Friday, April 20, 2018

Weekend Projects Galore & The Bears Are Back!!

Well after the LONGEST winter on record, it looks like spring may finally be making its way to the mountain top starting tomorrow!

May I just say IT'S ABOUT TIME!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have a list a mile long of things that I need to get done outside, and unfortunately I don't have a clean up crew to do them....there's just me.

And I work full time. 

So that doesn't leave me much time, does it?

I work really hard on the weekends trying to keep up with all that needs to be done with the care and maintenance of a house. 

My sweetie is great about helping out but he also has his own home and property to take care of so I appreciate any time he can give me to help me out with projects around my house. 

I do have two projects on my list that I want to get Sweetie's help with this weekend. 

The first is FINALLY getting the lattice installed around the bottom of the garden cottage. 


If you want to see just how far my little garden cottage has come since I first bought the house, check out this post. 

I still have big dreams for creating a garden around it, but first the lattice needs to be installed. I have laid awake at nights trying to figure out exactly how to do it myself, but I know it will be done properly if Sweetie helps out. 

Once that's done I can rake around the garden cottage, clear out the wild garden next to the swing, and get those pots ready for planting. 

The inside of the garden cottage needs tidying up as well, but that's a rainy day job!

The second project I may need help with is installing a clothesline. 
 
Via Amazon
I bought this kit from Amazon about a month ago and it's been sitting in the kitchen ever since, waiting for a nice day. 

I have always loved hanging my clothes out on the line to dry. Not only is it better for the environment, it's also better for your clothes and much more economical than using a dryer. 

A clothes dryer accounts for a whopping 12% of electricity use in a typical household. And clothes drying is one of the easiest places to save energy, because you can erase 100% of the cost by simply hanging your clothes up to dry. At a sample rate of $0.15/kWh and 7.5 loads per week, we’re talking a savings of $196 per year by line-drying instead of using an electric dryer. That’s hefty.

Via
In addition to the savings, there's just something very elemental and peaceful about hanging out a load of laundry. You have the pleasant scent of the just washed laundry combining with the fresh air, the sound of birdsong, and the feeling of peace and satisfaction that comes from doing something just as it was done by generations before you. 

Plus the scent of the clothes and sheets fresh off the line? That's priceless!

As much as I'd love to hang my clothesline in a grassy, open location such as in the photo above,  I must be careful with location due to my neigh-bors. 

I refer to the horses next door, that I love to see outside my window.  As much as I adore them, they are horses....and come with a horsey smell at times. 


So I think I'm going to hang the line from the house to the garage, right outside the kitchen door and over the stone patio. It will be most convenient for putting out and taking in clothes, and sheltered from the horsey smell. 

The line will be well above the patio, so as not to interfere with traffic to and from the garden. 

And because it's on a reel/pulley system, it will be easy to pull in the clothes when they are dry.  I can stand on the deck and have a basket next to me to fold them as I take them off.

On a side note, let's pray that when I'm working outside this weekend things look a heck of a lot more spring-like than this photo!


Oh and on another side note....let's also pray this guy stays away from my house! This was taken yesterday early evening at a good friend's house who lives just over a mile from me....yikes, he's a big one!  You know it's spring when the bears are back!

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In addition to the 'sweetie' projects, I have numerous garden beds to cut back and clear/rake out, and it's time to start the tomato seedlings. 

Perhaps I'll even finally get those violas planted? They have been in and out of my garage more times in the past two weeks since I bought them, and I bet they can't wait to stretch out their little roots!

What's on your agenda this weekend? I'm always looking for volunteers!  :)

42 comments:

  1. Looks like you have some fun projects to work on this spring! We get bears here in NC too. This past December, for some reason one was not hibernating and smashed my bird feeder and ate all of the seeds.

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    1. Oh no, Penny! I had a bear that stuck around all winter in a rental house I was in before I bought my house....it was such a pain to have to trudge through the snow to put the bird feeders in and out of the garage all winter!

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  2. I think about a clothes line sometimes too. I used to love the way the sheets smelled. I also hope that naughty bear stays away - be safe!

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    1. It's the best to slide into bed with that smell surrounding you on laundry day, isn't it Bernideen?

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  3. I am so looking forward to this spring weekend too...finally! Now you have my wheels turning about where I can hang a clothesline too. There is nothing like that fresh air smell on crisp sheets. Happy Weekend!!

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    1. I've been mulling it over since I bought my house, Courtney! Took me 3 years to decide where to put it!

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  4. Well I would volunteer to come help you but I am totally afraid of bears...and that looks BIG! :) I remember what it was like, working full time and wanting to be home cleaning and gardening. Hope you have a good weekend.

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    1. He does look big, doesn't he? I don't want to come face to face with him, that's for sure!

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  5. I love how bedding smells that's been hanging on the line. No bears for us, but if you go just about an hour north of us, bears are more prevalent. Good luck with your projects this weekend! -Jenn

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    1. I'm sure my allergies won't love it but they aren't happy in spring and summer anyway, and I sleep with the windows open so what's the difference, right Jenn?

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  6. Outdoor drying is lovely when it works. I couldn't do that for most of the spring because the sheets would come back in yellow, covered in pollen. I need to weed the flower beds this weekend before the rain comes again on Sunday.

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    1. Yikes, I'll keep that in mind of course, Carole! There are times of the year when my deck gets covered in pollen so that will be my cue to use the dryer for a while!

