie and Ruthie contentedly doing while I was hanging the laundry? Well, Ruthie was taking a nap, of course. But Anna and Josie were playing all over the Jungle-Gym that is out by the clothes line. ("Hashim would love that! It's made up entirely of two-force elements!"-mitch) Anna is my 'summer-time' girl who wants to wear her summer tank top dress and be barefoot even on a blustery chilly day like today. She says she's not cold, that silly-kiddo! But I think it's more that she enjoys the energy of feeling her body repel the cold by being in constant crazy motion. That's my Anna for you! 
8 comments:
I'm jealous of your clothes line. Right now, I have three loads of clean laundry piled on top of my washer and dryer because I'm too lazy to fold. Mine will be full in wrinkles. Yours will be nice and air fresh.
Loving the blog. I look forward to checking it out each day to see if you have a new post. Great work!
Where is the jungle gym? I don't remember seeing it. I usually hang my clothes to dry inside because we have so much rain. Even a sunny day will not last long. You should see it here when it is sunny, everyone rushes to do the laundry and get it hung out. Or.. in any meeting if it starts to rain, people leave to go bring their laundry in. I imagine that you hung the laundry with Miss Ruthie in the snugli. So glad you are having some sunny days in which to get the laundry done. Oh, Chad, you are so lucky to have a dryer. It would be quite useful when we are having all this rain. I only wash my sheets and towels when there is enough sun.
Blessings,
Mom in PNG
To be precise, they are only two-force elements if as the girls climb they only place their hands and feet at the points where the members are joined together. Otherwise, if as they climb, their weight is applied at the middle of the members then there is bending, and they are no longer two-force elements, or in other words it is no longer acting as a 3D truss. Yes, I am an enginerd, but I had to clarify on Hahsim's behalf.
--Mitch
Chad- Just because I found the time to hang it yesterday doesn't mean it all got put away!
Mitch, enginerd is a new word for me, but entirely appropriate for your comment. Too funny. Hope you all are well, and enjoying spring sunshine. We are around here, and it's so nice to play outside this time of year. The crocus are blooming in our yard, and the daffodils are blooming on the freeway, so spring has sprung--or at least it will Friday.
Wishing you all a hopeful spring day,
holly
Hahaha. I hope I won't be remembered as the guy who once loved two force elements. I am just like normal people like other things too such as BENDING! just kidding, I am glad to be mentioned in this awesome blog though!
I like hanging the laundry, too. We try to do it for the practical reason of not using our ancient energy-guzzling dryer too much. :) But it does have a certain charm, particularly if the kids are happy.
I consider hanging laundry a small thing done with great love!
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