Minnesota - contd from previous post..

Lesser known facts about MN - contd.

- 'Minnesota nice' is not mandated by some draconian law enacted by the state, as some outsiders might think, but is actually because of a genuinely and sincerely nice and pleasant people.

- Smiling at and greeting friends, neighbors and even rank strangers is not compulsory, but is generally observed as such.

- Rest of Small-town-Minnesota is even more charming than our largest small-town - Minneapolis. If you wanted to visit an actual city, Chicago is about 7 hours to the South-East of us. But be warned- Minnesota-nice ceases to exist East of the St. Croix river.

- Unlike it's neighbor state- Wisconsin, Minnesota's main source of revenue is NOT speeding ticket charges. That honor goes to Parking violation tickets downtown Minneapolis.

- All Minnesotans are proud Norsemen and Vikings. In fact most of the Nordic minded people from far away places like China, India, Vietnam, Somalia, Mexico etc. move to Minnesota to discover/invent their Nordic roots and feel at home in this frigid tundra.

- Minnesota is viewed variously as a Red, Blue or purple state - depending on the viewer's predisposition, but an unchangeable fact is that Minnesotans firmly believe that the word 'polite' is an integral part of the word 'politics'.

- It is true that the local TV and Radio stations eagerly talk about the possibility of it snowing, leading up to Christmas. You see, without that white stuff there would be no white Christmas. The rest of the year they are anxiously reporting oncoming blizzards with gloom and doom written on their faces.

If you have any (lesser-known) facts to contribute, please leave comments.

Minnesotans like their winters cold and snowy. "Keeps the riff-raff away!" being the common refrain. But those hardy (or devoid of choices) enough to stay a full cycle of all seasons learn to appreciate the wondrous and sudden changes in landscape, as the seasons pass the baton. Come spring and in a couple of weeks, the barren land turns on the switch of lush greenery and blossoming trees. Before you know it, the weather is so hot and humid that you can actually complain about the heat also. Before conceding to a frigid winter, the scenery changes again and the land dons the brightest and most varied colors during Autumn. Dozens of varieties of Apples load the trees and pumpkin patches are rolling with orange orbs. People keep going on with their lives as before, but come winter and nature slowly recedes into a deep slumber for the next few months as grass turns yellow and trees look dead - devoid of all foliage. But even that starkness has a beauty of its own.
Most of those who stay long enough to view the entire spectacle, involuntarily become naturalists. That, usually is the beginning of a long lasting (mostly) love (but sometimes) hate relationship with Minnesota.