The Minnesota Blog

Minnesota travel tips and information from a life long resident. Learn what Minnesota residents know and love about our state.

Jun 13, 2008, Romantic Getaway in Minnesota

Make your hearts beat faster! Plan a romantic getaway in Minnesota. Share a luxury hotel or bed and breakfast. Take a romantic day trip.

Jun 13, 2008, Minnesota Jokes and Stories

Minnesota jokes and stories: Ole and Lena jokes and more. We can take the jokes that are on us!

Jun 11, 2008, Minnesota Tourist Attractions

Minnesota tourist attractions and list of top things to see for visitors to Minnesota

May 30, 2008, Dayton's Bluff in East Saint Paul

Historic Dayton's Bluff neighborhood in east Saint Paul, MN

Dec 3, 2007, Winter Is Finally Here!

Friday evening the stores were clogged with Minnesotans "stocking up" on milk and eggs. The predicted 6 - 8 inches of snow had many believing they would be snowbound for days I guess.

As usual the media hype was more of a blizzard than the snowfall. Nevetheless, I always get jazzed about a snowstorm. While feeling sorrow over every fender-bent car, and certainly over injuries, I wouldn't have stayed in Minnesota all these years if I didn't love snow.

Younger years of course, compelled me to suit up and head for the ski hill or sliding slopes. The walk across town to the skating rink, white figure skates over my shoulder, was winter's wonderful pleasure.

Now, my fireplace and hot cocoa bring more joy than do outdoor activities and I am always glad that it is not up to me to shovel!

The "snowstorm" came and went leaving a few inches of purity to hide the summer sins. All feels renewed.

And, Christmas is coming!

Oct 27, 2007, Autumn In Minnesota

Stressed out? Relax in autumn in Minnesota. Autumn days in Minnesota offer a bright canvas of colors and textures, and one of the best places to see them is hiking the woods and lakeside trails.

Autumn has lasted longer this year than usual in the North Star state. In years past we would have already had snow. This year we are enjoying temperatures in the 60’s and 70’s long after the parkas usually come out. The beauty draws us outdoors to enjoy, what for many Minnesotans, is the best time of year.

Halloween is upon us and lawns bloom with jack-o-lanterns and black cats. In many households, preparations for deer hunting season are in full swing.

We know winter is just around the corner but we have no intention of hibernating. We’ll bundle up and go out to play!

Ode to Autumn

Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness!
Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun;
Conspiring with him how to load and bless
With fruit the vines that round the thatch-eaves run;
To bend with apples the mossed cottage-trees,
And fill all fruit with ripeness to the core;
To swell the gourd, and plump the hazel shells
With a sweet kernel; to set budding more,
And still more, later flowers for the bees,
Until they think warm days will never cease,
For Summer has o'erbrimmed their clammy cells.
Who hath not seen thee oft amid thy store?
Sometimes whoever seeks abroad may find
Thee sitting careless on a granary floor,
Thy hair soft-lifted by the winnowing wind;
Or on a half-reaped furrow sound asleep,
Drowsed with the fume of poppies, while thy hook
Spares the next swath and all its twined flowers;
And sometimes like a gleaner thou dost keep
Steady thy laden head across a brook;
Or by a cider-press, with patient look,
Thou watchest the last oozings, hours by hours.
Where are the songs of Spring? Ay, where are they?
Think not of them, thou hast thy music too,
While barred clouds bloom the soft-dying day
And touch the stubble-plains with rosy hue;
Then in a wailful choir the small gnats mourn
Among the river sallows, borne aloft
Or sinking as the light wind lives or dies;
And full-grown lambs loud bleat from hilly bourn;
Hedge-crickets sing, and now with treble soft
The redbreast whistles from a garden-croft;
And gathering swallows twitter in the skies.
~ John Keats