It was a calming, renewing experience to stand in the middle of this sea of life. I could feel the living things around me in the rustle of the grass, the non-stop chirping of frogs and crickets, the riotous blooming of the flowers. Such a lovely place, it was only a shame that I had to leave so soon.
The trip also marked my first visit to New Ulm, MN, home of the Schell brewery. I didn't stop to get any beer, but did stop to see the Hermann Monument, though I arrived too late to pay the $1 to climb to its observation platform. How could one not, I ask, stop to see a giant statue of Hermann, the German? Lovely drive, adorable little towns all through the area. In Belle Plain, I stopped again and picked up a jar of dandelion honey made from the honey of a single hive. Got home at 10:00 p.m. feeling quite recharged.