The magnificent outskirts of our community

Here's a windmill from an earlier time, along one of the narrow snaking roads by Wintermute Lake. (B.W. photo)

Wednesday night was one of those times when the turbine blades were white against a very dark sky.

Do we ever tire of looking at our giant wind turbines? A photographer can find all sorts of opportunities. They face in different directions and take on different shades.

On Wednesday night the skies weren't only dark, they were menacing. Nasty clouds were hovering, surely with the power to wreak havoc. Not only were they hovering, they were headed our way!

I was at a gathering at the Pomme de Terre Park shelter next to Lake Crissey. Lake Crissey? You might not be familiar with that name but that's how it was christened once. Sadly the name faded in its use. It's now simply called a reservoir.

Maybe there's no point in having a nice name for the lake because it doesn't really seem like a lake. It's a relatively wide spot on the Pomme de Terre River. There's no real water recreation there. I remember a diving raft being there when I was a kid. I imagine the water was more acceptable (more clear) for swimming then.

Swimming was also more encouraged at the Pomme de Terre Lake chain. We as a community can't even agree on a name for the primary lake in that chain. "Pomme de Terre" seems to have been the prevailing name. Someone must have told a mapmaker once it was "Perkins."

Now that there is controversy out there over proposed development - an RV campground I believe - the media tend to want to use the official name. Since "Perkins" is on the maps, that's the name we are seeing. But if you drive out to the public access you'll see a big sign welcoming you to "Pomme de Terre Lake."

I wrote a post quite some time ago on this confusion, accompanied by a photo of the sign. I was hoping to prompt some resolution. But as is so often the case with our community, no one sprang forward. My email to a Historical Society person was met with the response that "the individual who might study this has more important things to do."

The solution apparently is for more development to happen out there. Economic development will promote consistency.

All my life I have heard stories about "Perkins Resort" and the roller skating pavilion out there. The stories paint such a wondrous picture, it makes me scratch my head about why such a jewel should vanish.

For a time that location became a Lutheran youth retreat. It was called "Luther Crest West" which always rankled me, because the week I spent at the real Luther Crest near Alexandria was a week in hell.

I'm not sure to what extent Luther Crest West flowered as a retreat - the numbers etc. It became abandoned for that purpose. I'd like to add the refrain "die, Luther Crest, die." One thing to be said for me, I never ran from the bullies, I "took it." As I grew older I learned not to fight on their terms. I learned I could use words to "stand my ground," to develop journalistic skills.

John Stossel in one of his books claimed to have done the same. In his words, he learned to "turn the cameras on the bullies."

Today there are those seeing development potential at Perkins (or Pomme de Terre) Lake. And there's controversy/conflict.

How big could a resort attraction blossom out there? If there's really so much potential, how come this didn't happen before? Why not during the "go go" years of the economy? There's retrenchment now and in my opinion it'll get worse.

Don't you think that lake is barely acceptable for resort/campground purposes? Or that it's below the standard that is needed? By the standards of Stevens County it's terrific. But we bill ourselves as "prairie" and not "lakes." Sad to say, our lakes are known as "cow lakes."

We are a short drive from much superior lakes to the east. Having spent much of my childhood in Brainerd, I learned to view even the Alexandria lakes as substandard. Brainerd is God's country for this. Morris is prairie. We can't pretend we're something that we aren't.

You barely notice the Pomme de Terre Lake chain as you drive along North Highway 59. I recently explored out in that area to take some photos. The development along the highway is quite interesting and nice. But much of it is off the road so much, it's hard to be aware. The houses are scattered and they are impressive.

Take a right and you drive toward the river valley. Any river valley offers something aesthetic. There's a fine house that even has a dock extending over the river.

Take a left off North Highway 59 and you can see development around Wintermute Lake. Again, this is "scattered" development - rather opulent houses to be seen here and there. Oddly, the road you take out toward Wintermute is narrow and winding. It's paved but not very inviting.

You come to a fork in the road. I've never taken a right there, rather I go left toward the McCannons', along that winding "trail" (a word more apt than "road") until there is finally a dead end. It's a dead end at the McCannons'. If Roger is out in the yard you might step out of the car and explain your presence.

"I'm a Sunday driver." (Boy, now there's dated phrase.)

Once you get on those trails around Wintermute Lake, you'll have to use a private driveway to turn around. Maybe the roads aren't real inviting because this is a way for residents to express their desire for privacy.

I might suggest the same about the dirt road that heads out to the "Pomme de Terre West" neighborhood on Perkins (or Pomme de Terre) Lake. It's a lousy road that often develops that very annoying "washboard" effect.

It's a short walk from the Pomme de Terre public access to the Pomme de Terre West neighborhood. While it's short, there is no trail or road. In fact there's a barbed wire fence! That fence was repaired about two years ago. For a while there was an opening, maybe created by someone who was annoyed by it. (It wasn't me.)

For a time I took bike rides out there and then took a walk by the Pomme de Terre West neighborhood. Now I'd have to get over that fence. Was the fence repaired because the people noticed me, an "outsider," taking walks there? Actually I never saw many signs of life along that neighborhood, just big houses - you know, "McMansions."

I always viewed the proliferation of "McMansions" as ironic because the type of families who lived in them seemed so "on the go," they were hardly ever there. Meanwhile the retirees who settled in much more modest houses after World War II are home a lot.

You will see a "wind farm" as you proceed to the north along Highway 59. Also, an expansive field of bright yellow sunflowers. About 30 years ago, sunflowers were a very common cash crop out and around. I learned these plants are very subject to diseases.

A motorist passing through the area using Highway 59 might think it's pretty barren and common country. But how misleading that is. There is so much life along with aesthetic delights.

You just have to look.

- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com