AS A LIFE-LONG MINNESOTAN, I speak Minnesotan. It’s hotdish, not casserole. Pop, not soda. Bars may be a sweet treat baked in a cake pan and cut into squares or a place to imbibe. And when someone is going Up North, it’s not to Canada, but typically to the cabin in the Brainerd lakes area or thereabouts.
I’m proud to be rooted in this state many consider fly-over land. On a road trip to the East Coast a few years back, folks, upon learning I was from Minnesota, reacted, “Oh, it’s cold and snowy there.” I’m just fine with non-residents thinking that. It is cold for much of the year. And it is snowy, too, most winters. But we have four distinct seasons to be appreciated in a state that is geographically diverse. Prairie. Woods. Bluffs. Rolling land. Farm fields. Cliffs that rise above the Mississippi River and Lake Superior. Wilderness. Lakes numbering 10,000-plus. All inside our spacious borders.
And outside “The Cities,” as we term the twin cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, away from metro lights, the night sky is dark, expansive and filled with more stars than you can imagine. Sky and land defined my childhood home on the vast prairie of southwestern Minnesota. But even here in southeastern Minnesota, the sky is big as noted by a Boston visitor. She saw the Minnesota night sky for the first time as we drove her to Faribault from the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. The infinite number of stars impressed her. Northern lights (the aurora borealis), which I have yet to see, are also an attraction.
If I sound like I work for the Minnesota Department of Tourism, I don’t. That job falls to legendary lumberjack Paul Bunyan, unofficial tourism CEO. Clad in his signature buffalo plaid flannel, he is easily recognizable, much-loved and a trendsetter in fashion in the North Star State. I would venture to guess that nearly every Minnesotan owns a collection of flannel shirts. They are my go-to winter attire.
Did I mention that we don’t speak Fargo, even if that North Dakota city sits across the Red River from Moorhead, Minnesota? I’ve been told we drag out the “o” sound in a distinctly Minnesoooootan sound. Could be. I don’t necessarily hear it. I don’t deny, though, that we are obsessed about the weather. Conversations within our borders usually include one weather reference whether it be wind chill or humidity or “hot enough for you?”.
Minnesotans are known for a thing called “Minnesota Nice,” which I like to believe is true most of the time. We are a bit reserved, use phrases like “that’s different” or “that’s interesting” when we really don’t like something or disagree, but want to be nice by holding back our honest thoughts.
Our goodbyes are prolonged. Often, as visiting family is leaving my home, I find myself either standing in the driveway or window waving, waving, waving. That follows the hugs I’ve given only minutes earlier. You can’t get in too many goodbye waves.
Meat raffles, potlucks, ice fishing, lutefisk dinners (or suppers, depending on time of day), fish fries, snowmobile races, hockey, naming our snowplows, all are part of Minnesota culture. Even wood tick races (at the Woodtick Inn in Cuyuna).
I love this state where I’ve lived my entire life, even when I complain about the long winters and abundance of mosquitoes. This is home. Always has been. Always will be.
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IF YOU HAVE any questions about Minnesota, any observations, anything you want to share, please do. Just follow the rules of “Minnesota Nice.”
© Copyright 2024 Audrey Kletscher Helbling
Minnesota Prairie Roots 
Since we moved here in 2022, we’ve been able to visit places (mostly parks) all over Minnesota – it’s proved to be an amazingly varied and interesting state. Way, way more than fly-over country. The cold and snow thing is a point of pride – but really not that bad if you have good boots. It seems that Paul Bunyan shows up wherever there are (or have been) loggers. There is a huge statute of him and Babe at the Trees of Mystery attraction in the redwood forests of far northern California. But Minnesota gets credit for the first printed Paul Bunyan story (Duluth, 1904) and the first statues of Paul and Babe (in Bemidji).
You sound like you have a good handle on Minnesota and are enjoying your new life in our state. Welcome! We’re happy to have you here!
You are the perfect ambassador for the state you live in and love❤️
I try. Thank you, Ruth.
yes! Your description of Minnesota matches my feelings when we would make our trek back every year to visit my parents and siblings from Texas. Being stationed in Texas with my husband on active duty I missed everything about Minnesnowta as we affectionately called it. once in Faribault off 35 i knew we were almost “home”. one year the snow was so bad we couldnt see ahead and had to stop at a truck stop just to rest for awhile and it was electric! everyone talking about the weather!
