Sure did. Sometimes we'd go to Arnold's woods and hunt mushrooms, pick up walnuts or pick wild flowers. That was our form of entertainment. Sometimes dad would take the poles and we'd go fishing (or just play in the water). If we were lucky, there might be a stop at the DQ before heading home. Dilly bars for all!

I forgot--we sang the whole time! haha!

When I was a kid, late 50's early 60's, we would take Sunday drives out to the country to visit my uncle's farm or to a hamburger and milkshake joint. I remember those trips fondly. I live in a suburban area now, we never take Sunday drives. Too much to do in our own town, and we live about 30 minutes drive from the Atlantic ocean, plenty of beaches we can visit. My kids like going to the mall with their friends, they don't want to hang out with Mom and Dad. Sad how times change.

I was just discussing this with a good friend the other day. When I was a child and money was tight (as it often was) we always looked forward to a nice Sunday afternoon drive. After church, we would go home, have dinner (lunch in the south) and then pile in the car for some great adventure. We almost always would find some place that had great ice cream (usually homemade) and we would all have a cone. Those were the days. Now, even if we could afford the gas, the highways are so congested and the drivers are so crazy that it's not a safe thing to do. And...if you could afford the gas, you couldn't afford the ice cream with the rising cost of dairy products. So, I guess we have no more lovely Sunday adventures to look forward to unless we win the lottery!!!

My husband and I don't but as a kid it was what my family did on many Sunday's after church and dinner. Sometimes we would just drive around our area and sometimes we would end up at one of my Aunts house who lived an hour away.
Thanks for the memories Glenda.

Two of my favorite memory rides:
1. In the fall, daddy would stop by the cotton field, let me pick a cotton ball and take it to school the next day for show and tell.

2. Driving out of town to Saxon's homemade candy store. First time I ever tasted a chocolate turtle. Man, loved those turtles. Still do. And they had the best divinity.

Used to. Still do like to take a drive or a day trip, but now with gas so high, I don't venture far out of my regular path. :(

We used to do that all the time....drive up the coast 60-80 miles to have lunch, see the elephant seals, admire the beautiful central coast and come home. Now with gas $3.69/gal we stay home and admire the view from our house.
When I was little my grandma used to call my mom and tell her to get ready because we were going on a picnic to find the sun.....and we always had crackers and sardines and onions......and sang hyms. My grandma died when I was 7.

Rock City, Chattanooga
Atlanta to see the Fox Theater
Fishing at Guntersville lake, caught my one and only catfish

Or to nearby lake just to stick our feet in the water!

When DH and I were first married we took Sunday drives because we couldn't afford to do anything else. In the early eighties DH, DS, our dog and I used to take long walks on Sundays because again we couldn't afford to do anything else. We would look for pretty rocks for my flower garden. We would go back with the truck to get them. I still have those rocks and cherish the memories of those long walks.

We didn't have a car when I was a kid, I got my first car after I married. My first hubby and I used to go for after church drives. I would get my younger brothers and take them too. I continued the tradition until mandatory overtime at work didn't allow for me to have a Sunday afternoon off, or any other afternoon either.

I like to take day trips and see some local culture. I made some snow pictures of the house across the street because the people who live there were gone last weekend when it snowed. When I took them the pictures a couple of days ago he gave me a book called Day trips From Memphis. It has some places in it I didn't think about going. I guess we will start going on drives again, but not necessarily on Sundays.

Linda

One of my favorite pastimes on Sunday afternoons was to drive until we found an old cemetery and walk it. Guess it is weird but I loved it. Found some relatives that way.

WE do we still love to take lazy drives and hit the dirt roads we have tons of them here in my part of Ok. Stacy

My family did this when I was a kid.

I saw a billboard the other day that said, "Replace the Sunday drive with a Sunday walk." Good advice.

Linda

DH and I used to drive out into the country and try to get lost.We would come to an intersection,and he would ask...which way?Left or right?
That way we found some of the most interesting little towns and hamlets.Then we'd stop somewhere for lunch,or park the car and stroll around some small town,
Somewhere along the way we stopped doing this,but we often talk about it.Now that we're both retired,maybe we'll start again.
When our kids were little,it was sunday's at the beach followed by taking them in their PJ's to the local drive-in...ahhhhhhh the memories!

We do this almost every Sunday. We live in rural north central Missouri and our biggest thing is looking for wildlife - deer, turkeys, geese, etc. We find lots. It's getting more expensive these days, of course, so we usually travel for less than an hour.

We did occasionally when I was a kid, but in the seven years during which World War II was on, from when I was 10, gas was rationed, so we used it very parsimoniously!

Sometimes it was to visit a relative's house.

If they had kids and it was evening, after running around till dark, we'd come to the house and be quiet as little mice, listening to the parents and relatives telling stories of their escapades in the past and their childhood ... the quietness being to not draw attention to ourselves, with the decision that it was time to go home to get the kids to bed.

Once in early spring, I took my kids 10 miles out of the city to the woodlot on the farm where I grew up, with bare trees everywhere (subsequent owners tapped the maple trees, but when they put a freeway through, most of the maples had been lost).

There were some dead branches on the ground and lots of dry, rustling leaves. Next to nothing apeared to be alive - no birds, either.

A couple of weeks later, maybe three, I invited them out again.

Son thought that prospect pretty boring, so begged off.

Daughter couldn't believe the huge change that had taken place during that short period - the weather was warmer, birds were there, leeks were out, flowers were abloom, trees were coming out in leaf, etc.

Sometimes when things look barren, lifeless and useless ... some surprising, wonderful things may be just about to happen.

I hope that that experience may have been meaningful to her in later times of difficulty - marriage break-up, company (dealing successfully with bed-wetters, mostly kids) in which she was quite active going bankrupt (which was a darn shame ... don't know if the diet-related stuff's being done, now, as the electric stuff doesn't work) ... and her Mom's death a few years ago.

How large an influence, often unrealized as we go, our childhood has upon us as we journey through life.

And get to second childhood.

Good wishes for making beautiful memories for the people that you meet from day to day - even casual acquaintances.

ole joyful

P.S. The only way that I can take a Sunday drive just now ...

... is with someone else in their car ...

... or with a driver sitting beside me who's been licensed for at least four years.

That was an awesome stroll down memory lane...thanks for starting it, Crusty!
Suzan J

My kids were forced to take Sunday country drives with me when I lived in Austin, Texas. My Niece lived with us at the time. Ages 4, 9 and 14. My Niece being the oldest.

I would follow different trails each time. Scenic Route, Blue Bonnet Route, Deer Route, Hill Country Route. LOL! Then there was the Cave Route. My Niece said "You've seen one Cave, you've seen 'em all". "Seen one Hill You've seen em all". "When are we gonna eat?".

Still it's a good memory. I loved it. I guess our favorite was a drive to Inks Lake to hand feed the deer.

Gayle

Wow, Ed. Your phrase:

Sometimes when things look barren, lifeless and useless ... some surprising, wonderful things may be just about to happen.

Really affected me. Thanks for posting that. I needed that right now.