The Little House Out Back

I have posted before with a passing mention of our outhouse. I am sure that most of the baby boomers that are reading this post have had at least a brief encounter with an outhouse at some time in their lives. I know J.D. and I have. I remember one that was in the middle of a cow pasture behind my sister's house when I was about 9 years old. It was in fact thier toilet facilities and if you needed to use it some time in the night you wanted to be sure to take the flash light with you. Nothing is worse than stepping on a still moist cow patty in the middle of the night. (As a child I never wore shoes in the summer unless we were going to town).

This is a picture of our little house out back. It isn't the smelly, fly and bug infested outhouse of days gone by. We do have a problem with wasps though, but sooner or later we will find a solution to that. Ours is a compost out house. For those that are interested in how this works Click Here . This web site pretty much explains it all.

We have had so much fun with this little house. When these Yankee younguns came to visit the first time after we moved in, we told them that if they needed to use the toilet while they were here this is where they needed to go, because we didn't have any indoor facilities. Those three granddaughters were all in agreement, "If that was the case they wouldn't be staying long!" Our Rebel friends and family that have visited are eager to check it out and very surprised to find a framed painting on the wall, a window complete with a sun catcher and a pegboard with dried lavender and eucalyptus hanging from it.

They are equally surprised to find a shelf holding a pitcher and wash bowl, a mirror on the wall and hand towels hanging from a towel bar.

Not to forget mentioning the little chair just inside the door with a vintage fingertip towel, a bowl of pot pourri and a little outhouse painting I picked up at a flea market.

There's no waiting in line here either, it's a two seater.

That Little House Out Back

There's been a lot of landmarks
victimized by passing years.
For one, though nearly obsolete,
there's been no rash of tears.

It played its part in history
And was a friend in need
To all mankind, both rich and poor
Who did his daily deed.
For an endangered species
There has been a lack,
To save it for posterity~
That little house out back.

Now some were built with just one seat,
And others three or four
Of different sizes. Some for kids
Were built close to the floor.

It was a place to smoke or think,
Or dream at close of day,
While looking through the catalog
At what was on display.

But icy winds of winter that
Would whistle through a crack,
Discouraged one to loiter
In that little house out back.

They were all alike in some respect,
Yet differed one and all,
Construction didn't matter much
At times when nature'd call.

Though some were fancy,
Some were plain,
Some painted red or white,
All had a well ~ used beaten trail
That led there day or night.

Though some were open to the wind,
Of privacy a lack,
It served its usefull purpose ~ it did
That little house out back
.
Preserved now in museums,
You will find there on display,
The artifacts of pioneers,
Used in an early day.

From furniture to farming tools,
And rigs for thrashing grain,
And shoes of oxen pulling,
Covered wagons' cross the plain.

And logging gear,
And ancient locomotives on the track.
Yet, how often have we seen preserved,
That little house out back?

~Author Unknown

Rules of the Privy

• Parking Limit:
  two minutes on holidays,
  seven minutes in summer,
  twelve minutes in winter.
• Men: raise seat if not sitting.
• Smokers and left-handers sit to the left.
• Refill catalog and corncob box when empty.
• Do not comment on other occupants' eating habits.
• Use only one seat at a time (except on New Year's Eve).
• Do not walk on seats.
• Not responsible for any newspapers or books left here.
• Keep your shoes on.
• No drinking or gambling.
• Don't shoot animals in privy.
• Please observe our four-page limit.
• Don't discuss your condition with other occupants.
• No fighting.
• Waiting must be done outside if full.
• Taco, refried beans, sauerkraut, and herring eaters, use neighbors' privy.
• Knock once to determine if occupied.
• Knock twice for emergency.
• And if you hear someone running on the path,
  get out quickly.

A Mountain Man's Tale

Ahhhhhh the joys of country living.


Why is it that the trip from the house to the bathroom always seems longer in the winter time?

J.D. says he sure will be glad when we get indoor plumbing!

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Just thought we would have a little fun with the camera this morning. We have had so much fun with this outhouse. It was here when we bought the property and yes, it is an operational outhouse. It is a far cry from what I remember as a little girl living in the country though. Those memories include some very unpleasant smells. This outhouse is a compost outhouse which in reality means little to no odors. The only undesirable characteristics seem to be the cold in the winter and the wasps in the summer. There isn't much that can be done about the cold, but I am bound and determined to some how beat the wasps problem. ( We are open to any helpful suggestions on that). It does come in handy when we are out working in the yard during the warmer months. The granddaughters (ages 14,13 & 10) refuse to use it, but grandson Riley (age 4) had no qualms about it. We are planning an outdoor shower sometime in the near future. Friends and family that come to visit are usually quite surprised when they look inside for the first time. We have it quite nicely decorated with pictures on the wall and lots of books and magazines to read. We even have a pitcher and bowl, soap and towel so hands can be washed. Also a bowl on a chair filled with potpourri. We love our mountain home.