Weird Things People Do on Frozen Lakes

I am not a native Minnesotan. Therefore, seeing tiny little house scattered all over frozen lakes and people DRIVING on the lakes still cracks me up. They are ice fishermen. Possibly fisherwomen as well. Every winter, when the lakes freeze solid enough, people build little houses around the holes they fish in.

Me, I'm a big winter wimp. There, I said it. As much as I love the North and tolerate the cold, I am not a big fan of winter sports! Reading books and playing games and watching movies, those I am a big fan of!

And with my run of strange luck, I would probably fall through the ice on the coldest day (when it's least likely to happen) and get attacked by some strange Southern fish that's lost.

This is White Bear Lake last week, after the weather warmed up 40 degrees, from -20 to 20. The trail of houses goes as far as the eye can see across the lake.

I don't know, maybe I should put it on my life long list of things to do, just to say 'I lived in Minnesota and I went ice fishing'. Maybe.

Dellwood

Dellwood. Dellwood is where F Scott Fitzgerald spent his non - St Paul Minnesota time, and where they lived when his daughter, Scottie, was born. I knew I had seen it, been through it, but I tend to get lost when I'm driving anywhere (you know, like home from work!) and I couldn't remember where I had seen it. I took a couple of quick jaunts around White Bear Lake, and while I found a lot of the beautiful historic houses, I did not come across Dellwood.

On a later trip, when I was thinking that it was mentioned that it was near Highway 96, I headed down that way towards Stillwater one night. I knew it wasn't the direction towards St Paul, because, well, I'd already tried that! As I drove, it clicked that Dellwood was near our favorite apple orchard, Pine Tree Apple Orchard. And there she was, a small sign a few hundred feet before the turn off for the orchard. It was too dark to do any real exploring, but we will soon make numerous trips there, for a good portion of our fall entertainment.

In honor of my finally finding Dellwood, I posted one of my favorite photos from the orchard, from back when I had the most emo toddlers ever, circa 2004.

On White Bear Lake...

He saw these rail road tracks, this cemetery, a few of these houses, and the way the fading sun hits the lake and lights it with an almost living electricity. As I have been trying to understand war, and researching the writers of the Lost Generation (those who were trying to make their way after WWI), I have found out that F Scott Fitzgerald was not only born in St Paul but spent a good deal of time in White Bear Lake. WBL is not too far from here, a lively tourist attraction, almost quaint and definitely sweet. I like to go for drives by the lake, and walk through town and shop.

I wonder what he would recognize and what he would be surprised to see. I wonder if he saw it, if he would even care. I read the Great Gatsby one summer, 1992 or 1993. The images from the book are still in my memory. It did not surprise me to learn of the time he spent here. Even though it is set in Long Island, it makes me think of Minneapolis and St Paul, and the wide plains that would have separated the towns back then.

I picked up a book about his homes and haunts the other day. It was written in 1978, 30 years ago. Even at that time, a number of places had been torn down for Interstates and highways. I plan on a bit of an excursion one day, when I can spare the change for gas for getting lost and going in circles. Perhaps a Sunday walking tour on Summit Ave, with its grand houses and lasting legacies.

I just want to sneak a small peek back in time.