Thread:61Storm/@comment-29709319-20181110010804/@comment-29709319-20190301031801

MARCH: Named for the Roman god of war, Mars, March is the third month of the year. It has 31 days and is known as the first month of spring in the Northern Hemisphere due to the vernal equinox which occurs between March 19th and 21st of every year.

March Birthstone – Aquamarine - Serenity Pisces/The Fishes ♓ Feb. 19–Mar. 20 Aries/The Ram ♈ Mar. 21–Apr. 19

✅March 1: National Minnesota Day, National Dadgum That’s Good Day, National Peanut Butter Lover’s Day, National Fruit Compote Day, National Horse Protection Day, National Pig Day, National Read Across America Day (Dr. Seuss Day), National Day of Unplugging, National Employee Appreciation Day, National Salesperson Day, and National Dress in Blue Day.

😋National Dadgum, That’s Good Day! “Dadgum, That’s Good!”™ is much more than just a Southern phrase and the title of John McLemore’s best-selling cookbook series. It’s the summation of a life’s work in creating delicious food with his world-class Masterbuilt cooking products. He’s appeared on national television and dedicates his life to making the cooking process accessible and simple for everyone. For more info, go to Masterbuilt.com. National Dadgum, That’s Good Day was submitted by Masterbuilt of Columbus, GA, in April of 2015.

🥜National Peanut Butter Lover’s Day! One day is not enough to recognize peanut butter that creamy, nutty goodness. Another great love is peanut butter ice cream. Blended smooth with a few chopped nuts and a drizzle of peanut butter syrup. The slang term for peanut butter in World War II was “monkey butter.” Banana slices with peanut butter sandwiched between them and dipped in chocolate make a terrific snack. Fun Peanut Butter Facts: 🍁It takes about 540 peanuts to make a 12-ounce jar of peanut butter. 🍁C.H. Sumner first sold peanut butter in the United States at the Universal Exposition in St. Louis. He sold $705.11 of the “new treat” at his concession stand. 🍁Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup was introduced to America in 1928. 🍁The oldest operating manufacturer and seller of peanut butter has been selling peanut butter since 1898. 🍁Mr. Ed TV’s used peanut butter as a secret ingredient to get a horse talking. 🍁Americans spend almost $800 million a year on peanut butter. January 24th is National Peanut Butter Day.

🍎🍐🍓🍒🍇National Fruit Compote Day! The word compote is French for “mixture.” A compote is a dessert that originated in 17th century France. It is made up of whole or pieces of fruit in sugar syrup. The whole fruits are cooked in water with added sugar and spices. The seasonings which may be included in the syrup are vanilla, lemon peel, orange peel, cinnamon sticks, cinnamon powder, cloves, ground almonds, grated coconut, candied fruit or raisins. Fruit compote may be served either warm or cold. The French belief that fruit cooked in sugar syrup balanced the effects of humidity on the body led to the invention of compotes. It was initially served in the afternoon as a snack with sour cream and biscuits. It was during the Renaissance that it was served chilled at the end of dinner. Because of its simplicity, inexpensive ingredients and containing no dairy products, the compote became a staple of Jewish households throughout Europe and was considered part of Jewish cuisine. Fruit compote is often topped with whipped cream, cinnamon or vanilla sugar. It is also sometimes prepared using dried fruits soaked in water with added alcohol. Kirsch, rum or Frontignan are a few examples.

🐎National Horse Protection Day was created to bring light to the plight of horses in America and beyond and help the thousands of unwanted horses in this country to find forever homes. The horse holds a legendary mystique in the American culture. It helped to forge a nation and yet despite that, many go unwanted, abused or neglected. National Horse Protection Day is about addressing those issues. National Horse Protection Day was founded in 2005 by Pet Lifestyle Expert and Animal Behaviorist/Advocate, Colleen Page.

🐖National Pig Day recognizes the domesticated pig. This holiday includes events and celebrations at zoos, schools, nursing homes and sporting events around the United States. Pig parties, pig parades and gatherings with pig collectibles are a few of the other events that have commemorated National Pig Day. Pigs are a clever and intelligent animal, however, most people are not aware of their high level of intelligence. They are a household pet to some that can be trained and taught tricks. In Dublin in 1772, a trained swine called the Learned Pig told time, counted and other such tricks to entertain crowds in the streets. Pigs have been popular storybook characters for generations. From A.A. Milne’s Piglet to E.B. White’s Wilbur, pigs have an endearing and flavorful quality about them that makes us love them. There are hundreds of different breeds, most of which are descended from the Eurasian Wild Boar. The female is called a gilt or sow and can produce 10 piglets in a single litter. They also produce bacon, ham, baby back ribs, spare ribs, sirloin, pork belly and so many more delectable barbecue items. This day was created in 1972 by two sisters, Ellen Stanley and Mary Lynne Rave. Ellen was a school teacher in Lubbock, Texas and Mary was from Beaufort, North Carolina. According to Mary Lynne Rave, the purpose of National Pig Day is “to accord the pig its rightful, though generally unrecognized, place as one of man’s most intellectual and domesticated animals.” I Can Talk; https://youtu.be/FWWR_oNWFog

📚National Read Across America Day is part of Read Across America, an initiative on reading that was created by the National Education Association. Each year, National Read Across America Day is celebrated on the birthday of Dr. Seuss. This day is a motivational and awareness day, calling all children and youth in every community across the United States to celebrate reading. The first National Read Across America Day was held on March 2, 1998.

🔌National Day of Unplugging. This holiday consists of a 24 hour period from sundown to sundown, to unplug, unwind, relax and do things other than using today’s technology, electronics, and social media. National Day of Unplugging was created by members of the Reboot network.

