Sunday Drive

Today as I was driving my mom home from church I remembered the Sunday drives we would take when I was a child. Our family didn’t have much money in those days; I remember a lot of pancakes and cereal for dinner. It was always a treat when we would go for a Sunday drive. Sometimes these would have a destination in mind, other times we would be loaded up into the car and just go for a drive in the country. In less than an hour of driving we would find ourselves out on a country road sometimes paved, sometimes not; taking our time because the whole purpose was just to look at the scenery and be together as a family.

In the spring we would see the farmers planting the new seeds. The earth was a deep brown almost black as the tractor would turn it over and add the new seeds. The soil rich with nutrients is the smell of spring for me; even today as I plant flowers I remember those fields and the hope for a bountiful harvest later.

During the summer the drives were less frequent because of the heat, no air-conditioning then. When we did go it was usually out toward the water and maybe we would end up driving along Lake Huron where we would pull over along the side of the road and get to play in the waves for a few hours. Always a great drive home, napping in the seat with sand still between our toes.

My favorite drives were in the fall when the harvest was being brought in and we would head out to the apple orchard. The orchard had a working water wheel in a stream that would provide the power for the cider press. We would stand there our hand on the rails and our eyes just above the bar as we watched them load the press with apples and then pull a lever and the pressure would be applied to squeeze out the sweet juice of the apples. Fresh cider was then strained and poured into cups right there on the spot. Once we got our cup of cider we headed over to where they were making old fashioned fry cakes in a deep fryer. Still warm, each bite more melting in your mouth than being chewed. Fresh cider and fry cake donuts are the perfect food, but only if you get it fresh from the apple orchard.

So today take a Sunday drive with the family and make a memory, get off of the highway and find a place were you can just explore all that there is and dream of what is yet to come.