Nothing good comes out of Fall in the Upper Midwest

Watching the miserable weather across parts of the country today which really begin weeks ago, I am reminded that nothing good comes out of Fall in the Upper Midwest.  Maybe in other parts of the country, but not in the Upper Midwest.  

Before going farther, it is important to note that I grew up in Minnesota and spent most of my adult life living in Fargo, ND.  This assumes I was ever considered to be an adult, but that is a different story.

Anyway, something I learned years ago is nothing good comes out of Fall in Minnesota or North Dakota.  Snow and cold weather can start in October, November is just bleak with sad lonely trees having lost their leaves and though it can happen anytime, December is the real beginning of the extreme cold, snowstorms, ice on all the roads, and shoveling ten inches of what was forecasted to be partly cloudy.  

And you know it will get worse.  Most every January there is at least one week when the temperature is below zero for most of the week.  When you live in a place where five above and sunny is considered to be a warming trend, you have made a very bad long-term lifestyle choice.  

February is like January, except there are fewer days in the month.  

My wife often watches romantic comedies on one of the cable networks.  If you take time to notice, never do any of these romantic comedies take place in an area like Fargo. All the Winter ones are in some majestic winter ski community.  There is a reason for this.  

I suspect one of the reasons for the Holiday Season beginning with Thanksgiving is to take our minds off the Winter which is coming.  Encouraging people to shop outside, taking tiny baby steps on an ice-covered sidewalk when it is -20 degrees and that does not include wind-chill shopping for the perfect Christmas present is marketing at its best.  

Starting with stable economies, there are many good reasons to live in places like Fargo throughout the Upper Midwest, Winter is not one of them.  And Fall is a prelude to Winter.  

I want to finish this on a positive note for all those who live in the Upper Midwest.  There is a reason bears go to bed in the Fall and hibernate for the Winter.