Day: April 10, 2017

Hundreds of communities and many more private developments have banned clotheslines as unsightly and detrimental to property values. Bans in 19 states have been overturned by courts. We got our clothesline going yesterday, Spring is finally showing itself.

In recent years clotheslines have become an issue, especially in suburbs and snooty developments. They were considered eyesores, a symbol of poverty (remember the clotheslines that used to hang behind the tenements in New York City?) Environmentalists and people like Maria and I are fighting back, although no one in my town would ban a clothesline.

We believe clotheslines are beautiful, a form of folk art all of their own, and they conserve energy. Clothes that dry naturally have a clean and fresh and chemical free feeling to that. I love seeing our clotheslines flapping in the Spring breeze, and I love the color and form they bring to our home.

Clotheslines are pure and natural, they are an honest and very natural reflection of us. They connect us to Mother Earth in the most personal and simple of ways. They are us, literally.

For the first time in a week or so, Maria was able to walk across the flooded Gulley Memorial Bridge, the flood waters have finally begun to recede.  I didn’t have my boots on so I didn’t  try it, but in a day or so we will be able to get out to our woods again, we have missed them.

I hate to say this, because I will end up having to buy Ed and Carol Gulley another dinner,but he did a great job building this simple, two-plan bridge. It has held up amazingly well, day after day of surging stream pouring over it. It didn’t move an inch.

There is no better way to get set for a new work week than to watch Fate, or any border collie, go to work. Watching Fate run is always a joy and inspiration, I feel the same way about my work, although my legs are not quite as fast as Fate’s. Come along as we work on our outruns around the sheep, who as yet, are not much impressed with Fate and generally ignore her. She does not mind, she could not possibly be having more fun, as Red quietly observes, I can only imagine what he is thinking. Come and see.

My granddaughter Robin seems to embrace the simple pleasures of life, Emma was teaching her how to “low five” over the weekend, and she lived it. I don’t think shyness or insecure is going to be a problem for this kid. I am eager to to to New York City and “low five” her. Emma is having blast with her child.