Brainerd

Brainerd is in Crow Wing County in the state of Minnesota USA. It is situated about 2 hours north of the twin cities of Minneapolis/St Paul. There is very little to do in this area and the main activities are hunting, shooting and fishing for the men and quilting, knitting and cooking for women. Minnesota is known as the state of 10,000 lakes, but in fact there are nearly 2000 more than this, so activities are usually situated in, on or around water. Near Brainerd there are many water areas and in the summer the lakes have boats which are used for leisure, either for fishing, sunbathing, swimming off the side of the boat, or there are faster boats for water skiing, and tube skiing as well as jet ski's. So that takes care of the water in this area in the summer. Higher up in the state going into the wilderness there is canoeing, kayaking, camping. In the winter the water is used mainly for ice fishing, which is very popular and for such things as driving a car on to a lake and then bets are put in to get the exact time and date that the ice will melt enough for the car to actually sink into the lake. Funnily enough skating is not a pastime even though the lakes can freeze to a depth of one metre.
On land in the summer are hunting and shooting. Guns are freely available in sports shops, although licenses are required. The main hunting is for deer and such things as wild turkey. Also available are bears and moose. People in this area have big trucks which hold hunting gear, guns can be strapped on the side of the truck. Hunters wear combat gear with fluorescent jackets. Walking into a sports store in this area is quite a different experience to UK. Most of the gear being sold centres around fishing and shooting and boats.
Another main summer sport is golf and there are numerous large golf courses around as well as American crazy golf courses, which are fun for everyone including avid golfers. More about these later!
Winter in Minnesota doesn't stop the fun and enjoyment. Snowmobiles are the way to get round the countryside. The snow can be up to a metre deep and can last for many months, but as soon as the sun comes out, people get out on the lakes. For example this weekend was fish opener when the fishing season officially starts for wall eye fish. The town became so busy as people took themselves off as whole families to the lakes, even children as young as two will have a fishing pole and learn to fish.
The women are very keen on baking and will cook all sorts of very fancy cup cakes and large cakes in all sorts of shapes and sizes. They have everything available to them and you can pick up anything in local stores that will help bake fancy cakes. Their other activities are quilting and knitting and there are numerous shops which sell a huge variety of fabrics and yarns. They knit everything from socks to woollen blankets and make the most fantastically complicated quilts, which are beautiful and which are either displayed or used. It is a real art form here, particularly through the winter months.
It is an easy place to live.