Growing up in the suburbs of Minneapolis the skyline was my favorite and always will be despite the fact we have been gone over 35 years. Going up north for my youngest brothers death brought back the beauty of the pines and the air is fresher and sky is brighter. Everyone is gone now but my youngest sister and we had 6 siblings. My Dad an avid fisherman and my moms tuna hotdish the best along with her rhubarb sauce. 🙂
you wont be able to resd all this right now with your eyes but as Bob Hope use to say “thanks for the memories”
Get well!! sending smiles and love😊😊😊😊😊😊❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️😊😊😊😊
kathy
Kathy, thank you for sharing your Minnesotan nuances of fishing, tuna hotdish and rhubarb sauce. I’m sorry you’ve lost nearly all of your siblings. That’s a lot of grief.
I appreciate your smiles. Each day I’m improving. Post-op visit today. I have my list of questions ready. 🙂
I hope a good report with your followup.
God is good. lov u😊❤️
Thank you, Kathy!
Lovely post, Audrey. Thank you for the glimpse into your life! Hope you are well. ❤ ❤ ❤
Improving daily, Penny. Glad you enjoyed my perspective of Minnesota.
Minnesota is one of the most beautiful places in the USA. I had to chuckle at your description of the Mid West goodbye. I you know, you know!
I agree. Minnesota is beautiful. Yup, the Midwest goodbye…it’s drawn out and lovely in every way. Just said some long goodbyes this evening when leaving the grandchildren, daughter and son-in-law.
Nicely done! Thanks for reminding me of everything Minnesota that I come back for once a year in the summer. Glad your eyes are healing.
I’m glad you get back “home” to Minnesota annually. And, yes, my eyes are healing. It just takes time.
I love reading about other places, and you make Minnesota sound wonderful. I think I might do a bit of a North American road trip one day soon.
We’d love to have you here in Minnesota!
Minnesota is home for me too, and I love it.
Love that you love Minnesota, too, Valerie!
I would agree that you don’t speak Fargo. On the contrary, people in Fargo speak just like those nice people across the river in Minnesota! In my experience, the Minnesotan accent gets more pronounced as you go north and west in the state and is strongest in the Red River valley region and in northern Minnesota.
Thanks for that observation about the Minnesota accent. You made me laugh with the first part of your comment.
you have made it all sound so lovely and it’s clear you live it and love it, with so many good reasons why
I do. Love Minnesota!
It’s wonderful to love where you live, isn’t it? I have found something to love about everyplace we have lived.
You are so adaptable. I love that you’ve found something to love about every place you’ve lived.
Fargo? Ah – the place I was born. Also, the first place I went bar hopping with my grand dad! That is the earliest memory I have. I was so young, I did not walk, could not speak and did not form my thoughts in any language. Grand dad had to do some explaining after the women folk got home, found grand dad – but no future “Gunny” (aka, at the time, the baby). Yup, Grand Dad had left me in some bar. Sorry, I love the way people speak up there as well as other locations. I usually get a smile when I hear it. Most people can not place where I am from based on my speech. I joined the Navy in a Southwestern state. While in Minnesota (attending college) I went on the required 2 weeks active duty only to come home ready to ask that all important question a guy will rarely ask only to find my sweet Minnesota girlfriend had found a new crush in my absence. Then, to answer the tune “What do you do with a drunken sailor” – I joined the Marines (an organization born in a bar!) – kinda like a cheap version of Alcohol Rehab – only longer and even carried an all expenses paid 13 month (er 12?) vacation to Southeast Asia. Minnesota has a special place in my heart. I will raise my cup of coffee in a toast to you all for your health and well being. God Bless!
Gunny, those are quite the stories. What an interesting life you’ve led. I love that Minnesota holds a special place in your heart still.
Love it!
Awww, thank you, Gretchen. 🙂
I appreciate your love for Minnesota. I feel that way about California. I was born here, and will die here. I lived for one year in Washington state when Herb was in the Air Force.
I love that you love where you live, Norma.