Celebrating... winter?

Woohoo! The snowpack is melting, the snowpack is melting! The air feels so balmy, I almost want to go out without a coat. Almost. I did leave my gloves off, though.

This really late January thaw is a welcome relief from the frigidness of late. But even as I celebrate and feel the hope that spring is just around the corner, I know Minnesota well enough to clamp down on my enthusiasm and temper it with cynicism. March is around the corner, and all good Minnesotans know that it's the snowiest month of the year.

I love how some optimistic (and apparently really hot-blooded) crazies decide that just because it's warmer outside than it was a few days ago, they can go outside in a t-shirt and shorts. But going from 32 below to 48 above doesn't qualify as that much of a heat wave to me, even though it's 80 degrees difference. That's just me, though.

I was never a native-born Minnesotan. These are a special type of people... anti-freeze flows in their veins. The mental toughness it takes to make it through 6 (at least) months of winter creates strong, able-bodied characters who can stare a blizzard in the face and laugh while they stock up their freezers (which are in the garage, along with the extra fridge) and batten down the hatches.

An inch of snow can bring the great state of Texas to its knees, and Minnesotans (because they're nice) will offer words of condolence and smiles of sympathy. Meanwhile, we jump in frozen lakes (after we cut a hole in top...sometimes) for fundraisers or just for the heck of it. When the ice gets too thin to walk on and we want to get some more ice fishing in, we drag canoes out on it "in case" we break through.

Speaking of ice fishing, we create whole cities of fish houses on larger lakes, with street names, and snowplowing services. Some of the fish houses are nicer than many double wide trailer homes. This is fishing where you drill some holes in the ice and wait for the fish to swim by and take your bait (for those of you who live where the lakes don't freeze and are envisioning catching chunks of ice).

Now I know most of you reading this are Minnesotans, so this is nothing new to you. But it is a different way of life, and most of us embrace it. What else can you do with 6 months of winter?

The great part about this state, this country... and the world in general, is the differences. We can celebrate how we do things differently! Some of you, after reading this post, may be thinking, "Thank heavens I don't live in Minnesota!" (heck, I thought that when we were living in Trinidad. That was then, and this is now).

I started with this post celebrating the spring-like weather, and end it with celebrating the uniqueness of Minnesotans and our devastating, incredible, lengthy, and character-building winters. When it comes down to it, loving where you're at is the ultimate in contentedness, which brings peace. Minnesotans have made "loving where you're at" an art form. I can respect that, and enjoy this thaw even knowing that March is around the corner.

P.S. What's your favorite winter activity? I need to go downhill skiing before spring gets here!