🌻National Employee Appreciation Day was created as a way of focusing the attention of all the employers in all industries on employee recognition. Businesses and organizations plan celebrations across the country recognizing the achievements and contributions of their employees. Employees are one of a company’s greatest assets. Recognition and appreciation are known as one of the key motivational factors in the workplace. An employer may show their gratitude for an employee’s efforts and contributions to the goals of the company in a variety of ways from rewards to verbal interactions. Expressing employee appreciation increases employee job satisfaction. A few ways to show your employees some appreciation: 🍁Be Flexible – Flexibility goes a long way in this virtual reality world. If possible with your industry, allowing a little flexibility can reap huge benefits when you need last minute work done. 🍁A Thank You Note – When a job has been done well, a heartfelt, hand-written thank you means more than a slap on the back or an e-mail sent off at the end of the day. 🍁Team Effort Celebration – If the team pulled together and made it happen, reward them with an office pizza party, casual dress day or even close the office early so they can spend some well-earned time with family. 🍁Get Caught – Make sure the employee hears you telling someone else you thought they did a great job. 🍁Create a Culture of Encouragement – Employees who expand their horizons bring new skills to your workforce and will encourage others to do so too. Praise their achievements and encourage others to pursue their goals. National Employee Appreciation Day was created in 1995 by Bob Nelson, a founding Recognition Professional International board member, together with his publishing company, Workman Publishing.

👩‍💼National Salesperson Day honors the value and dedication of the professional salesperson as well as the hard work that they perform. A good salesperson is knowledgeable about his or her product. When you have a question, if he doesn’t have an answer, he will know who does. A salesperson may work locally in a shop on her feet all day or travel several hundred miles a day to see customers and vendors. When a new product becomes available every salesperson selling the product will be studying so they can keep the customer informed. This day was created in March of 2000 by Maura Schreier-Fleming, president of Best@Selling.

👕👖Dress in Blue Day encourages everyone to learn about the causes of colon cancer and raise awareness by wearing blue. Much like the pink ribbon represents those lost to breast cancer, a blue star honors the memory of those lost to colon cancer. Continuing the blue theme on Dress in Blue Day, awareness efforts provide support through fundraising for screening, research and awareness education. Screenings are vital. Colon cancer often has no symptoms until its advanced stages placing its victims at higher risk if they wait until symptoms appear. Screenings are recommended beginning at age 50 and younger if you are high risk. In 2006, Anita Mitchell, a stage IV colon cancer survivor, founder of Colon Cancer Stars helped organize a day in her child’s school to raise colon cancer awareness called Wear Blue for Colon Cancer Awareness Day after losing her father and a friend to the disease. National Dress in Blue Day’s success as a local school program encouraged Anita to bring the idea to the Colon Cancer Alliance in 2009. From there, this outstanding fundraiser developed into a nationwide program.

