Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Sepia Scenes and Yard Art

I'm combining this week's Sepia Scenes with Mary's new Yard Art on Thursday meme. Last week my dear Hubs had a checkup with his doctor and as he was driving I spotted this 'outhouse' along the way. This was in someones side yard right along the highway. I have seen this done before but not as eloquently as this one. It sits in the center of a large flower bed with lights and plants and small shrubs arranged around the exterior. Hanging plants left from the last growing season adorned one side. I thought the moon and star cutouts the defining touch.
I converted the color image that's below to sepia and added some texture to make the image look like an old postcard.

Last week my yard art was a huge concrete cactus that my good friend Thom thought "why do I think that is so odd in your neck of the woods." I just KNOW he will think this much more appropriate.
However, should anyone think the outhouse is only indicative of American Appalachia the country of Australia for example was largely unsewered until the early 1970s with many suburbs having outhouses or 'dunnys' behind each house. That was a mere 40 years ago.

For more Sepia Scenes join Mary here.
For more Yard Art join her here.

27 comments:

Jientje said...

It does look like a postcard!

Anonymous said...

Wow...until the early 70's. I never would have guessed or thought that. How interesting. I love both of these. The sepia indeed does look like a postcard. Well done my friend and thanks for sharing the info about this :)

Charlene Amsden said...

That sepia pic is wonderful. Without the story I would have thought it quite old.

I grew up in the Pacific Northwest and there were plenty of outhouses in my childhood.

Ralph said...

I like the sepia effect - the weathered look of the wood siding is missing as the planks are stained. But the sepia makes it look like it did when no indoor plumbing existed. In a cold season, too - there are some old grand traditions that don't need to be practiced anymore...

kayerj said...

that is a classic--and I love it in sepia. Nicely done :)

EG CameraGirl said...

I bet it's a garden shed. Very cool.

Lots of places in New England had outhouses in the 1960s. :-)

Anonymous said...

I love it! For some reason it just makes me giggle...and then think of black widows! :)

Unknown said...

Now that could be classified as the ultimate in yard art!

ellen b. said...

:0) That takes yard art to a new level!!

Anonymous said...

I like the sepia version Carletta. Wonder if the outhouse is functional? LOL

Rose said...

Carletta, this is wonderful. Either image!

Anonymous said...

I like both pictures. Love the moon and star cutout in the door. Great post!

JunieRose2005 said...

Interesting post and pictures!

Lol- well-I actually remember the real thing! (so I really wouldn't want this as my yard art! ;) )

Sallie (FullTime-Life) said...

Love those pictures and appreciate the tutorial showing both versions!

I remember those little houses - for real - (always ith the cutouts) in some rural homes in the Pacific Northwest. (But then I AM old!)

Gattina said...

Here too it was used until not long ago, but there was mostly a heart in the door and not a moon and star like on yours.

Patti said...

Wonderful and fun post, Carletta.
I like how you combined the two memes when you found this quirky piece of yard art. It really looks so old and realistic in sepia. You cold use it as a postcard!

I'd like to see it at night with the lights..

Happy belated Sepia Scenes!

P.S. come see my Yard Art photo later

maryt/theteach said...

Carletta, this is perfect Yard Art and was very necessary long ago! Thanks for playing along! :) Kenny G is just so dreamy!

Anonymous said...

the sepia technique is very interesting because you can basically turn an normal photo into an piece that looks like it was drawn by pencil

concretenprimroses said...

I love the sepia tone!
Interesting facts about Australia.
I used an outhouse as a child at a family members cottage at a small lake. There was a new bathroom inside but they made the kids use the "3 seater".
Kathy

Kranky Granny said...

From sixth grade until my marriage I lived in a small rural community. I was a senior in high school when my parents finally had a septic tank installed and we got out first indoor to toilet. That was 47 years ago.

That area still does not have a central (or city) sewage system or even a community sewage lagoon.

You will still see old Privies (most converted to storage sheds) in the small town I now live in. But, I know of several that are still available for use. When this town went to a city sewer system the residents had to pay to have their septic systems bypassed and connected to the new system. Many chose not too.

When shopping to buy a house here one of the first things buyers want to know is whether or not the house is on the city sewer and if the old septic tank has been removed or is still buried in the yard.

Thanks for stopping by my mushroom tree houses and leaving such a nice comment.

Janet, said...

I like the sepia, too. That outhouse looks a lot prettier than ours ever looked!

Craver Vii said...

That's a good selection for a sepia scene.

SquirrelQueen said...

There was a time when they were very common, it really doesn't seem that long ago. I really like the sepia version, it does look like a postcard scene.

Anonymous said...

Oh, excellent! The outhouse looks so old fashioned with the sepia tone and so modern in color. I have to admit, I love the variety of designs that people came up with to make their outhouse unique - or disguise them. With the plants (and planter) you could mistake this one for a garden shed.

Carolyn Ford said...

My husband grew up with one of those in his backyard back in southern Illinois. Thankfully, I missed that! But, they are quite photogenic. And, the sepia is just perfect for this scene.

happily retired gal said...

LOL ... calling this Yard Art cracks me up!!! Love it ... and your wonderful reflection photos in another post (I'm trying to catch up in my reader and don't recall whether they're before or after this one). Your snowy watery view is lovely too. Thanks for sharing and for visiting my blogs even when I fall behind as has happened a LOT lately. Once my sister hits the road the middle of next month, the pact of real life could calm down a bit giving me more time for bloggins.
Hugs and blessings,

Twisted Fencepost said...

I want to build one of those for the farm to use as a tool shed. You know, for rakes, shovels and such.