Minnesota is just like........

Germany?

As Sarah and I were out on a bike ride this evening, I was reminded of trips I got to take to visit family in Germany as a kid. The weather is similar, but just after a rain, like today, the scents from the trees and flowers took me back to bike rides and walks with my cousins.

I'm not sure when we are going to get back to visit that part of the family, but I do think of them often. Especially when walking through the Arboretum at Gustavus or at 7-mile Creek -- these aren't quite the tall forests around my family's village, but they will do.

I was reminded today of the important role that our memories play for us. They allow us to travel back to places (and times) that are happy (or at least made quite an impression) for us when we physically can't go there or do those things anymore.

Lots of memories, never fading int dull tableau.