🇺🇸National Minnesota Day! Minnesota comes from the Dakota name for the Minnesota River: The river got its name from one of two words in the Dakota language, 'Mní sóta' which means "clear blue water", or 'Mnißota', which means cloudy water. Before statehood Minnesota was known as the Minnesota Territory. Minnesota is the 12th largest in area and the 22nd most populous of the U.S. states. Saint Paul is its capital and Minneapolis is its largest city. Put both cities together, creating Minneapolis–Saint Paul metropolitan area (known as the "Twin Cities") is the largest metro area. It known by several nicknames: Land of 10,000 Lakes (11,842 lakes over 10 acres (4 ha) in size), North Star State; The Gopher State; Agate State; State of Hockey; and Canada in The US. It's Motto: The Star of the North. State song: "Hail! Minnesota". Living insignia; Bird: 🕊Common loon, Butterfly: 🦋Monarch, Fish: 🐟Walleye, Flower: 🌸Pink-and-white lady's slipper, Tree: 🌲Norway pine. Inanimate insignia; Beverage: 🥛Milk, Fruit: 🍎Honeycrisp apple, Muffin: Blueberry, Mushroom: 🍄Morel, Gemstone: Lake Superior agate. The state's high point is Eagle Mountain at 2,301 feet (701 m), which is only 13 miles (21 km) away from the lowest of 601 feet (183 m) at the shore of Lake Superior. Without the dramatic local differences in elevation, much of the state is a gently rolling peneplain. While loss of habitat has affected native animals such as the pine marten, elk, woodland caribou, and bison, others like whitetail deer and bobcat thrive. The state has the nation's largest population of timber wolves except for Alaska, and supports healthy populations of black bears, moose, and gophers. On the Mississippi Flyway, Minnesota hosts migratory waterfowl such as geese and ducks, and game birds such as grouse, pheasants, and turkeys. It is home to birds of prey, including a large number of breeding pairs of bald eagles, red-tailed hawks, and snowy owls. The lakes teem with sport fish such as walleye, bass, muskellunge, and northern pike, and the streams in the southeast and northeast are populated by brook, brown, and rainbow trout. Minnesota experiences cold winters and hot summers. The lowest temperature recorded was -60°F (-51°C) at Tower on February 2, 1996, whereas the highest recorded temperature was 114°F (46°C) at Moorhead on July 6, 1936. Meteorological events include rain, snow, blizzards, thunderstorms, hail, derechos, tornadoes, and high-velocity straight-line winds. The state averages 27 tornadoes per year. On average Minnesota has an F5 tornado once every 25 years. June 17, 2010: Three EF4 and six EF3 tornadoes were part of 48 twisters that touched down in Minnesota's largest tornado outbreak on record. Annual snowfall extremes have ranged from over 170 inches (432 cm) in the rugged Superior Highlands of the North Shore to as little as 5 inches (13 cm) in southern Minnesota. Average annual precipitation ranges from 19 to 35 inches (48 to 89 cm), and droughts occur every 10 to 50 years. Minnesota's first state park, Itasca State Park, was established in 1891, and is the source of the Mississippi River. Minnesota has 72 state parks and recreation areas, 58 state forests covering about four million acres (16,000 km²), and numerous state wildlife preserves, all managed by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. There are 5.5 million acres (22,000 km2) in the Chippewa and Superior national forests. Fur traders from France arrived during the 17th century. In 1762 the region became part of Spanish Louisiana until 1802. The portion of the state east of the Mississippi River became part of the United States at the end of the American Revolutionary War, when the Second Treaty of Paris was signed. Land west of the Mississippi River was acquired with the Louisiana Purchase, although a portion of the Red River Valley was disputed until the Treaty of 1818. In 1805, Zebulon Pike bargained with Native Americans to acquire land at the confluence of the Minnesota and Mississippi rivers. The construction of Fort Snelling followed between 1819 and 1825. Its soldiers built a grist mill and a sawmill at Saint Anthony Falls, the first of the water-powered industries around which the city of Minneapolis later grew. Minnesota Territory was formed on March 3, 1849. Minnesota became the 32nd U.S. state on May 11, 1858. Treaties between European settlers and the Dakota and Ojibwe gradually forced the natives off their lands and on to smaller reservations. As conditions deteriorated for the Dakota, tensions rose, leading to the Dakota War of 1862. The six-week war lead to the execution of 38 Dakota and the exile of most of the rest of the Dakota to the Crow Creek Reservation in Dakota Territory. Logging and farming were mainstays of Minnesota's early economy. Saint Anthony Falls was tapped to provide power for flour mills. Innovations by Minneapolis millers led to the production of Minnesota "patent" flour, which commanded almost double the price of "bakers'" or "clear" flour, which it replaced. By 1900, Minnesota mills, led by Pillsbury, Northwestern and the Washburn-Crosby Company (a forerunner of General Mills), were grinding 14.1 percent of the nation's grain. The state's iron-mining industry was established with the discovery of iron in the Vermilion Range and the Mesabi Range in the 1880s, and in the Cuyuna Range in the early 20th century. Minnesota's economy was hard-hit by the Great Depression, resulting in lower prices for farmers, layoffs among iron miners, and labor unrest. Compounding the adversity, western Minnesota and the Dakotas were hit by drought from 1931 to 1935. Minnesota became a center of technology after World War II. Engineering Research Associates was formed in 1946 to develop computers for the United States Navy. It later merged with Remington Rand, and then became Sperry Rand. William Norris left Sperry in 1957 to form Control Data Corporation (CDC). Cray Research was formed when Seymour Cray left CDC to form his own company. Medical device maker Medtronic also started business in the Twin Cities in 1949. Minnesota is the U.S.'s largest producer of sugar beets, sweet corn, and green peas for processing, and farm-raised turkeys. Minnesota is also a large producer of corn and soybeans. Minnesota has the most food cooperatives per capita in the United States. The manufacturing sector now includes technology and biomedical firms, in addition to the older food processors and heavy industry. The nation's first indoor shopping mall was Edina's Southdale Center. Minnesota produces ethanol fuel and is the first to mandate its use. Minnesota is ranked in the top ten for wind energy produciton. The state gets nearly one fifth of all its energy from wind. The world-renowned Guthrie Theater moved into a new Minneapolis facility in 2006, boasting three stages and overlooking the Mississippi River. In the United States, the Twin Cities' number of theater seats per capita ranks behind only New York City; with some 2.3 million theater tickets sold annually. Minnesota musicians include Bob Dylan, Eddie Cochran, The Andrews Sisters, The Castaways, The Trashmen, Prince, Soul Asylum, David Ellefson, Hüsker