After writing for well over fifteen years, I find myself in need of a reset. To accomplish this, I've decided to visit out of the way places - to take in their essence, to get a feel for the people and the area.
Yesterday, I chose New Bavaria, Ohio as my source for inspiration. Before heading to Henry County where it's located, I did a quick Google search. I didn't want to read everything about it, just enough to get a vague idea of what to expect. I found that as of 2020 census, New Bavaria was home to 86 people.
Upon arrival to the rural-farming community, there wasn't much to see. At the same time, there was a lot to take in (if that makes sense).
Many of the homes were older, along with several newly constructed ones. A granary had been built adjacent to the village park.
As with all municipalities, there was also a town hall, fire department with one truck, a post office, and a VFW. Sacred Heart Catholic Church and cemetery sat on one end of town, while Emanuel Christian Church sat at the other end.
Here's where the inspiration for writing comes into play for me. While I walked around, I determined that the closeness of this community would be the perfect setting for a small-town contemporary or historical romance. Maybe even a thriller with witness protection at the heart of it. The possibilities are endless.
Life is a series of adventures, big and small. Each one parks permanently into the brain long after the experiences are over. Not only do those memories bring joy, but they prompt me to do something with them. My husband says I never stop writing. He's right. I'm always composing things; a story or poem - currently a blog post. 💗 For now, I'll allow the details from my trip to the lovely little village of New Bavaria to marinate. At some point, they may be included in a new project.
I was happy to see so many American flags flying in this quaint, tucked away community.
Where will I go next? Stay tuned. 😀
Thank you for stopping by my blog!
Love,
Jan
