The countryside spreads out before us as we begin our Sunday afternoon drive.
MINNESOTA ATLAS SANDWICHED between us on the van floor, my husband and I head southeast of Faribault for our first Sunday afternoon drive of the season. The directional guide is primarily for my benefit as I occasionally have this urge to know “where we are.” We own neither smart phone nor GPS.
We prefer gravel roads over paved for the slower pace.
We have no specific destination, only aiming to follow back country roads to see what we can see.
We miss nothing, including the dog bounding out of the ditch.
As simple as that.
Barrels and a John Deere bring back farm memories of the burning barrel and the putt-putt-putt of the tractor.
We are those kind of folks, former farm kids who grew up understanding the value in a Sunday afternoon drive.
Emerging corn.
Check out the crops.
Of all the country smells, my favorite is that of freshly-cut alfalfa.
Breathe in the indescribably intoxicating smell of freshly-mown alfalfa.
So many old barns and the sweet surprise of this old corn crib.
Wind along gravel roads past time-worn barns and vintage farm machinery, curve this way and that, windows rolled down, tires crunching, taking it all in.
From old farmhouses to new home hobby farms, we see them all.
Glorious countryside, oh, glorious countryside.
Lovely wild roses in the ditch.
And then, an abrupt stop to smell the roses. Literally. Beautiful wild roses that filled the ditches of my youth spotted once again. I inhale their heady perfumed fragrance as I wade into tall ditch grass.
We even notice the rock piles and recall our days of picking rock.
For an hour or so on this Sunday afternoon, the worries in my life cease. I am with the man I love, checking out the crops, smelling the roses, taking in every detail of the rural world that embraces us.
Even signage does not go unnoticed.
Life is good. In this moment. On this Sunday afternoon drive.
(Please check back for more photos from this Sunday afternoon drive just southeast of Faribault.)
© Copyright 2014 Audrey Kletscher Helbling
Minnesota Prairie Roots 
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