Dü, Owl City, and The Replacements. Minnesotans helped shape the history of music through popular American culture. The comic strip Peanuts was created by St. Paul native Charles M. Schulz. Notable actors from Minnesota include Loni Anderson, Richard Dean Anderson, James Arness, Jessica Biel, Rachael Leigh Cook, Julia Duffy, Mike Farrell, Judy Garland, Peter Graves, Josh Hartnett, Garrett Hedlund, Tippi Hedren, Jessica Lange, Kelly Lynch, E.G. Marshall, Laura Osnes, Melissa Peterman, Chris Pratt, Marion Ross, Jane Russell, Winona Ryder, Seann William Scott, Kevin Sorbo, Lea Thompson, Vince Vaughn, Jesse Ventura, and Steve Zahn. U.S. News & World Report's 2014–2015 survey ranked 4,743 hospitals in the United States in 16 specialized fields of care, and placed the Mayo Clinic (based in Rochester, Minnesota) in the top four in all fields except psychiatry, where it ranked seventh. The hospital ranked #1 in eight fields and #2 in three others. The state supports a network of public universities and colleges, including 37 institutions in the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities System, and five major campuses of the University of Minnesota system. It is also home to more than 20 private colleges and universities, six of which rank among the nation's top 100 liberal arts colleges, according to U.S. News & World Report. Minnesota has professional men's teams in all major sports. The Minnesota Vikings have played in the National Football League since their admission as an expansion franchise in 1961. The Vikings' current stadium hosted Super Bowl LII in February, 2018. The Vikings have advanced to the Super Bowl Super Bowl IV, Super Bowl VIII, Super Bowl IX, and Super Bowl XI. The Minnesota Twins have played in the Major League Baseball in the Twin Cities starting in 1961. The Twins won the 1987 and 1991 World Series in seven game matches. The Minnesota Timberwolves joined the NBA in 1989, and play in the Target Center since 1990. The National Hockey League's Minnesota Wild play in St. Paul's Xcel Energy Center, and reached 300 consecutive sold-out games on January 16, 2008. Minnesota United FC joined Major League Soccer as an expansion team in 2017, having played in the lower-division North American Soccer League from 2010 to 2016. The team plays at TCF Bank Stadium, but will open Allianz Field in St. Paul in 2019. In the warmer months activities involve water. Activities include water sports such as water skiing, which originated in the state, boating, canoeing, and fishing. Fishing does not cease when the lakes freeze; ice fishing has been around since the arrival of early Scandinavian immigrants. Minnesotans have learned to embrace their long, harsh winters in ice sports such as skating, hockey, curling, and broomball, and snow sports such as cross-country skiing, alpine skiing, snowshoeing, and snowmobiling. Minnesota is the only U.S. state where bandy is played. (Bandy is a team winter sport played on ice, in which skaters use sticks to direct a ball into the opposing team's goal. The sport is considered a form of hockey and has a common background with association football, ice hockey and field hockey.) State and national forests and the seventy-two state parks are used year-round for hunting, camping, and hiking. There are almost 20,000 miles (32,000 km) of snowmobile trails statewide. Minnesota has more miles of bike trails than any other state, and a growing network of hiking trails, including the 235-mile (378 km) Superior Hiking Trail in the northeast. Many hiking and bike trails are used for cross-country skiing during the winter. 1️⃣Minnesota's Capital Building is set in a landscaped campus. Various monuments are to its sides and front. They include: 🍀Minnesota Vietnam Veteran's Memorial, 🍀Knute Nelson Memorial, 🍀Albert Johnson Memorial, 🍀Floyd B. Olson Memorial, 🍀Charles Lindbergh Memorial, 🍀Minnesota Korean War Memorial, 🍀Peace Officers Memorial, 🍀Roy Wilkins Memorial, 🍀Women's Suffrage Memorial Garden, 🍀Christopher Columbus Monument, 🍀Leif Ericsson Monument, and 🍀Monument to the Living. 2️⃣The Stone Arch Bridge is a former railroad bridge crossing the Mississippi River at Saint Anthony Falls in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is the only arched bridge made of stone on the entire length of the Mississippi River. It is the second oldest next to Eads Bridge. Builds in 1883. The structure is now used as a pedestrian and bicycle bridge. 3️⃣First Avenue is a music venue housed in a landmark building in downtown Minneapolis. The building was originally a Greyhound Bus terminal and was converted into a concert venue in 1968. In the 1980s, First Avenue was a regular performing space for Prince. The building is marked by 531 stars on its exterior along the First Avenue and Seventh Street sides commemorating past venue performers. 4️⃣Ordway Center for the Performing Arts is located in downtown Saint Paul. It is recognized as among the nation’s leading not-for-profit performing arts centers serving 400,000 people annually with nearly 500 performances. It is home to a wide variety of performances that encompass the finest in musical theater, children’s theater, world music and dance, orchestra, opera, and recitals. It also serves as home to several local arts organizations, including the Minnesota Opera, The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, and The Schubert Club. 5️⃣Soldiers Field. A memorial dedicated to Minnesotan and American veterans. 🌻The Wall of Remembrance displays the names of servicemembers who perished as the result of injuries sustained in the service. The deceased are from Southeast Minnesota within a 50-mile radius of Rochester from the Civil War to the present. At this time 47 “Wall Panels” make up the Wall of Remembrance with up to 55 veterans listed on each panel. The Wall Panels are columns of randomly placed names. The columns are numbered from left to right. The front of the wall has panels numbered 1 through 34. The back (south) side of the wall continues on with panels 35 through 47. Columns will be added as appropriate. 🌻The Walk of Remembrance is made up of approximately 6,300 pavers that have been donated to honor veterans who have served with the US Armed Forces or its Allies. Each “Paver Section” is made up of 1 to 44 pavers. Note that Paver Section number 0 (zero) is one block north and east from the Memorial. 🌻The pic shows the pavers location, the green dots are the trees for The Trees of Remembrance. 6️⃣Science Museum of Minnesota is an American museum focused on topics in technology, natural history, physical science, and mathematics education. Founded in 1907 and located in Saint Paul. The museum houses a collection of over 1.7 million artifacts and objects in its vault, ranging from dinosaur and other animal remains and fossils, preserved animals and plants, and cultural artifacts from extinct and extant civilizations. There are a number of exhibits that are always in the museum, including: 🍂Dinosaurs & Fossils showcases several real and replicated dinosaur skeletons, as well as many complete and preserved animals. 