Wash Day Blues

We've come a long way since the early 1800's when doing the laundry was a full day's activity. Clothes and other household items were gathered and placed in a large pot of boiling water. Next, the washboard was brought out to scrub the clothes with lye soap to loosen the soil. Then, back into a pot of clean rinse water, before hanging them on the line, or spreading them out on the grass to dry. Items needing to be starched were dipped in rice water or a starch made from potatoes. The laundry day didn't end here, however.

In the 1800's most fabrics were made from natural materials such as cotton or linen, and were easily wrinkled. Even underwear and sheets required ironing! Heated on top of the wood or coal stove, the heavy iron retained heat, and it's weight helped flatten the cloth.

The early and mid 1900's brought us metal tubs instead of wooden ones, manually operated wringer washers, the first electric powered washing machine, and the first automatic washing machine was introduced in Europe. Ozzie and Harriet ushered in the 50's touting the benefits of the Wond-R-Dial automatic washing machine in decorator colors. Used with Tide washing powder, you could expect the "cleanest clean possible".

Then came the 1970's, the decade of Earth Day, Mother Earth News, and Earth Shoes. We were admonished for unleashing chemicals into our environment in search of cleaner than clean clothes, and our waste of nonrenewable resources. Clotheslines popped up in backyards all over America and a new generation of non-toxic and environmentally friendly products were developed.

Today, 30 years later, walk down any supermarket aisle, and you will be hard pressed to find a product that is not scented with lavender or chamomile, sweet orange, lilac, or "fresh linen". Most of us find ourselves longing to bring the outdoors in, without giving up the convenience of indoor technology.

Born in the 50's, I remember the wringer washer on the back porch, and my mother's excitement when my Dad brought the new automatic washer in. The clothesline out back stayed, since the dryer was a few years in coming. Influenced by the "back to the earth" movement of the 70's, I had the vegetable garden out back, attempts were made at preserving food, and the chickens had their own pen for farm fresh eggs. Two sons later, full time work, and mortgages needing to be paid, it was easily to revert back to all things convenient and fast.

Having just turned 50, I realize it doesn't have to be all or nothing. The gardens are back (and even larger), Mother Earth News is still on my bedside table, and I am taking a fresh look at those chicks at the feed store. Linens and t-shirts will be back on my newly purchased clothesline, and I will be more aware of the products I choose, but the dryer and central heat and air are here to stay.

After all, every little bit helps, right?

Dreaming of Spring? - Start a Garden Journal

The sun streaming through the kitchen window this afternoon lured me outside with my granddaughter MacKenzie. Pushing her up and down the driveway in her plastic car, my mind began to wander. I was dreaming of spring. "I think I'll take out those climbing roses at the back of the property", "wouldn't a new garden shed look great back there?" and "I need to start planning my new herb beds" filled my thoughts. The forecast of snow flurries in the morning quickly snapped me back into reality, but I can still dream of spring, I will just put it on paper.

For several years I have "meant" to start a garden journal, but of course couldn't find the time. This year is going to be different. All of the good ideas I see on television or read about in the Essential Herbal aren't going to be forgotten, remembered only too late to become a realization.

Creating a garden journal helps you get your thoughts together and keep up with all of those great ideas you get throughout the year. I began this summer cutting out pictures of gardens that I liked along with garden structures, fencing, garden themes etc; that interested me. Of course, unless you have lots of time and money, all of your ideas cannot be done at once. A garden evolves with time, and a journal can help you see and plan the progress of your garden. It is kind of a “business" plan for your garden.

Your journal can be as plain or fancy as you like. No rules here. Mine is going to be a 3 ring binder. I printed some gardening clipart and placed it in the plastic sleeve on front. I like the binder style because I can add as many pages as I want. A spiral bound notebook, scrapbook, or purchased journal would work also. Your journal, like your garden, is only limited by your imagination.

What do you put in your journal? Everyone's will be unique, but here are some ideas to get you started.

• Pictures of gardens you like
• Results of soil tests
• Seed starting dates, planting times, and harvesting time for your plants
• Date of first and last frost for your area
• Lunar phases for “planting by the moon"
• A calendar for planning your plantings
• Catalogs
• Plants you want in your garden and their soil, sun, and water requirements
• A diagram of your garden with each row labeled as to what you planted. This will help with crop rotation, and companion planting
• Diagram of individual beds with plantings labeled. (Many plants die back, and you can't remember what that is coming up next spring!)
• Pictures of garden art, sheds, garden décor that you like and where you can purchase them.
• Upcoming garden shows and what you want to look for/purchase.
• The weather. Was it too hot, too dry, too wet, and how did that affect your plants?
• Recipes for your harvest (will help you decide what you need to plant and what to do with all those peppers and tomatoes you will plant)
• An envelope for receipts. My local garden center will replace a fruit tree, bush etc., within 3 years if it dies and you return with receipt and the dead plant.
• Insects: The good, the bad, and the ugly, along with the birds and butterflies that visited your garden.
• Before and after pictures are a must. The garden at 1 year, 3 years, etc.
• Garden quotes, stickers, and of course, pictures of kids, grandkids, and pets.

I hope this gives you some ideas for this year's garden, and many gardens to come.

Dreaming of spring,
Karen
www.GardenChick.com