I've been visiting friends in
Tower, Minnesota, not far from the Canadian border during a stretch of beautiful February weather. The bright sunshine, blue skies, and clean white snow up here is perfect for snow shoeing, cross-country skiing, and snowmobiling. Did I mention it's cold? Well, they did have a thaw a week ago, but now it's back down to normal--temps around 0˚ Fahrenheit at night, 20˚ at midday. Pretty reasonable for this area: in 1996, the thermometer went down to an historic low of -62˚ Farenheit. In other words, this is the Land O' Cold. Frostbite's a real hasard. But outdoor activity thrives and rural life here is vigorous and healthy. The kids were out shooting baskets in the yard, sliding down a homemade snow hill, and hiking in the woods beyond the pasture.
