This informative post will be posted on Saturday along with my usual writing.  You are invited to participate with the opening question.

Brain Teaser Question

A cowboy rides into town on Friday.  He stays five days, then rides out of town on Friday.  How can this be?

(answer found at the end of this post)

Featured Facts

Minnesota offers a interesting diversity in its natural landscape of prairies, forests, and lakes.

Here are some interesting facts about America’s 32nd state:

• Statehood:  May 11, 1958
• State Bird:  Common Loon (also called Great Northern Diver)
• Motto:  L”Etoile du Nord (The Star of the North)

Minnesota is home to the headwaters of the Mississippi River.  The river divides the largest urban area in the state.  Often referred to as the Twin Cities, Minneapolis is the most populated city, and St. Paul is the state capital.

Bloomington is a neighboring community just south of the Twin Cities.  The former site of Metropolitan Stadium (home of baseball’s Twins and football’s Vikings) now is the address of the Mall of America, which opened in 1992.  It remains the largest mall in the United States.

Often promoted as the  “Land of 10,000 Lakes,” Minnesota’s nickname celebrates the over 90,000 miles of shoreline found in the state.  This is more miles than California, Florida, and Hawaii combined.  Anyone who is a NBA basketball fan has heard of the Los Angeles Lakers, which is one of its more successful franchises.  Interestingly, few lakes are found around Los Angeles, but it makes sense because the Lakers’ original home was in Minneapolis.

left:  common loon, state bird.  right:  state capitol building in st. paul.  (courtesy of pinterest)

Answer to Brain Teaser Question

His horse named Friday.