Have you ever taken a shower outside before? In the sunlight or under the stars? If not, then you are missing out. I first got my feet wet with outdoor showering when I was a young girl in Albion. My Grampa Clark built an outdoor shower behind his garage. You may wonder what motivated him to do this. He was raised a farm boy in Nebraska and did not have luxuries like indoor plumbing and running water. Seems I recall some stories about the outhouse "facilities" freezing over in the winter time. He loved being outside and an outdoor shower after a long day's work was invigorating and peaceful. And like him, I grew to love it too. There is something special about being outside in nature and getting yourself all clean under the vastness of the sky. It makes one feel like the fresh air itself is helping to wash away all one's grime and worries. I don't know whatever happened to that outdoor shower or if it is even still there. That is why when we last traveled out West I came across an Airbnb that had an outdoor shower. It was as if a treat from the past had landed on my plate again and I could not push away the possibility of tip-toeing into the sanctuary of the outdoor shower again. This particular shower was tucked in the base of the Bitterroot Mountains, MT. The outdoor facility featured an added bonus of a bathroom sink and mirror adjacent to the shower. You could see the white caps on the mountain range from the shower which was magical in itself. The only problem was the hot water tank would only keep water hot for about 5 minutes, which made for a quick shower! However, it was still very freeing on a crisp morning. Those MT showers brought me back to the 1970's remembering how exciting the simple pleasure of an outdoor shower could be. And out there at the base of the Bitterroots it brought me back to W. Bank Street, right here in Albion, NY. Remembering other simple pleasures like the soda machine that used to be outside of Archer's Lumber Yard. Goodness, what a treat when Grampa would give some change to grab a pop or the trust given to us Grandkids to mow the lawn with his fancy Wheel Horse riding lawn mower. All those memories washed over me as I stood inside that outdoor shower. The water may have been cold, but inside I was warmed by memories from decades back. When heading out to an outdoor shower behind the garage with a towel in my hand was all it took to create enough excitement to last an entire day. In that spirit when My Husband and I look to our Golden Years and what it will look like, I see an outdoor shower next to what will be our little respite and every time I grab that towel I will feel the youthful excitement of a 10 year old girl running through the grass without a care in the world. This memory is going on the Golden Year Vision Board 💕.
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