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Only in Minnesota?! - Perhaps... One or Two Other Places...

By Marzena Melby

Real Estate Agent with Coldwell Banker Burnet Realty MN Broker# 20588319

February 21, 2008 02:09 AM

The temperatures in the Twin Cities got down to 15 degrees below zero night before last, and that's air temp. Wind chill was in the neighborhood of 35-40 below zero.. brrrrr.. Yeah, it's pretty cold. Wait, whatever happened to global warming?! Can't find it here.

Remember science experiments in grade school? Did they teach you what happens to hot, almost boiling water when you throw it into the air when air temperatures are below zero? Water mostly dissipates. My daughter and I did this yesterday morning before I drove her to school. Here's what happened:

Ice Steam 1 Ice Steam 2

Here's another thing about Minnesota I could not believe when I first moved here 20 years ago: people drive cars and trucks on lakes in the winter and they bring fish houses on lakes, use them like a lake cabin for fishing until they are about to break through the ice when it gets closer to spring. It all obviously depends on temperatures that determine thickness of ice. It seems there's always at least one person who drives on ice late in the season the car break through ice.

Here are a couple of fish houses from the area:

Fish House 1 Fish House 2

It's a bit warmer this morning than it was yesterday. And, by this weekend our temps will in the thirties... Beach weather?! Shorts, for sure.

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Obeoman Glade Jones

www.obeo.com - Salt Lake City, UT

Marzena-that would totally rule! An AR icefishing contest! With the prize being...ummm...a trip to the nearby hot tub?

Steve

Feb 21, 2008 09:07 AM

Marzena Melby

Coldwell Banker Burnet Realty - Richfield, MN

Realtor, Twin Cities Minnesota Real Estate

Deborah - It certainly was fun. And, yes, some people really like to fish. Sometimes I wonder if they have an ulterior motive: getting away from their family, or drinking all the beer they can (or both?).LOL

Steven - Sounds good to me!

Thank you both for visiting. Have an awesome weekend.

Feb 21, 2008 10:36 PM

Judy Greenberg

Compass - Long Grove, IL

Compass- Long Grove -Buffalo Grove

Marzena, what a great experiment. Your child must be in 6th grade since my children are learning the same concepts. I can't wait for our heatwave of 30 this weekend. Maybe then we can sell some homes

Feb 22, 2008 03:09 AM

Marzena Melby

Coldwell Banker Burnet Realty - Richfield, MN

Realtor, Twin Cities Minnesota Real Estate

Hi Judy - Yes, she is. We had fun.

Aren't we all ready for this market to do something?! Let's sell our open houses!

Thank you for your comment.

Feb 22, 2008 03:36 AM

Gary White~Grand Rapids Home Selling Pro Call: 616-821-9375

Flexit Realty "Flexible Home Selling Solutions" - Grand Rapids, MI

Real Estate Services You can Trust!

Marzena, thanks for sharing the photos. We've had quite the same kind of winter here in Michigan this year. Snow, blowing, freezing temps...even some rain and thunderstorms...crazy weather. At least spring is right around the corner!

Feb 22, 2008 07:56 AM

Marzena Melby

Coldwell Banker Burnet Realty - Richfield, MN

Realtor, Twin Cities Minnesota Real Estate

Gary - Yes, we've had sort of crazy weather throughtout the Midwest, and we are all ready for spring.

Deborah - Sounds lovely. Most of us need time alone to energize. I'd love to be able to get away for a few days to a lake cabin to enjoy the water, sunrises and sunsets, warm sun and birds singing, and no cell phone.

Thank you both for your comments.

Feb 22, 2008 10:59 PM

Gary Woltal

Keller Williams Realty - Flower Mound, TX

Assoc. Broker Realtor SFR Dallas Ft. Worth

Minnesota, Marzena, is flat out amazing how their residents deal with the cold. The North this year has been getting hit hard in the winter where the South has hardly had ANY winter to speak of.

Feb 25, 2008 12:59 PM

Lynn Johnson

Coldwell Banker Home Connection - Owatonna, MN

Owatonna, MN Real Estate

Marzena - We are a hearty bunch, aren't we? I've been spending a lot of time outdoors this winter, and have enjoyed it more than any other winter I can think of (since I was a kid). I've walked outside on local trails about 3-4 days each week and have seen so many sights that I can't see when the leaves are on the trees. I've been having a ball. I'm still not a fan of driving in blizzards, though. Best wishes for a prosperous 2008.

