SUNDAY DRIVING IN THE COUNTRY

My husband and I enjoy visiting Hermann, a charming town on the Missouri River. We love the great view of the river from the bluff at the end of town. From there we could also see downtown dotting with small shops, historic homes, churches, bed and breakfast inns and restaurants that serve down-home cooking. Hermann is part of the River Heritage region and well-known for its many wineries.
I wrote about Hermann and its Wurst Festival (March 26, 2007). The town of Hermann is about an hour from St. Louis. According to the tourism brochure, Hermann was founded in 1836 by the German winegrowers in search of the ideal location for their vineyards. They found a site bounded by hills and bluffs on three sides and the Missouri River on the north which was similar to the Rhine River region in Germany. In addition to the famous family-owned wineries, there are many bed & breakfast inns with the view of the Missouri River, many fine restaurants with authentic local cookings, gift shops and antiques places.

Here are a few photos from our Sunday drive in the country. Perhaps we could all slow down and for just a few minutes appreciate the serenity of an open field, the red barn against the blue sky, the white cloud, the bright red leave or a walk in a freshly planted vineyard.

How about sitting down on the swing in this front porch, pour yourself a glass of home-made lemonade, sit down and relax. Forget about the fast car, the modern lives that full of every possible convenience, time-consuming yet meaningless activities and just for once enjoy the moment of breathing and living.