🍂The Human Body Gallery shows visitors the various tissues, organs, and systems (such as blood or digestion) that make up the human body. Visitors can extract DNA and perform other science experiments in the Cell Lab. 🍂The Experiment Gallery allows visitors to explore concepts in physics, math, and physical and earth science with interactive displays. 🍂Race: Are We So Different? is the first national exhibition to tell the stories of race from the biological, cultural, and historical points of view. 🍂The We Move & We Stay features artifacts and historical content about the Dakota and Ojibwe people. 🍂The Mississippi River Gallery takes advantage of the museum's proximity to the river and a National Park to educate visitors about its natural resources. Visitors can learn about the environment and animals of the river. 🍂The Kitty Andersen Youth Science Center (KAYSC) is an informal learning environment for young people between 11 and 18 years old. The mission of the KAYSC is to "empower youth to change our world through science". 7️⃣Museum of Russian Art (TMORA). is the only major institution in North America devoted entirely to Russian art and culture from the entire scope of Russia's history. The museum shows 8-10 exhibitions per year, and hosts over 40 annual events ranging from notable lecturers to vodka tasting. The renovated gallery space has been host to over 70 exhibitions from Masterpieces of Soviet Era Painting, to historical topics like World War I and the Siege of Leningrad and Russian art forms such as Faberge, Lacquer Boxes, Nesting Dolls, and Ornaments. TMORA also presents shows by living artists. TMORA has established international relationships with numerous Russian cultural organizations and museums including Rossotrudnichestvo, the Russian Embassy in the United States - Washington D.C., the Russian Cultural Center, the State Tretyakov Gallery (Moscow), State Russian Museum (St. Petersburg), State Museum of Yaroslaval (Yaroslaval). 8️⃣Minnesota Children's Museum, mission statement is "providing children with a fun, hands-on and stimulating environment to explore and discover. Galleries: 🌻Our World connects children to people and places in their community as they role play "grown–ups" in a child-size environment. 🌻World Works encourages creativity and problem-solving through investigation and experimentation. 🌻Earth World immerses children in lifelike Minnesota habitats to nurture an understanding of the natural world. 🌻Habitot enables infants and toddlers to safely explore four developmentally designed learning landscapes. 🌻Rooftop ArtPark brings nature and art together in an outdoor gallery on the museum’s fourth-floor. 🌻Two special galleries offer traveling exhibits from around the world. Interactive programs, such as Story Time, Big Fun! and live animal programs happen daily. 9️⃣Minneapolis Institute of Art is a fine arts museum located in the Whittier neighborhood of Minneapolis, on a campus that covers nearly 8 acres (32,000 m²). The museum features an encyclopedic collection of approximately 80,000 objects spanning 5,000 years of world history. Its collection includes paintings, photographs, prints & drawings, textiles, architecture, and decorative arts. There are collections of African art and Asian art, called "one of the finest and most comprehensive Asian art collections in the country". The institute has a number of exhibits outside the building. 🎨A pair of Chinese lions sit on either side of the 24th Street entrance. 🎨A bronze statue "The Fighter of the Spirit", by Ernst Barlach. The statue shows a winged man holding a sword vertically, tip up, and standing on the back of a snarling beast. 🎨The Chinese Garden contains Taihu stones. These stones are said to represent the mountains of the Buddhist and Taoist immortals. 🎨Target Park, which sits behind the museum, contains several contemporary statues, including an untitled work in bronze (c. 1968) by Pietro Consagra, Samba in African granite (1993) by Richard Erdman, and L'arbre de vie in stainless steel and pigment (20th century), designed by Jean Willy Mestach and manufactured by Michael Chowen. There is also a granite and steel pavilion entitled Labyrinth (1993) by John Willenbecher. There are wide lines cut into the steel roof of the pavilion so that when the viewer stands inside, the labyrinth can be viewed by looking up. 🎨To celebrate its 100th anniversary, the institute purchased a sculpture by the Polish artist Igor Mitoraj (1944–2014). 🔟Pipestone National Monument. The catlinite, or "pipestone", has been traditionally used to make ceremonial pipes, vitally important to traditional Plains Indian religious practices. The visitor center features exhibits about the natural and cultural history of the site, including a petroglyph display. There is also an orientation video about the history of the pipestone quarries. The Circle Trail is a three-quarter mile (1.2 km) self-guided trail which begins and ends at the Visitor Center, is a paved walking trail that leads to several points of interest at Pipestone National Monument. Features along the trail include the pipestone quarries, historical markers, Old Stone Face, Winnewissa Falls, the Oracle and native tallgrass prairie. Several benches are placed along the trail. While the trail is not American Disabilities Act (ADA)-compliant, it may be wheelchair accessible with some assistance. During the summer months, there are cultural demonstrations at the monument. The Upper Midwest Indian Cultural Center, located inside the visitor center, sponsors demonstrations of pipemaking by native craftworkers using the stone from the quarries. Local Native Americans carve the stones using techniques passed down from their ancestors. Many of the demonstrators are third or fourth generation pipe makers. 1️⃣1️⃣Itasca State Park is a state park of Minnesota, and contains the headwaters of the Mississippi River. The park spans 32,690 acres (132.3 km2). Itasca State Park was established on April 20, 1891, making it the first of Minnesota's state parks and second oldest in the United States, behind Niagara Falls State Park. Lake Itasca, the official source of the Mississippi River and a scenic area of northern Minnesota, has remained relatively unchanged from its natural state. Spring brings fishermen for the May fishing openers of walleye, northern pike, bass, and panfish. The park is in full bloom including a vast array of wildflowers. Birding is also a popular spring activity as the varying species return from migration. Along with fishing, canoeing, boating, and kayaking equipment are always accessible. Land recreation consists of biking on the Heartland Trail, horseback riding, and hiking. Numerous historical sites are available to view. The headwaters of the Mississippi River are one of the most visited sites. Tourists can visit the new Mary Gibbs Visitor Center and the exhibits at the Jacob V. Brower Visitor Center. The park also offers a 100-foot (30 m) climb up the historic Aiton Heights Fire Tower. Fall unveils the beautiful array of colors amidst the variety of trees throughout the park. This is another recommended season to bike, hike, or even take a leisurely walk through the designated trails. The park offers 33 miles (53 km) of hiking trails. Winter brings ice fishermen, who gather on Lake Itasca. Snowmobilers can travel hundreds of miles of groomed snowmobile trails, while the skiers use 30 miles (48 km) of cross country skiing trails (both novice and skilled level) that are maintained regularly. The headwaters of the Mississippi River are clearly defined by a 44-foot-long (13 m) outlet dam at the north end of Lake Itasca. This setup allows tourists to wade in shallow water or cross over it by way of the bridge constructed of logs. In 1903 a 24-year-old park commissioner named Mary Gibbs played a significant role in saving the tall pine forests and shoreline of the Mississippi River Headwaters by resisting efforts to log the area. In honor of her efforts, the Mary Gibbs Visitor Center, which encloses a restaurant, gift shop, various displays and exhibits of the park's features, and an outdoor plaza now exists. 