My Mom used to line dry all the laundry, as did I for many years. The Clothesline, by Irene Rawlings and Andrea Vansteenhouse with photography by David Foxhoven and Jason McConathy, is a lovely, nostalgic look back at this seemingly lost chore. Included are tips on caring for vintage fabrics, the 'proper' way to hang clothes (unmentionables on the inside, please), and the evolution of the clothespin.

Continuing along the nostalgia trail is a book about aprons. I really don't remember my mom wearing one very often, although there were several in a cupboard. EllynAnne Geisel, author of The Apron Book: Making, Wearing, and Sharing a Bit of Cloth and Comfort has different memories and at some point decided to gather them into a book. In addition to the aprons from her family, she collects them, too, as well as patterns to make them, and any stories that came with them. They will make you smile.

There are lots of wonderful pictures in Aprons: Icons of the American Home, by Joyce Cheney. There's also a bit of history, the fabrics used, how styles have changed, which all make for a most interesting read.

Will you be wearing a fancy apron on Thanksgiving?

Reading Hermit With Dog