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  7. Hmmm...I think I would take a horsey smell over a bear any day of the week!! I hope you don't encounter either this weekend!! 😉

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    1. There was a bit of a horsey smell when I was working outside but it doesn't bother me, I love having the horses for my neigh-bors!

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  8. That is such an adorable garden cottage! Glad spring has finally arrived for you. It's been late here too, but nothing compared to what you went through. Lots of catching up to do for both of us!

    Heidi|Mysweetcottage.com

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    1. It seems to be late arriving over much of the country, Heidi!

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  9. I don't own an actual dryer. Supposedly the European washer is a combo, but it doesn't seem to dry I don't think. So for over four years I've been washing and then hanging up clothes, and draping linens around the apartment. Your clothes last much longer if they aren't dried. Good for you! I had a line outside, but the many birds poop on everything.
    Brenda

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    1. I remember when you had a line outside, I was wondering what happened to that!

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  10. We have a ton of outdoor work to start on too, but I count my blessings that I have my hubby to help and that I don't work FT outside the home. I don't know how in the world you manage to get everything done. We wanted to work outside today, but the weather is cloudy and gloomy and so we're getting things done in the house. (I'm taking a break right now, lol.)

    I would love to have a clothesline but I have terrible allergies, so I don't want the pollen trapped in my clothes. My mom has always had a clothesline - she even hangs her clothes out in the winter! (Yes, she's crazy, ha ha.)

    That bear is SO scary! :-o

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    1. I have allergies also, Melanie, but I suffer with them anyway so what's a little more pollen, ha ha!

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  11. Ihad a small clothesline area at our previous house. I called it my solar drying area. I don't believe they are allowed where we live now. That big bear suree looks scary! Nancy

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    1. Solar drying is right, Nancy! It's amazing how quickly things dry on a nice sunny day!

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  12. I have lots of outdoor work to do too. Just glad the weather is finally changing to be able to get things done. That is so interesting about how much electricity a dryer uses. Yikes. My mom use to hang clothes on a clothes line. I loved the smell of our fresh sheets after they hung outside to dry. I may have to get a clothes line! Have a great weekend and I hope Mr. Bear stays a way. He is a big guy.
    xoxo
    Kris

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    1. I am so looking forward to seeing what you do outside at your sweet new cottage this year, Kris! Your gardens are always so lovely!

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  13. As John Candy once said..."big bear, big bear!" I loved that movie. Anyway, here's to good old fashioned solar dryers. I love mine. Have a wonderful weekend!

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    1. I have missed having a clothesline so much, Vickie - it will be wonderful to be able to put the sheets out once more!

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  14. I have a rack where I hang a number of my pieces of clothing to dry in the laundry room, and on sunny days I hang my jeans out on the back deck to dry in the warmth of the sun. It saves a lot of money on running the dryer! I always try to keep an eye on the weather forecast so I know what the best day is for washing and then drying a few things outdoors. We have a HUGE male bear in our area that my husband has seen. He has not been spotted here yet this year, but he likes to hang out by a small stream in the summer months.... HUGE HUGE bear!! And scary!

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    1. Oh wow, I didn't know you had bears also, they can be so terrifying! I haven't seen any at my house this season yet but it's early, no doubt there will come a time when I'll be screaming and running back into the house!

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  15. We finally had a nice Saturday and were able to check off a few things outdoors. Of course it is raining again today. I remember my grandmother always hanging clothes to dry outdoors. They always smelled so fresh. That is a HUGE bear! Oh my!!

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    1. It's raining here today also, and I believe tomorrow as well. I don't mind it as much when I have to work anyway....as long as I have dry days on the weekends!

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  16. I loved going outside with my mother when she would hang up clothes. I was never tall enough to do it, but I loved watching her. I also loved the sound of them flapping in the wind. I’m excited about your new clothes line kit. I don’t have any place where I could do that, so I will have to live vicariously through you.

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    1. I'm sure you could use one of those folding dryer things on your deck, Pattie...it's not quite the same though, is it?

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  17. It’s going to look all nice and tidy in no time. I used to love to hang my laundry outside to dry but my husband is allergic to liquid fabric sofners so they would turn out hard and not so fresh smelling so in the dryer they go.
    Lisa

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    1. Did you ever try one of the eco friendly fabric softeners, Lisa? Maybe he wouldn't be allergic to those.

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  18. Yea! 70 degrees here today! You have renewed my desire for a clothesline in my yard. There was one when we moved in 22 years ago but it fell apart. There really is nothing like fresh air on your freshly washed clothes. Heading to Lowe's today!

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    1. You're so cute, AnnMarie - I'm glad I inspired you!!

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  19. Hope the bear stays far away from your place! I don't think I would live in a place where clotheslines were prohibited. Nothing like freshly air dried linens! xoxo

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    1. I agree! I am so anxious to get my first set of sheets on the bed that were dried on the line - next weekend I hope!

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  20. That's a big bear ya got there. We haven't seen any yet, but we put the Finch Feeder back out, so I'm sure it will be destroyed sooner or later. PLEASE let me know how you like the clothesline. I MISS hanging my clothes outside. Our ground is so rocky and hard it takes an act of congress to dig holes and I'm not exactly sure where we would even put one, because our flat yard is so small. Nothing like clean sheets dried outside in the fresh mountain air... nothing!

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    1. I love it, Debbie! I used it for two loads of wash this past weekend and the only reason I didn't get the sheets out there was I ran out of energy and sunshine! Rain this week so I'll wait to do laundry until the weekend!

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