On our way to Virginia

This is a mixture of the states we drove through getting to Virginia. From some nice straight, flat roads to squiggly hilly ones. 

From North Dakota, to Minnesota and family time, 

(You can click on the pictures to enlarge them)

on to Iowa (which the welcome to Iowa sign didn't turn out as it was dark outside). 

Next is Missouri

and then Illinois

and in to Indiana.

After that came Kentucky

 

and West Virginia, where we were just going to take the toll road and be done with it; but we took a wrong turn, took a different road and went on the squiggly roads again. 

and finally, Virginia

where we're spending time with family again.

For more pictures, please click here

Heading east to the granddaughters!

With harvest officially done, we are finally able to head out and hopefully to warmer weather. Except, a cold front is coming through and I think it will follow us all the way to Virginia. So, with that in mind, we're trying to figure out our best strategy. We stopped in Fargo to visit with Curt's sister and husband. Then on to Minnesota for a family visit, but we need to figure out how long to stay to maybe let the cold front go through so we can travel behind it.  We got to town Thursday, with plans maybe leaving on Sunday as Monday night is pretty cold. Or, do we wait an extra day for it to get in front of us since we've got electricity hookup here.

You can click on the pictures to enlarge them.

We went to visit my brother, Dennis, and his wife, Betty, who live about a half hour away. It was probably the first time we've driven to their place with snow on the ground!

We stayed busy with the granddaughters. They had a 4-H meeting Friday with awards given out from their fairs. After that they filled backpacks with supplies for homeless kids. Then our oldest granddaughter (12) got to spend a "moonlight madness" evening sponsored through the church for an all-nighter of bowling, games, movies and food. She took a friend along and they had a good time and stayed up all night and slept a good part of the next day. 

It was a weekend of school and 4-H projects. We helped make a fleece tie blanket and a pillowcase. 

And, Calissa wanted to play pinochle with Grandpa!

Minnesota

Minnesota has rolling hills and lots of trees. The crops look good here too; rivers in the southern part of the state are full. We visited family and celebrated our granddaughter’s 8th birthday, and spent some time at a lake. I’ve done a separate post for that. Our daughter, two granddaughters and I toured the Cathedral of St. Paul; I have a separate post for that too.

Some Minnesota state economy facts below the pictures.

You can click on any of the pictures to open them in a new window.



Some Minnesota economy facts from netstate.com:

1. Agriculture: Minnesota is a leading state in annual farm income. It ranks at #5 among the states, generating about 4% of the nation's total agricultural receipts. In terms of revenue generated Minnesota's top five agricultural products are corn for grain, hogs, soybeans, dairy products, and and cattle and calves.

Livestock and livestock products account for about half of the state's farm income. Minnesota's most valuable livestock products are hogs, accounting for 18% of the state's total agricultural revenues. Minnesota is a leading (#3) hog-producing state. Dairy products and cattle and calves are also very important sources of revenue in the state. Minnesota is a leading milk-producing state, most of which is converted into butter and cheese. Turkeys and chicken eggs complete the list of the top five livestock products of Minnesota. Minnesota is also a leading producer of eggs and turkeys.
Corn is the state's most valuable crop followed by soybeans and again, Minnesota is a leading producer. Farmers also grow hay, sugar beets, wheat, barley, flaxseed and oats. The leading vegetable crops are peas, potatoes and sweet corn. Minnesota's leading fruit crops are apples.

2. Manufacturing: Computer and electronic products (medical devices, computer components, communications equipment) are the primary manufactured products of Minnesota.

Food products rank second. Minnesota is a leading meatpacking state and a leading producer of flour, processed into cake mixes and breakfast cereals. Among the leading milk, butter and cheese production states, Minnesota is also a top producer of frozen and canned vegetables.

The manufacture of machinery (agricultural machinery, metalworking, heating and cooling, machines for making microchips) ranks third in the manufacturing sector.
Other manufactured products in the state include weapons and ammunition, cans, stampings, paper products (adhesive tape), printed materials (commercial print shops, newspaper and book publishers), transportation equipment (automobiles, trucks, buses), aircraft parts and wood products (plywood).

3. Mining: Most of Minnesota's mining income comes from iron ore. Minnesota leads the other states in the production of iron ore. Quarries in Minnesota provide high quality granite. Other mined products are limestone, sand and gravel and peat.

4. Fishing: Commercial and recreational fishing contributes to the economy and the Mississippi river provides buffalo fish, carp, catfish, whitefish and yellow perch while Lake superior provides lake herring, smelt, walleye and yellow pike.