We've thrived on three months of winter
Endured it without a complaint,
For we are true Minnesotans
And delicate people we ain't.
We love to see the snow falling
Our spirits begin to renew
Now we pray for that day, maybe Monday,
When the snowplows cannot make it through.
On that morning we'll put on our parkas
And enjoy a bitter cold day,
The tree limbs stark and dramatic
The sky a cold cloudy gray.
The wind picks up and we smile,
We laugh at the hard freezing rain.
For we are northern people
And we're happier when we're in pain.
Some people complain about winter,
The fancy and the effete,
The people who love New Age music
The people who cook with mesquite.
The people who use the word "network"
And I know that it's not nice to say
But that is the beauty of winter
It keeps all those people away.
In summer you get the illusion
That life must be gentle and warm,
But wisdom comes to us in winter
When we have to stay home in the storm.
When the blizzard comes out of the northwest,
You cannot do as you would do.
So winter is when nature teaches
That the world is not here to please you.
We stand with our long jumper cables
Dressed in our snowmobile suits,
Wearing our scarves and our mittens
And gigantic double-lined boots.
In summer we're selfish and spoiled,
But winter is good for the heart.
No matter how cold it is, neighbor,
We'll come out and give you a start.