Checking out the crops near Moland Lutheran Church in Steele County, Minnesota.
ONCE UPON A TIME, I thought Sunday afternoon drives were reserved for farmers checking out the crops or for old people with nothing more important to do.
In Merton Township, Steele County, Minnesota.
No longer do I think that. I now welcome these day trips into the country for the solace, the beauty, the discovery, the photo ops, the joy of whiling away an afternoon with no specific destination.
Along Rice County Road 21 south of Faribault.
I love wide skies and open fields. I love old barns and gravel roads and cows grazing and tidy rows of corn. I love country.
Making hay, along old U.S. Highway 14 west of Owatonna.
In this crazy fast-paced world of scheduled activities and rare free time, such impromptu rural jaunts are to be embraced.
Near Clinton Falls in Steele County, Minnesota.
If you have not discovered the Sunday afternoon drive, you are missing out on one of life’s simplest and most soul satisfying pleasures.
Northwest of Owatonna along Steele County Road 17.
On a farm site west of Owatonna.
A vineyard along Steele County Road 17.
Southwest of Faribault.
FYI: The edited photos featured here are from a recent Sunday afternoon drive south and east of Faribault and then west and north of Owatonna looping back to Faribault. All images were shot from the passenger seat of our van at highway speeds, or slightly under.
Copyright 2013 Audrey Kletscher Helbling
Minnesota Prairie Roots 
Very nice. On my way back from Cresco the other day I had planned to stop to take pics along the way but the gps routed me back a different way. I may have to make another trip and recreate my first trip!!! 🙂
We don’t have a GPS, thus a paper map and a plat book and a follow that road and it will end up somewhere. (BTW, the scheduling worked.)
Beth Ann…..Let me know when you set a date to recreate your trip!!! If not too soon, I may have some of your sewing done!
That’s quick, Doreen. What’s this magical route near Cresco? I want to see the sculptures there…
You will have to consult Beth Ann and her magic GPS lady, although I think even Beth Ann couldn’t tell you the route she followed. By the time we would all do the trip, I would think County 9 will be repaired by Osage so the “straight shot” to Osage will be open. For you, Audrey, if you cam I35 to I90E, to Austin, then Hwy 218S to Osage to pick up County 9 east to Cresco (about 35/40 miles..Osage to Cresco). The sculptures are so neat!!! And there’s a great place for lunch, too!!!!!
How far are you from Cresco and do you know when the closed road to Osage will be open?
County 9, west of Osage, is going to be out for about 3 months. If you go to 218 it takes you in to Osage on the East of that outage and it’s clear to Cresco from there. I/we are 48 miles East and North of Cresco. Coming from there to my place now has multiple detours due to road damage/closures from last week’s rains.
Thank, Doreen.
Sunday afternoon drives were a routine part of my growing up, as was the obligatory ice cream cone at some point along the way. We usually headed out towards the rural Stillwater areas (especially in the Fall during the apple season). I also remember that there was absolutely no eating of any kind inside the car, so we would sit at picnic tables, or such, until the cone was totally consumed and our hands were clean (Dad had use of a company car, so we were always under careful scrutiny!!!). Lovely memories…..thank you, Audrey,…..
Thank you, Doreen, for sharing your lovely memories. I can just picture you in that car and then outside licking those ice cream cones. Our Sunday afternoon drives were along gravel roads to view the progress of crops. And one Sunday in the fall, we would drive the Minnesota River valley road b/n Granite Falls and Morton.
Living so close to the Mississippi River and the MN/WI border, we tended to travel more north/south along both sides of that divide. The river towns were always a fascination and bustling with tourist/boating activity. The other place we would go is the old Wold Chamberlain airport to watch the prop-jet planes come and go. In those days there were no restrictions on where one could observe such and the observations deck was an open area overlooking the planes as they were being boarded. It was a “reach out and touch” situation.
That area is so gorgeous. Just gorgeous and a region I need to explore more.
Amen sister 🙂 We are hoping to get a little of this in this weekend. I completely concur with your statement, “one of life’s simplest and most soul satisfying pleasures.” I could not have said it better myself.
Thank you, Dan. We are kindred spirits in this pursuit. Readers, if you have not checked out Dan’s photography, do. He features images from back roads, small towns, etc. He’s one gifted photographer who focuses on what many pass by. Follow this link to Dan’s blog and, I promise, you will be hooked: http://outdoorguyphotography.com/
Thank you A.. I will go and check him out right this minute! c
You will love Dan’s photography. I just know you will.
Oh and I did, he loves the openness just like you and I do.
I call it chasing the sun, a remnant of our child hood when we would all be piled into the old Combi and we would drive from hill to hill chasing the sun, almost always on a summer sunday afternoon and Dad would have his camera. So to go off for a drive chasing a photo is the next best thing, these shots are grand and a wonderful comment on the aliveness of your countryside.. have lovely day!! c
I love your poetic perspective of chasing the sun. No wonder you are into photography, having grown up with the camera and your eyes focused.
I’m right there with you girl, Growing up, we always used to go on a drive in the country on Sunday afternoon, we usually ended up at a friend of my parents. That was back in the days when people stayed home and you just “dropped in” 🙂
Beautiful photo’s as usual. Makes me want to jump in the car, but this house is begging to be cleaned….ugh, it wouldn’t take much to get me out….. Don’t say it Audrey 🙂
LOL, Jackie. I hope you got a drive in this weekend. Summer is too short to spend indoors cleaning house.
No drive….but I am glad I got the house clean, it was consuming me.
A clean house is a good thing, too.
Beautiful scenery, Audrey. I haven’t been on a Sunday drive for many years – just too much traffic in Sydney for any drive to be therapeutic. But we’re heading to a country town in a few days for a five-night stay and I’m sure I’ll enjoy driving around there xx
Thank you, Charlie. Enjoy your stay in the country.
Reblogged this on The Window and commented:
This is a blog that I follow by Audrey Kletscher Helbling of Faribault. She’s a writer and poet and does some wonderful photography. Hope you like it.
Thanks for the reblog, Marshall.
Beautiful Captures – love the hay bales!
Thank you. The hay bales is one of my favs, too.
These barns are just wonderful to look at! We are about a week away from arriving in MN and I hope to enjoy a lot of beautiful countryside. I also really enjoyed your more recent sunset post. I’m looking forward to seeing for myself all the great things you’ve blogged about! 😀 Lisa
Lisa, an early welcome to Minnesota. I don’t know if you’re a Minnesota native or not, but the geography of our state is truly diverse from rolling hills, valleys and meandering creeks/rivers in extreme southeastern MN to prairie in the west to woods and lakes in the north. Enjoy your visit.