1️⃣2️⃣Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) is a 1,090,000-acre (4,400 km2) wilderness area within the Superior National Forest. It extends along 150 miles (240 km) of the U.S.–Canada border in the Arrowhead Region of Minnesota. The BWCAW a mixture of forests, glacial lakes, and streams. It is a popular destination for both canoeing, hiking, and fishing, and is one of the most visited wildernesses in the United States. 190,000 acres (770 km2), nearly 20% of the BWCAW's total area is water. Within the borders of the area are over 1,100 lakes and hundreds of miles of rivers and streams. Much of the other 80% of the area is forest. The BWCAW is the largest remaining area of uncut forest in the eastern portion of the United States. The BWCAW is the most visited wilderness areas in the United States. It contains more than 2,000 backcountry campsites, 1,200 miles (1,900 km) of canoe routes, and 12 different hiking trails and is popular for canoeing, fishing, backpacking, dog sledding, and enjoying the area's remote wilderness character. Canoeing or other non-motorized boating is the most popular method of exploring the BWCAW. Fishing in the BWCAW for game species include northern pike, muskellunge, walleye, largemouth and smallmouth bass, and panfish. There is also brook trout, brown trout, lake trout, rainbow trout and splake. The BWCAW contains a variety of hiking trails. Shorter hikes include the trail to Eagle Mountain which is 7 miles (11 km). Loop trails include the Pow Wow Trail, the Snowbank Trail, and the Sioux-Hustler Trail. The Border Route Trail and Kekekabic Trail are the two longest trails. The Border Route Trail runs east-west for over 65 miles (105 km) through the eastern BWCAW, beginning at the northern end of the Superior Hiking Trail and following ridges and cliffs west until it connects with the Kekekabic Trail. The Kekekabic Trail continues for another 41 miles (66 km), beginning near the Gunflint Trail and passing through the center of the BWCAW before exiting it near Snowbank Lake. 1️⃣3️⃣Quarry Hill Nature Center can be found nestled within 329 acres of park land. The Nature Center houses many live animals, a 1,700 gallon fish tank, an indoor bee hive, a childrens' library, and a bird watching room. Paved trails and natural hiking trails allow for enjoyment of this unique area located close to downtown Rochester. This park features an oak savanna, restored prairie, quarry, man-made sandstone caves and a man-made pond. In the winter months, cross country skis and snowshoes are available for rent to use in the park. 1️⃣4️⃣Enger Tower is an 80-foot (24 m), five-story stone observation tower atop Enger Hill in Duluth, Minnesota. The Tower stands at an elevation of 531 feet (162 m) above Lake Superior, providing panoramic views of the Twin Ports. Each of the tower's levels has a lookout that is accessible by stairs. A green beacon mounted on top of the tower can be seen for many miles. Originally the second floor contained several balcony sections. The balconies eventually fell into disrepair and were removed. 1️⃣5️⃣Valley Fair is a 125-acre (51 ha) amusement park in Shakopee and features over 75 rides and attractions including eight roller coasters. It also has a water park called Soak City. Attractions include: 🏝Corkscrew is a steel Looping roller coaster. 🏝Cosmic Coaster is a kiddie roller coaster. 🏝Excalibur a steel roller coaster with a wooden structure. 🏝High Roller a wooden roller coaster. It is currently the oldest coaster at Valleyfair. 🏝Mad Mouse is a steel wild mouse roller coaster. 🏝Renegade a wooden roller coaster. 🏝Steel Venom a steel Inverted Impulse roller coaster. 🏝Wild Thing a steel hyper coaster. It is currently the tallest roller coaster at Valleyfair. 🏝Delirious! A Larson 22M Giant Loop Ride. 🏝Looping Starship! A pirate themed Looping Starship ride. 🏝Northern Lights! A Disk'O ride where a single car travels along a 302-foot (92 m) long, U-shaped track, reaching a height of 43 feet (13 m). 🏝North Star! A Star Flyer, in which riders, seated in two-person chair-linked swings, will reach a height of 230 feet (70 m), reaching speeds of 40 miles per hour (64 km/h). 🏝Power Tower! A combo Space Shot and Turbo Drop tower. 🏝RipCord! An additional charge attraction known as a Skycoaster that drops riders in a swinging, pendulum-like motion sending them 18 stories into the air at speeds up to 65 mph (105 km/h). 🏝Xtreme Swing! A Screamin' Swing ride. It is currently the second tallest of its kind. ⚡️Antique Autos! Guests operated Antique Autos are powered by a gas-powered engine and travel around 1,500 feet of track with a center guide rail to keep the auto on track. ⚡️Bumper Cars! A Bumper cars attraction. ⚡️Carousel! An antique 48-horse Carousel. An Artizan Band Organ provides the carousel's music. ⚡️Dinosaurs Alive! A walk through animatronic dinosaur exhibit with an upcharge of $5 or free for gold or platinum season pass holders. ⚡️Ferris Wheel! A classic Ferris wheel ride. ⚡️Flying Eagles! A flying eagles ride with eight carriages that each have a paddle, enabling guests to change the movement of their carriage. ⚡️Minnesota River Valley Railroad! A 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) narrow gauge train ride around the park. ⚡️Monster! A classic Monster ride. ⚡️Scrambler! A classic Scrambler ride. ⚡️SuperCat! ⚡️Tilter! A classic Tilt-A-Whirl ride. ⚡️Wheel of Fortune! A circular ride that holds 40 riders and raises to a tilted position while rotating backwards. These are the water rides besides those in the Soak City.💧The Wave! A Shoot-the-Chutes water ride. There is a bridge at the bottom where visitors can get soaked. 💧Thunder Canyon! A six-person River rafting ride. These are the kids rides. ⭐️Planet Snoopy is a kids area within the park. ⭐️Charlie Brown's Wind Up! The ride consists of 32 swings lift off the ground while travel in a circular motion and tilting at the top. ⭐️Flying Ace Balloon Ride is eight balloons that can accommodate up to 4 riders. ⭐️Kite Eating Tree! A kiddie version of Power Tower. ⭐️Linus' Beetle Bugs! A little spinning ride. ⭐️Linus Launcher! ⭐️Lucy's Tugboat! ⭐️PEANUTS 500! A kiddie Whip ride. ⭐️PEANUTS Road Rally! ⭐️Sally's Swing Set is a kiddie swing. ⭐️Snoopy vs. Red Baron! ⭐️Snoopy's Deep Sea Divers! ⭐️Snoopy's Junction! A mini train. ⭐️Snoopy's Rocket Express! A kiddie monorail around Planet Snoopy. ⭐️Woodstock Whirlybirds are Mini Tea Cup. After the sun sets, Halloween Haunt takes over and features haunted houses, outdoor mazes, scare zones, and live entertainment. 