We Are Deep In the Heart of Texas

Nomadic seasons of farming adventures with nature thrown in to include; a pinch of family, snippets of friends, counting our blessings, paying IT forward, home school, and the spicy things I decide to rant about.















Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Well Butter My Biscuits


This is another reason why I hang our clothes outside to dry--the south winds are nearly always blowing.  Not only does line drying cuts down on the electric bill by $150+ month but, the winds keep the clothes from becoming stiff.  I use vinegar (in a Downy ball) because our well water may have bacteria along with fabric softener (another Downy ball) each load.  
The vinegar does not leave a smell and neutralizes any ICK stuff and odors.

CAN YOU SEE THEM?
I am getting hungry!

Today, the house-leveling men came back out to recheck their work and made adjustments.  I am happy, one more check then we can start shopping for new siding and windows.  LOL We are locking this big ole barn down tight with energy efficient products.  I knew when January's electric bill was over $400; we were going to be in for a long ride paying the San Patricio Co-op.  OUCH Can you image our bill in June, July, August and September?  I would have to do something drastic like dance nekkid in the pale moonlight to bring on the rain since the temp is nearing the 90s almost every day now. 

And please check out Laughing Duck's Farm giveaway.  Click the duck butt picture on the upper right of my blog side bar to be taken directly to Melodie's place.  Sit awhile, you will like her style.

~:>

13 comments:

Jen said...

Marvelous. Saving money while enjoying the warm, normal weather of Spring and Summer is exactly what I could use right now.

Hope all continues to go well with your crop and window renovations.

Sharon said...

OH, when did you start them, in January? Wow! We just have some blossoms...

Watch your contractor - we got the double pane, lah-dee-dah windows alright, but we didn't notice till they were all in and gone - not rated for energy efficiency. (No rebate! :() Think it was bait and switch, but no paperwork to prove it.

They aren't drafty like the old ones, but... all new windows, new energy efficient central unit, energy star washer and dryer and our actual usage kw per day is way up from last year and the year before that and we were just replacing old things.

Melodie said...

I love hanging out the laundry! I don't think most folks realize how much money running the dryer cost!

Thank you ,thank you for linking to my give away!

Texan said...

hey that looks like a garden to me girly!! and ripe tomatoes already!!! wow...

I have been asking honeyman to get me a line up :O)... need to ahem remind him again :O)... I love how stuff smells after being on the line :O)... especially the sheets!!

Judy's Corner said...

Yep, me too... I am just getting set up at the old farmhouse, but line-drying my clothes is one of the things I am looking forward to. I love your garden... next year will have to be my first garden at the old farmhouse...too many other demanding things this year...too many!

mixednut555 said...

I want fried green tomatoes now!

John Going Gently said...

do you have tornados Dorothy????

Little Messy Missy said...

I haven't even planted mine yet....they are a foot tall and in my breezeway waiting for the freezing temperatures to rise.

Diana Ferguson said...

Had a clothes line growing up. Maybe I should try to get one...........

Chicken Boys said...

I wish my garden with do something! It ain't dyin' anymore, but it ain't growin' either!
~Randy

sunset pines farm said...

I have wanted a clothesline for the longest time, and I have had the feeling that most of my power bill is the dryer's doing-now you have inspired me. I might get hubby to put me up a line this weekend.
My tomatoes are doing good too, I will be frying up some green ones maybe tonight. I always like to fry up the first batch before they get a chance to turn red.

Anonymous said...

We think along the same lines. Speaking of lines..I am just about to go and hang out the sheets on the clothes line. Don't you just love sheets dried in the fresh country air?

And..I use vinegar in the wash too.

Good luck with the renovations.
Have a great weekend.
Pam

Nekkid Chicken said...

HEYA PEEPS been busy in the school room the last few days. Thanks for stopping by.

I figure we save .89 cents with each load I dry on the line.

Much Love, Gafarmwoman, Polly, Randy, Messy, Diana, Huggable John, Over Dah Pond Sistah, Judy, Texan, Melodie, Sharon and Jen.