Feb 25, 2008 02:19 PM

Marzena Melby

Coldwell Banker Burnet Realty - Richfield, MN

Realtor, Twin Cities Minnesota Real Estate

Gary - We don't have a perfect climate in this country, especially in the last several years. The south has had its share of problems, some quite significant, as you know. Although it's nice to escape the cold, I love having seasons and changes in the weather.

Lynn - Good for you! The cold isn't really that bad if you are dressed for it. Best wishes to you, too.

I wish you both a fabulous week!

Feb 25, 2008 10:07 PM

Jan Evett

The Premier Property Group LLC - Rosemary Beach, FL

Broker Associate, 20 years+ in real estate

Hi, Marzena,

I love the photos ... I've been in FL so long that I don't remember much about this kind of cold weather. It was fun seeing the boiling water pics. Bring your shorts and flip flops when you come to the beach! Thanks for commenting on my post earlier, and I am enjoying reading your blog this morning. Welcome to The Rain!

Feb 26, 2008 10:47 PM

Teri Eckholm

Boardman Realty - White Bear Lake, MN

REALTOR Serving Mpls/St Paul North & East Metro

Marzena--Even as a lifelong MN resident, I have never driven my car on a lake. There have been too many that go through the ice for me to ever take that chance....I don't care how thick they say the ice is! But it never ceases to amaze me at how many Minnesotans do drive out on the ice!

Feb 26, 2008 11:33 PM

Marzena Melby

Coldwell Banker Burnet Realty - Richfield, MN

Realtor, Twin Cities Minnesota Real Estate

Jan - Thank you. I have my beach bag packed, see you there!

Teri - I'm so with you! So many people take so many chances. For us, it's better to safe rather than sorry.

Thank you both for stopping by. Enjoy the day!

Feb 27, 2008 01:25 AM

Mesa, Arizona Real Estate Mesa Arizona Realtor

Homes Arizona Real Estate LLC - Mesa, AZ

AzLadyInRed

Marzena, what an interesting post. I love the idea of fish houses. How cool! As far as how cold it gets, I have NEVER lived in that type of weather. Can't imagine what that would do to my body. ;-)

I don't believe in the global warming anyway. We've had an unusually cooooold winter - maybe not compared to your's, but the 70's never showed up. Next week, though - I hope. Today it reached 81. I'd rather not skip over the 70's.

Feb 28, 2008 11:52 AM

Marzena Melby

Coldwell Banker Burnet Realty - Richfield, MN

Realtor, Twin Cities Minnesota Real Estate

Teri - You'd get used to the temps (it's hard to believe, but it's true!). I agree on the global warming issue: this winter has been unusually cold all over the world, and it's brought very unusual weather. It seems that the global warming advocates have been awfully quiet in the last 2-3 months (wonder why?!).

Great to hear from you.

Feb 28, 2008 01:08 PM

Julie Neerings~Lifting Hearts ♥ Building Dreams~

Agent Referral - Salt Lake City, UT

Marzena~Oh my, you really have been hit with a lot of snow too. That has been the story of our lives here. I love the house fishing on the lake. My hubby would love that.

Mar 01, 2008 05:03 PM

Marzena Melby

Coldwell Banker Burnet Realty - Richfield, MN

Realtor, Twin Cities Minnesota Real Estate

Julie - He might have to wait till next year since all fish houses have to be off the ice now (the deadline was midnight on 2/29), but maybe we can arrange something for him. How about we plan for all the guys go ice fishing and all the girls shopping at MOA?! Just an idea.

Mar 02, 2008 01:48 AM

Ed Vogt

Midwest Properties of Michigan - Grandville, MI

Grandville, MI Midwest Properties

When I first moved here and saw people driving on the lakes and the fishing shacks, I thought they were nuts. I still personally am not a big fan of driving on water but the avid fishermen and snowmobile enthusiasts love it.

Mar 10, 2008 11:54 PM

Marzena Melby

Coldwell Banker Burnet Realty - Richfield, MN

Realtor, Twin Cities Minnesota Real Estate

Ed - Under certain conditions, driving on ice is safe. However, there are people attempt to do it when it's not necessarily safe, and they get into trouble, then they whine, etc. Oh, well...

Thank you for visiting. Have a good day.

Mar 11, 2008 02:19 AM

Todd Clark - Retired

eXp Realty LLC - Tigard, OR

Principle Broker Oregon

It never has gotten that cold here, but I would love to show my kids an experiment like this! How cool for you to do that with your daughter before she went off to school. I'm sure she was talking about it all day!