OT: I forgot how I loved Minnesota

[Montana Tom]

I just got back from a funeral in Central Minnesota yesterday.
Flew in on short notice from Montana (direct flight, thank you).
Rented a car and spent Thursday night with some college friends...he played baseball for the Gophers and we remembered many stories.  Her sisters sang a song at their reception from the movie White Christmas (one of my wife's favorites)..."Sisters" (the one that Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye copied with the big blue feathers)...except the girls changed the words of course.

Went to my Uncle's funeral near Pierz...been a while since I'd been to the little town just south of there that both my parents grew up.  The funeral, for my uncle...he was the last of all the siblings of that family that were stalwarts of that community.  I had gotten a hand-written letter literally one month earlier from him...he was still making plans for spring turkey hunting, the fishing opener and reconnecting with his deer hunting buddies.  He was 86.  

Lots of memories in that church where I had attended so many weddings (and funerals) of extended family members. It wasn't my home town where I grew up, but rather where both my parents came from.

But after the funeral lunch and visits with old family friends and many cousins were done, I followed a couple of cousins up to the family lake compound near Nisswa, less than an hour away from their home place. They were opening the cabins up for the summer, getting water turned on, docks out and such.

I forgot how nice the Minnesota lake country is.  The little taverns and resorts on these lakes.  
The fishing and hunting culture.  The summers spent "cabining" with young kids...now grandkids instead of brothers and sisters.  Another generation. 

As I drove back yesterday on a bluebird morning through Brainerd and down to MSP airport, I was reflecting that while I love the mountains, yeah, I could probably live in the lake country of central or Northern Minnesota.

[purplefaithful]

Glad to hear it MT...

This reminds me of our own situation.

My daughter is in town from LA for my dads funeral and she gets revitalized coming-back to the home she grew up in...Ducks, geese, swans on the wetlands. Greenery, trees budding, birds, cardinals singing..I could wax on, but I wont.

All is good for the soul, especially this time of year.

[Caactorvike]

Tom, thanks for that post. It brought back many memories for me too. I remember the old story of the man who spent his life living out on the prairie. As an old man he got a chance to see the Rockies for the first time. He was asked what he thought of them and he answered,” well, I think they’re fine but they get in the way of the view.”  I grew up in the twin cities but my mother grew up in a small prairie town in SW Mn. We went there often as kids and I once asked an old farmer what he liked about living out on the prairie. He said, “ I like to see the weather coming.” What a beautiful, evocative sentence, isn’t it?  I like to see the weather coming. Anyway, thanks for jogging my memory.

[ArizonaViking]

Living in Arizona, I relish the trips back to the family farm in Minnesota...the smell of fresh cut alfalfa, sounds of the birds, the breeze blowing through the trees and mostly the quietness of the country area. I miss the large yard of grass, the numerous trees the green meadows and of course, the lake across the county road. It will always be a part of me since I spent the first fifteen years of my life there. Minnesota will always really my home.

[Vikergirl]

I absolutely love Cass Lake, Bemidji and Brainerd. I spent so much time up there as a kid because my grandparents lived there. So many memories and good times were had. I go to my grandparents house in the summers and everything comes flooding back. They are gone now but their house was the 2nd house built, it is 125 years old.

[purplefaithful]

Living in Arizona, I relish the trips back to the family farm in Minnesota...the smell of fresh cut alfalfa, sounds of the birds, the breeze blowing through the trees and mostly the quietness of the country area.  I miss the large yard of grass, the numerous trees the green meadows and of course, the lake across the county road.  It will always be a part of me since I spent the first fifteen years of my life there.  Minnesota will always really my home.

Ever considered coming back or too entrenched now?

I think I would have a hard time (at least at my age) moving year round to Az, NV or Tx...just too damn hot (and brown) for me.

Snow-birding sure.

[ArizonaViking]

Ever considered coming back or too entrenched now?

I think I would have a hard time (at least at my age) moving year round to Az, NV or Tx...just too damn hot (and brown) for me.

Snow-birding sure.

I'm retiring in a couple of months and moving near my kids and grandkids in northern New Mexico about 40 miles from Durango, Colorado.  But I'll step up on my trips to Minnesota now since I have a lot more time.

[purplefaithful]

I'm retiring in a couple of months and moving near my kids and grandkids in northern New Mexico about 40 miles from Durango, Colorado.  But I'll step up on my trips to Minnesota now since I have a lot more time.

Congrats to you! 

Give yourself some time to adjust - took me a good 6-9 mos. 

Main thing is to stay healthy!!

[kmillard]

It's great if you can visit and leave. I am ready to move and save some tax dollars.