Peculiar
I am in receipt of an email from Cheryl, a fellow New Englander enjoying the second half of her life in Minnesota. Here is Cheryl’s list of Minnesotan things that took getting used to. [My … ‣ more…
Category Archives: Culture
Haunting
Halloween in Saint Paul is kinda different than in Groton center. This is a walking neighborhood, with narrow streets in which drivers don’t speed much. Sidewalks on both sides. Smallish houses with porches and lights … ‣ more…
Booyah
This evening we head to our first booyah (though our hosts spell it without the “h”). Not to be confused with sportscaster Stuart Scott’s or money guy Jim Cramer’s exuberant catch-phrase, the booyah under discussion … ‣ more…
Heat?
In New England, everyone seems to have a date in mind when it’s OK to turn on the main source of heat in the house. Is the same true in Minnesota? Let’s find out. his Yankee Magazine … ‣ more…
Pre-Fair
Went to the Minnesota State Fair Friday and it was not bad. Actually we haven’t gone yet, so the above echo of Mrs. Sundberg is premature. We’ll be heading for the grounds in the afternoon to … ‣ more…
Parade
The Twin Cities love a parade. For a few more days we will have Pianos on Parade around the metro area. Most of the pianos aren’t in fact moving around, as “parade” might suggest: Pianos … ‣ more…
Library
[Note added 2018-10-19] Todd Bol, the founder of the Little Free Library movement, died this week of pancreatic cancer at his home in Wisconsin. He was 62. Here is the Star Trib’s obituary. Minnesotans love … ‣ more…
Frozen
The Twin Cities may be as ice-cream crazy as Cambridge or Groton, Massachusetts. We run the numbers. Boston and nearby towns are famous for their love of ice cream. Residents line up at the shops … ‣ more…
Siren
It is the first Wednesday of the month, 1:00 pm, and the tornado sirens just went off. Eeriest damn sound. Turns out they are tested every month at this time; Katharyn knew that right off the … ‣ more…
Elf
Last week I surprised Katharyn by taking her to a delightful local attraction about which she had known nothing. I no longer remember where I came across the Lake Harriet Elf in my reading and … ‣ more…