Books by the old Leather Chair

  • Snow In The Summer
  • My Bible
  • The Power of Silence
  • What Comes Next and to Like It
  • Encore Provence
  • A Year in Provence

Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Seasoned Habit

Fall and Spring cleaning is something I have done automatically for years.
I have had many comments from others over the years saying "I cannot believe you do this twice every year".

The windows are cleaned, anything that can be washed - blankets, quilts, dustruffles and on and on. I can remember when this included curtains or sheers. Not anymore as my last 5 homes have had nothing at windows but shutters that stay open except at night and sometimes a shade in a special area that might be pulled down because of hot sun or for privacy at night when I am up late and reading.

I wash all of my furniture with Murphy's Oil Soap. A friend commented the other day that she had never heard of anyone doing this. Most of my furnishings come from a different lifestyle of years ago. Old, from another era, and some of it carved. So this really gets them clean. The carving is just difficult to dust. Ceiling fans cleaned, screen porch and upstairs storage room and on and on.

So, I am in the middle of this habit in my new home. I really enjoy doing this. Want to get it out of the way before the final cleanup in my garden is here. Also need to organize my garage and clean my gardening tools. I will see if my soninlaws father will sharpen some of them and I will oil them, put them up for winter and when Spring arrives they will be ready for me to use. With all of this out of the way when the cold days arrive I will settle in and read. My pile of books continues to grow. I like the convenience of Amazon but it is almost to easy to order a book with a click of the finger.
I find that their used books are in excellent shape and price is not much different then one I would find in a second hand book store. It also saves me time and gas!!

Also need to learn how to use my scanner so I can begin to post old pictures with memory journal entries.

Dust if you must, but wouldn't it be better to paint a picture, or write a letter, bake a cake, or plant a seed, ponder the difference between want and need.

Dust if you must, but there is not much time with rivers to swim and mountains to climb, music to hear, and books to read, friends to cherish and life to lead.

Dust if you must, but the world's out there with the sun in your eyes, the wind in your hair, a flutter of snow, a shower of rain, and this day will not come round again.

Dust if you must, but bear in mind, old age will come and it's not kind. And when you go, and go must , you, yourself will make more dust.

unknown

SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT

5 comments:

Darlene said...

My goodness, you are ambitious. I wait until I can no longer see out of my windows before washing them. When it's like looking through a wall it's time to clean. ;)

Well, maybe I am now quite that lax, but I don't do spring housecleaning anymore. If I see something that needs attention I take care of it then.

Nan said...

Thank you for this. I loved reading it. Cleaning has an importance, even a sacredness to it when you love your home, and care for it.

Beverly said...

I remember my mother and grandmother
doing spring cleaning. I helped. The waxed the floor, and I shined the floors with a home-made stick with a ball like thingie made of old rags.

kenju said...

I have been cleaning out closets, which I do easily and have fun doing it. But cleaning all the furniture with Murphy's oil soap? That would take weeks! Or months!

Tabor said...

My you ARE a little Martha Stewart aren't you. I also love my windows and do try to clean them twice a year. This fall we have been putting in a stone patio beneath the deck and as a result the back yard is mud and the deck above is covered with dust from the stone cutting! I have a layer of fine dust over the windows, etc. Once they are done, and I hope that is soon, I will have to wash everything!