she remembers the feel of wet laundry
hanging over her shoulder
in the heat of the sun
with a chair beneath her feet
she steadied herself
with clothespins in her teeth
life is like that with layered memories
linked with love, laughter and sadness
this one of a girl too short to reach
carefully pinning laundry
drying in the warmth of the sun
a time before dryers fluffed the clothes
the smell of outside left behind
but she remembers standing on the chair
watching the blue of sky
the green of the avocado tree next door
listening to the bird song everywhere
now it remains her memory
in a secret place all her own
the closeness of which makes her warm inside
knowing that all that is left
are the bittersweet remains
like kindled fire burning down
© June 2015
Renee Espriu
Image Taken From Morgue File And Digitized by Myself
reneejustturtleflight.com 
this is heartwrenching when the good things are just a memory… i still hang the clothes outside to dry and use the dryer just for towels and bedclothes
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Good that you can. Here in Washington State I have no clothes line so just use my dryer but clothes hung outside smell so good. I guess we will always have progress.
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I sense a wistful feeling in this, Renee, in the ending particularly. I too grew up hanging the family’s clothing out on the line. I remember being pretty small because the sheets and towels seemed huge! 🙂 Hope you’re feeling well today. xo
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I got pretty good at figuring out a way to hang a few pieces without getting up and down so much on the chair and….I actually didn’t mind. Doing better each day. xoxo
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Beautiful .. such simple words and yet so much packed here.
Hellos ! Been long long time I came here and wrote to you dear lady. I hope your heart is pumping well and making you feel younger each day. You stay bright and cheerful .
Hugs !
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