Unwinding in Wine Country

Greetings, friends!

This post will be a short one, as we’ve just returned from a wonderful weekend in Hermann, Missouri—and now we’re gearing up for a house full of guests to celebrate my husband’s 50th birthday! The to-do list is long, and I’m not quite sure what to tackle first, but I wanted to take a moment to share a few highlights from our trip.

If you’ve been visiting me for a while, you know that our annual getaway to Missouri wine country is a cherished tradition. But this year was extra special—it was our first time experiencing Oktoberfest in Hermann!

We stayed in our favorite downtown cottage, which is within walking distance of just about everything. As always, we hopped on the Hermann Trolley to visit our favorite wineries and cocktail spots, but this time we also dove into the Oktoberfest festivities.

On Friday evening, we attended the Tapping of the Keg at Tin Mill Brewery, the official kickoff to Oktoberfest. We grabbed a seat at a large table near the stage to enjoy the live music—and somehow ended up at the celebrity table! We were joined by the Loehnig German Band, the Rhineland Wurstjaegers, and even the Mayor of Hermann. We made fast friends with the entertainers and had front-row seats for the keg tapping, enjoying a couple of the first glasses poured.

The next day, Pat and Mel—two of the dancers—invited us to the Historic Festhalle at the Inn at Hermannhof to dance. I even danced a polka and a waltz (with a little help from Mel, who was a great sport and guided me through it). We also got to see Mel play the alphorn with the band, which was such a treat!

It was a joy to meet this incredibly talented group of musicians and dancers who are keeping German traditions alive in Missouri. In between the festivities, we visited all our favorite wineries, enjoyed delicious food, and took a long walk along the riverfront and across the Hermann Bridge over the Missouri River.

As always, we met some wonderful new friends and I got a much-needed break from work and looming deadlines. It was a weekend full of laughter, music, dancing, and great wine—just what the soul needed.

Here are a few of my favorite photos from our long weekend…

As we settle back into the rhythm of everyday life and prepare to celebrate a milestone birthday at home, I’m holding onto the joy and connection we found in Hermann. There’s something magical about stepping into tradition, sharing laughter with strangers who quickly become friends, and dancing to the music of a culture that continues to thrive in the heart of Missouri. I’m grateful for the memories we made and the moments that reminded me to slow down and savor life. Stay tuned—next time, I’ll be back to sharing my creative content!

Happy in Hermann

Greetings friends! I thought I would pop in for a visit on a Sunday night. My husband and I returned earlier today from a long weekend in Hermann, Missouri and I thought I would share a plethora of photos from our trip.  Hermann is picturebook village in the Missouri River Valley that is known as Missouri Wine Country. A lovely small town that we like to visit once a year to unplug and unwind. We rented a lovely little Airbnb cottage downtown, where we could walk to all the restaurants and shopping and a quiet, quaint, little craft cocktail bar that we have found to be a favorite place. There are wonderful wineries throughout the area and we enjoy taking the trolley for a day to visit each one (it is hop on and hop off)....and it drops us off right at our lodging at the end of the day. 

This year, we decided to take The Shire Experience at Hermann Farm (one of my very favorite places) and get up close and personal with the shire draft horses. My husband and I were the only people on the tour, which made it an incredible experience. The Hermann Farm handlers and trainers showed us about the care, harnessing and driving of these magnificent horses - and then we were able to take a four-seat surrey (fancy farm wagon) ride pulled by the shire horses around the incredible 200 acre property. I was amazed at how much time we were able to spend with the shire horses and they were extremely affectionate and powerful at the same time. The farm also houses a draft mule and several sheep that we saw grazing on our ride around the farm. I loved this experience so much, it was a very special day.

While in Hermann, we also enjoyed wonderful food and wine, took several walks along the Missouri riverfront, and recharged. I really needed a break before the next month. As I mentioned in a previous post, I found out a couple weeks ago I would be taking a trip overseas with my parents in September. We are headed to Paris and London (a trip I never thought I would be taking in my lifetime!). We are going to be visiting some incredible places and I am thrilled I get to spend quality time with them for few weeks. It wasn't on my bingo card to be out of the country for a couple weeks (so soon!) and I am scrambling a bit to accomplish everything I need to do before we leave. The old saying - work hard, play hard. So, the Hermann trip was a restful few days away with my husband, before I am in a work frenzy.

As promised, here are some of my favorite sights from our trip...

I hope you enjoyed this trip to Hermann, MO through my camera lens. I will be back with more creative posts very soon! Have a great week and make time to do something special...