👻Berserkers Unleashed is a Maze. 👻Blood Creek Cemetery is a Scare Zone. 👻CarnEvil: Ringmaster's Revenge is a Scare Zone. 👻The Chateau is a Maze. 👻Dark Harvest is a Maze. 👻Human(e) Habitat is a Maze. 👻Mr. Cleavers Bloodshed is a Maze. 👻Trails End is a Scare Zone. 👻Zombie High is a Maze. 1️⃣6️⃣Niagara Cave! One hour guided tour of one of the "Top Ten" rated caves in the United States, with a 60ft waterfall, wedding chapel, stalactites, stalagmites, and various fossils. Also has 10-acre picnic grounds with shelter and gift shop. Added attraction is a gemstone mining sluice where you can mine for real gemstones and fossils. Niagara Cave has been voted "Best Family Attraction in Bluff Country!" Their tour is an educational adventure in nature that you won't want to miss! They now have a new 18 hole mini golf course for some family fun! 1️⃣7️⃣Tettegouche State Park! The park is 9,346 acres (3,782 ha), and contains six inland lakes, four waterfalls, and a beach on Lake Superior. The 70-foot-tall (21 m) waterfall High Falls located on the Baptism River is the highest waterfall located entirely within Minnesota. The park contains 22 miles (35 km) of hiking trails, 12 miles (19 km) of ski trails, and access to the Superior Hiking Trail. Tettegouche is bordered to the north by the Finland State Forest and shares the Red Dot motorized trail with it. The trail is for use by all-terrain vehicles and snowmobiles and is the only ATV trail in a state park. The park is one of only four state parks in Minnesota offering rock climbing. Both Shovel Point and Palisade Head cliffs are popular spots offering climbing directly over Lake Superior. 1️⃣8️⃣The Lake Superior Railroad Museum is a railroad museum in Duluth. The museum has seven steam, 14 diesel, and two electric locomotives; and more than 40 other pieces of rolling stock. The collection includes the William Crooks, which became the first locomotive to operate in the state of Minnesota in 1861, and Duluth, Missabe and Iron Range Railway Number 227, a 2-8-8-4 "Yellowstone" locomotive that was among the largest steam engines to operate. All Aboard! 1️⃣9️⃣Sea Life Minnesota Aquarium is a public aquarium located in the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota. The 1,200,000-US-gallon (4,500,000 l) tunnel is home to thousands of aquatic creatures, including a large collection of sharks, sea turtles, stingrays and freshwater fish. Exhibit include: 🐬Stingray Adventure is the first exhibit guests can visit when entering the aquarium. It features a Pacific Northwest Rockpool, Shipwreck and Ray Pool where guests of all ages can touch and feed the stingray. 🐬Jellyfish Discovery features different kinds and interesting facts about jellyfish including pacific sea nettles, lagoon jellyfish, spotted jellyfish, blue blubber jellyfish, moon jellyfish, and cone jellyfish. 🦈Shark Discovery features interactive exhibits designed to teach visitors about shark conservation. 🐬Seahorse Kingdom features six species of seahorse, including pregnant seahorse fathers and baby seahorses, and a touch pool. Sea Life has been a pioneer in the field of Seahorse breeding, successfully breeding and rearing nine different species to date to help this very sensitive and endangered sea creature from facing extinction. 🐬The Coral Caves is home to tanks of live coral and fish such as Clownfish and Regal blue tang. After Coral caves, you enter The Tunnel, a 300-foot (91 m) acrylic tunnel that goes through four tanks: Rainbow Reef, Atlantis, Wild Amazon, and Sturgeon Lake. Due to the thickness and curvature of the Tunnel's glass makes the animals appear about 20% smaller. Exhibits: 🐬Rainbow Reef resembles coral reefs, and is home to schooling stingrays, puffer fish, and many others. 🐬Atlantis is themed to look like an Atlantis Temple, and with a volume of 500,000 US gallons (1,900,000 l) it is the largest tank in the aquarium. Atlantis is home to seven shark species: Sand tiger, Nurse, Brown, Wobbegong, White Tip Reef, Black Tip Reef, and Zebra sharks. It also contains southern stingrays, giant shovel-nosed guitarfish, and green sawfish. Atlantis also has several sea turtles – two Loggerhead sea turtles, two Kemp's Riddley sea turtles, and a Giant Green Sea Turtles. In addition, it has groupers, red snappers, red drums, pork fish, jacks, permits, and many more species. 🐬Wild Amazon consists of an arapaima, arowanas, black pacu, midas cichlids, fossil catfish, pictus catfish, leopard catfish, tiger shovelnose catfish, plecos, flagtails, silver dollars, and freshwater stingrays. This is meant to simulate the Amazon River, which has more freshwater species of fish than any other body of water in the world. 🐬Sturgeon Lake is a fresh water exhibit designed to simulate a Minnesotan lake or northern river. That is, with the exception of the alligator gars, which cannot be found naturally in Minnesota. The other species exhibited in this tank include turtles, gar, bass, lake and shovelnose sturgeon, common carp, smallmouth buffalo, tiger muskie, channel catfish, and paddlefish, and others. 🐬Mysteries of the Rainforest is the final, and most recent exhibit in the aquarium, and features Caiman, Poison Dart Frogs, Tortoises, and Piranha. The aquarium has several additional adventures for a fee, including: 🚦Snorkeling with the Fish: This program is an hour long - surface snorkeling adventure. It allows guests to get up close to over 75 types of tropical fish including Puffers, Sea Turtles and Sharks. You must be at least 9 years old to participate in the snorkeling program and comfortable in the water but no special certifications required. 🚦Behind-the-Scenes Tours: This tour is a 45-minute trip through the aquarium's food-prep kitchen, laboratory and the "top of the tanks" - above the aquarium exhibits and as close as possible to over 150 sharks without getting wet. 🚦Sleeping Under the Sea: An adventure where groups are able to hike through the aquarium at night and sleep under their favorite creatures. This program includes a pizza party, behind-the-scenes tour, breakfast, and a souvenir T-shirt. 2️⃣0️⃣Minnesota Zoo is an AZA-accredited zoo in Apple Valley, Minnesota. Exhibits are arrayed in six themed areas, including three themed walking trails ranging from one to two miles in length: 🍂Medtronic Minnesota Trail, features animals native to Minnesota. The quarter-mile trail takes guests through more than fifteen wildlife exhibits where they experience a variety of Minnesota landscapes, ranging from views into a beaver pond, a walk alongside a northern forest glade and a bird-watching perch in the treetops. Animals in this area include: Wolverine, Beaver, Cougar, Canadian lynx, River otter, Porcupine, Bald eagle, Pileated woodpecker, Coyote, Gray wolf, Fisher, Black bear, and Minnesota herp. 