Minnesota Prairie Roots

If I was a meteorologist, I could identify these cotton ball masses of clouds that hung over my Faribault home for a short time early Tuesday afternoon, another steamy day in Minnesota. Can anyone identify these?

UNSEASONABLY WARM. Record-breaking temperatures. High humidity.

You knew this blog post had to be coming. If I failed to write about the hot, summer-like weather we’ve experienced in southern Minnesota the past few days, I would risk deportation to Iowa or Wisconsin.

Not that I have anything against those neighboring states, but I am a Minnesotan through and through. And as such, writing or talking about the weather is a given. To do so is a geographical right.

Minnesotans boast/whine/complain/brag (choose your verb) about the weather.

In the winter, we talk about the sub-zero temperatures, windchills, blowing snow, winter storm warnings, blizzard warnings and, oh, yes, school closings.

In the summer we complain about the heat index and the humidity, always the humidity.

In the fall, we worry about an early frost and about too much rain keeping farmers out of fields.

But in the spring, typically, we are more content, unless, of course, the snow lingers too long, the weather is cool and wet or the farmers can’t get in the fields or there’s a late frost or there’s not enough rain.

Let me restate that. Even in spring we live in a season of weather-induced discontent, although we should feel content after six months of winter.

This spring, or at least in recent days, we’ve dealt with record-breaking temperatures. Here in Faribault on Monday, the temp soared to 95 degrees, unheard of for May 24.

In my neighborhood, kids are plunging into wading pools usually reserved for searing summer afternoons.

In my house, just days after our new central air conditioner was readied for use, I clicked the air switch to “on.” The cooling unit ran from Sunday evening to Tuesday evening, when a front brought much-needed rain and cooler temps. Last year we didn’t even install our window air conditioner.

So this is Minnesota. Cool one summer. Hot one spring.

In true Minnesota fashion, I will tell you, it could be worse.

Oh, sky, lovely sky. These clouds captivated me with their unique beauty.

© Copyright 2010 Audrey Kletscher Helbling