Digging with the boys

[David Fertig]

Well, as some of you know, I work most days 6 to 10 or so and usually a little on Sunday afternoons. Something about a mortgage, a farm, 6 kids, salvaging old buildings and life. Seems most of my digging these days gets done through other's stories on these here blue pages.

Well, I had planned a day a couple weeks ago to take Josh, but he was sick.

So... today was declared bottle digging day. I have permissions for four yards. Know where the one is in one yard. Think I know in another and the other two need probed more. We couldn't get the owner on the phone of my first choice, so we took the closest yard and also the definite.

Around here, it is not uncommon to still have an old outhouse standing in the back yard. But the rules state - "No digging of standing outhouses. Period." Most of the standing ones date to the 1880's-1920's, although I have seen a few as early as probably 1780-1800 or so - strap hinges, thumb latch, rose-head nails behind a huge old limestone house.

The one in todays dig looked 1880's or a little earlier from the road. That was until I drove past about a month ago and notice it was no longer there. Got the owner on the second stop. Permission granted whenever I was ready. So today was the day.

No probing required.

 

[David Fertig]

The step into it was laid face down.

 

[David Fertig]

P. G.

Probably a child.

It will go with my other head stones and date stones.

 

[David Fertig]

Josh and Levi busy at it. Josh is the bottle collector and the one who went to Balto. Show with me. Levi is my oldest boy.

 

[David Fertig]

The top layer was old rose bushes and rocks.

 

[David Fertig]

And these.

 

[David Fertig]

And these.

 

[David Fertig]

Levi with his first bottle. Glad the local PoPo didn't see this. I'd hate to explain that one!

 

[David Fertig]

Josh eating a handfull of KIX.

 

[David Fertig]

The cement on the top doesn't scare me. See old post "would you dig this"