🍂Northern Trail! This 3/4 mile Trail features animals of the north (above the 45th parallel north). Animals in this area include: Amur tiger, Dhole, Woodland caribou, Przewalski's horse, Bactrian camel, Takin, Bison, Musk ox, Moose, Black-tailed prairie dog, Canada goose, Goitered gazelle, Pronghorn, and Trumpeter swan. 🍂Tropics Trail is an indoor trail that gives the impression of being in a tropical rainforest. Animals in this area include: White-cheeked gibbon, Tree kangaroo, Ring-tailed lemur, Binturong, Komodo dragon, Red panda, Golden lion tamarin, Greater Indian hornbill, Tamandua, Visayan warty pig, Lesser flamingo, Burmese python, Asian small-clawed otter, Linnaeus's two-toed sloth, Dwarf crocodile, Red river hog, Rock hyrax, DeBrazza's monkey, and Malayan tapir. 🍂Discovery Bay, an activity area themed around marine wildlife. It contains several aquariums with a combined 1,100,000 US gallons (4,200,000 l) of water. Guests have an opportunity to touch sharks, rays, sea stars and sea anemones in the interactive estuary and tide pool. Animals in this area include: Hawaiian monk seal, Horn shark,Swellshark, Leopard shark, Bat ray, Weedy sea dragon, Sand tiger shark, Southern stingray, and Cobia. 🍂Russia's Grizzly Coast (2.5-acre (10,116-square-meter)), a part-indoor, part-outdoor exhibit. It gives visitors a chance to see animals that live around Russia's Pacific coast, including sea otters, grizzly bears, Amur tigers, Amur leopards, and wild boars in environments reminiscent of their homes in the Russian Far East. 🍂Wells Fargo Family Farm, themed around farm animals. The Farm, allows guests to touch and interact with domestic animals. The Farms exhibits include: goats, sheep, pigs, cows, chickens, and horses in a beautiful farm landscape. The farm also gives a chance for visitors to watch the staff milk the cows. The Farm, a seasonal exhibit, is open every day beginning in April; the popular "Farm Babies" event marks the beginning each year. The Farm closes each fall for the season. 2️⃣1️⃣Devil’s Kettle In Judge C. R. Magney State Park! The last 8 miles (13 km) of the Brule River flows through the park, dropping 800 feet (240 m) and producing several waterfalls and cascades. This stretch of the Brule River has three named waterfalls. 1 mile (1.6 km) from the lakeshore, Lower Falls drops 7 feet (2.1 m) over two steps just before the mouth of Gauthier Creek. A short distance upstream are Upper Falls, dropping 25 feet (7.6 m), and Devil's Kettle Falls. A large rock bisects the Brule River. The water that flows on the east side of the rock tumbles 50 feet (15 m) down a cliff and continues toward Lake Superior. The water that flows to the west enters a hole and disappears, theses two falls creates Devil's Kettle. Where the water goes to that goes in the hole has been a myster for years, until 2017 when they came to the conclusion that it flowed back in the Brule River on downstream after a few experiments. Activities: The Brule River is popular for its fishing opportunities, as the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has been stocking it with rainbow trout. The river also contains brook trout, chinook salmon, and pink salmon during their spawning seasons. Anglers occasionally catch smallmouth bass and northern pike that entered the river from lakes upstream. The River also provides whitewater kayaking for experienced paddlers, who begin upstream of the park boundary and must portage around several stretches. There are 9 miles (14 km) of hiking trails. The main hike is the strenuous 1.1-mile (1.8 km) walk to the Devil's Kettle and Upper and Lower Falls, which features nearly 200 stairs. The rest of the trail continues on to the Canada–US border. There are benches to stop and catch your breath along the way. Amenities are confined to the southern part of the Park. The summer-only campground has 27 sites and a sanitation building with flush toilets and showers. The historic, privately owned Naniboujou Club Lodge provides hotel accommodations directly across from the park entrance. 2️⃣2️⃣Split Rock Lighthouse State Park is located 20 miles northeast of Two Harbors on the North Shore of Lake Superior. It is home to Split Rock Lighthouse, which was built in 1910 to protect Lake Superior shipping. Visitors can tour the lighthouse, foghorn building, keeper's house, tower, and light. Numerous hiking options line the park, which lead through forest, pebble beaches, and great viewpoints of the shoreline. Come winter, the trails at Split Rock become designated for fat tire biking. A cart-in campground is also available, with a few sites offering personal views of the lighthouse. 2️⃣3️⃣🍁Great Lakes Aquarium (62,000-square-foot (5,800 m2)) is located on the Duluth waterfront and features animals and habitats found within the Great Lakes basin and other freshwater ecosystems such as the Amazon River. The Aquarium houses 205 different species of fish, birds, reptiles, amphibians and mammals. It is one of few aquariums in the United States that focuses predominantly on freshwater exhibits. 🍂Isle Royale	is a 85,000-US-gallon (320,000 l) tank. It is the main exhibit located in the very center of the building, and it extends to both the first and second floors allowing visitors to view it from many different angles. It contains trout and lake sturgeon. 🍂Baptism River is a fast-moving exhibit featuring a waterfall. It contains kamloops and siscowet. 🍂Saint Louis River exhibit is a slow-moving river habitat with perch, walleye, sturgeon, channel catfish, and other native species. 🍂Pictured Rocks and Kakagon Slough are inside of a netted area and feature sandstone cliffs, a heron, and native turtles. 🍂Otter Cove is an exhibit featuring two North American river otters named Agate and Ore. They are believed to be sisters. They were two years old when they were captured in live traps by a Louisiana crayfish farmer. The Aquarium acquired Agate and Ore through a special program to relocate otters that might otherwise have been exterminated as "nuisance animals". Otter Cove was designed after a cove in Pukaskwa National Park in Ontario. 🍂Amazing Amazon features freshwater creatures from the largest river in the world. This includes Pacu, Arowana, Piranha, Catfish, Electric Eels, Discus. 🍂Unsalted Seas explores large lakes of the world and the animals within them. The exhibit features the largest sturgeon touchtank in North America with a primary focus on sturgeon from Russian and North Asian waters. 🍂Other Permanent Exhibits include: 19 satellite tanks are at various locations and contain animals such as fish, frogs, salamanders and snakes. There is also a wide variety of interactive electronic exhibits located throughout the museum. Great Lakes Aquarium also features a local history center, a science center and cultural exhibits.

It is really difficult to pick out just a few things to do when there is so much to choose from. There were at least 14 more water park I found. I don't know how many more museums, monuments, state parks and zoos I found. There was also a street that has old Victorian Homes all down it. Anyway I hope I found something of interest for everyone. If anyone has anything more please don't hesitate to add it.

Sending hugs!🐶🐶💕❄️☃️💕