West of Faribault on Sunday afternoon.
I NEVER TIRE OF IT. Never. Autumn in Minnesota is stunningly beautiful. Stunning.
A Sunday afternoon drive took my husband and me west of our Faribault home along Cedar Lake Boulevard and then on Old Dodd Road, all the way to Kilkenny.
Lake Francis, Elysian
From the Irish settlement, we continued west and then south and west and south and, well, I don’t navigate, until we entered Elysian from the north.
Tetonka Lake, Waterville
We then aimed back east and north along a dusty gravel road and then a tar road to Waterville.
Northeast of Waterville.
We traveled through the North Morristown area and, nearing Faribault, skirted Cannon Lake on the north and east.
It was, for us, a leisurely horseshoe drive to view lovely Autumn, dressed in her Sunday best.
North and east of Waterville somewhere, maybe closer to North Morristown.
A lovely treeline somewhere on the eastern end of our route.
Along Seventh Street in Faribault….my community has stunning autumn colors along many, many residential streets.
A block away up the hill from my house are some of the most blazing gorgeous trees in town lining Second Avenue Southwest by Bethlehem Academy.
© Copyright 2012 Audrey Kletscher Helbling
Minnesota Prairie Roots 
So nice. My husband suggested a drive this weekend, but we just had too much to do around the house. Our leaves are changing here in northern Illinois, too, but they seem to be falling off rather rapidly this year. I think it might be the effects of the drought. Who knows? What I do know is that I especially like your photo labeled Northeast of Waterville. The harvested field with the trees in the background — perfect.
So glad you enjoyed the harvest and autumn scenery scenes. Here’s my advice regarding going for a drive: Do it. The work around the house will still be there. My husband and I used to spend our weekends working on house projects, too. Now we’re like, oh, well, it will be there next week too, so let’s enjoy life. A philosophy that comes w/ aging, perhaps.
So many photo ops it’s hard to stop!!!! Yours are gorgeous! The crops are coming out of the fields so fast and furious….will be wrapped up and on the barges headed south very soon. Need rain, however! Hugs, D
We saw lots of harvesting today on our loop drive through southeastern Minnesota, south of Rochester, over to Lanesboro and Lenora and Highland and Canton, Harmony and Preston. I have so many more images to share with you in the future. Yes, we most definitely need rain. Sometimes it was like driving through fog when passing a combine harvesting in a nearby field.
Audrey…..you were so close to our place!!!!!! We often eat breakfast at the Highland Store and the road through Lenora, Canton, Harmony are some of my most favorite riding paths!!!! We really MUST aim for a “meet-up”!!! Looking forward to your posts……..
I thought of you and Jackie over in Rochester… Another time, another drive…
Highland/Highland Store is on Cty 10 (Filmore Cty)….we live east of that little place about 14 miles–into Houston Cty—on that very same road!! Next time!-D
Next time as we drove the opposite direction, heading toward Canton. After awhile I was struggling to keep all those little towns straight in my mind. It was a great trip and I would highly recommend driving to that part of Minnesota right now. Fall colors are glorious. Love the rolling hills and seeing all those Amish in the Harmony area.
That is the ‘thing’ here…..with the coulee region….the roads get you all twisted around!!! The tree-lined “switch back” roads are absolutely glowing with the fall foliage! I/we could give you an awesome guided tour!!
Was born and raised in Rochester, and my grandparents used to pick up my mom and me (we didn’t have a car) and go for a drive — and that was one of our favorite treks. Every year about this time I get that restlessness to go drive ….
So, Carol, I say get in your car and drive. We drove southeastern Minnesota, south of Rochester, today. Absolutely glorious and I can’t wait to share my photos and stories in upcoming posts. Probably next week.
It’s such a great time of the year, and it goes by too quickly. Thanks for sharing your ride with us.
Jackies, we racked up lots more miles today. You will be happy to hear that we dined at the Highland Cafe, took CR 23 (you failed to mention it was gravel) and found the old church in Lenora, PLUS visited two Amish farms. Lots to share with you and my other readers soon.
Great photos Audrey. I guess you are battening down for the Winter soon. Patrick
Thanks, Patrick. Yes, autumn truly marks the prep for winter. That’s why this season is so bittersweet.
How pretty our “neck of the woods” is! I have been wanting to run over to Faribault and check out Shattuck area–it usually is so pretty this time of year.
I was through there last Thurs night on the way to Zumbrota for Cross Country–Hwy 60 was pretty, Lucy and I enjoyed the farm fields and barns.
You can get an absolutely beautiful view of the city, including Shattuck, from the park by the east-side water tower across the street from Trump’s Orchard. The view in the fall is stunning and I’ve posted about it here, last fall, I believe.
I will go back and peak at your past!
Stacey, I’ll save you some time. Here’s the link to last year’s post with photos from City View Park in Faribault: https://mnprairieroots.wordpress.com/2011/10/07/a-scenic-secret-in-faribault/
If I’m going to move here right before winter, can we please have the color stick around for at least one more week?
We’re crossing our fingers, hoping that the nice weather sticks around long enough so you don’t want to flee back to California.
I took similar photos only in the spring when driving your way in June. I love that drive.
Always fun to shoot on a drive. Just tough to keep the windows clean.