It is impossible to not like Minnesota, with its lakes, woods, flora and fauna, hiking and fishing (I do not hunt). There is so much to explore, from Mississippi headwaters to the Boundary waters. The images below are not organized in any particular way because I work in Minnesota every year and visit some of the places to enjoy forest, an impossible luxury in our part of North Dakota.

Wild irises are beautiful	At its beginning the Mississippi River can be crossed in a few steps
Fishing spider Dolomedes in Voyageurs park	A black bear reached an island on Kabetogama Lake.
Dermacentor ticks can be extremely numerous in June	This lake was creaated by beavers
Little Wolf Lake	Long Lake near Itaska State Park
Fresh leaves at the beginning of May	Lichens wake up after the winter
Green color is bright in early spring	A porcupine in forest near Hibbing
Biology professors Peter Meberg and Tristan Darland paddling in boundary waters (well, one of them is)	Finally a dinner after a long day of high wind and waves, torrent rain and multiple portages (Peter Meberg and Vasyl Tkach)
This moose did not pay almost any attention to our canoes	A chipmunk checking our camp out for crumbs
Goose family at Leech Lake	Mighty and fearless snapping turtle
Eric Pulis giving me first lessons of fishing in Minnesota	Hiding food from bears way up high on the tree in boundary wtaers
Red squirrels are always curious	The little bunny needs to always stay alert...
Although not matching New England, Minnesota has its own, somewhat quieter, fall colors
Mushrooms in the Itaska Park	Some days in the late fall are warm enough for flies.
I think these are edible	Some sort of Solanaceae in the late fall
Waterfall near Duluth	The tourist season is over and it is time to rest