My father was born a little further to the west, in Ely, Minnesota. His parents were among the early settlers up there, arriving in the late 1880's. I only visited there when I was very young, before kindergarten, but still remember the lakes and picking blueberries. The north country is very beautiful in all seasons, but I do not think that I could stand their winters anymore.
The last time we visited my family up in Michigan, I found that I didn't enjoy winter as much as I used to... mainly because I didn't like driving in it any more. But I still miss the cold bite in the air, the stark beauty of the all-white landscape, and the incredible brilliance of the stars on a clear, cold night.