Unfortunately, there is a stretch of Interstate-65 between Indianapolis and Chicago which makes me feel like I am smack dab in the middle of one of Stephen King's novels. I have traveled this stretch of road many times, and it never gets less creepy.
Honestly, it's Indiana. From the interstate I shouldn't see much more than corn, soybeans, farmhouses, and barns. Yet, at somewhere around Exit 200, something odd shows up on the horizon, and the creepy crawlies go skittering up my spine.
"What could possibly be setting Christine's heart to thumping?" you ask.
Windmills.
Giant windmills.
Giant, alien-like windmills.
Lots and lots of giant, alien-like windmills.
No exaggeration, these things go on for miles and miles.
It honestly feels like an alien invasion.
It's bad enough when there's no wind and the windmills are still, but when they are moving, all slow and methodical and calm...shivers!
I tried to get some photos to give you some idea of the hugeness of these things,
but, they're in the middle of Indiana farmland. Everything but a chicken looks big next to a soybean plant.
This last photo has been zoomed way in so you can almost see the grain bins next to the windmill. Grain bins are approximately 125 feet tall. Look how much bigger the windmill behind it is!
They're HUGE I tell you!
And when I say they go on for miles and miles, I mean miles in all directions. Miles along the freeway, and as far as the eye can see to the east and to the west.
I am all for eco-friendly.
I recycle. I compost. I have an organic garden. I dry laundry on the line. I raise my own pigs for meat, for Pete's sake!
I am going on record as saying I am completely opposed to wind-power if this is what it looks like.
Maybe if the windmills looked more like the whimsical variety of Holland I could get on the bandwagon.
These at least add to the landscape. Eco-friendly shouldn't simply mean a "friendly" way of acquiring energy. Aesthetics need to play a part, too.
Thirty years ago I saw the movie "Children of the Corn", and for over two decades afterwards I was scared to death of cornfields.
I've lived in the middle of 200 acres of corn for 8 years now, and I can finally say I find cornfields to be pretty.
I don't want to have to go back to being afraid of cornfields. Please, Energy-makers, don't make me.
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| The beginning of the end for Stephen King and me. Can you say, "Malachi"? |
Have a lovely day!
We have windmills all over the place here, too--even in the Walmart parking lot. I have failed to notice alien creepiness, though. I'll have to look more carefully, I guess.
ReplyDeleteWe have little ones dotting here and there. One across the street, actually. I don't mind those. It's the miles of gigantic turbines that gives me the willies.
DeleteThose things creep me out, too! There are miles and miles of them on I-70 in the middle of nowhere Kansas.
ReplyDeleteFortunately, few people drive through Kansas, so not much harm done there. (Ha! I have a friend whose family went on a road trip across the country. In the middle of Kansas she had a complete meltdown about how awful it was to drive across Kansas. She even told her three kids they were not allowed to go to a college in or on the other side of Kansas, as she was never driving through it again. (Sorry, Susan. I know you enjoy living in Kansas.))
DeleteThose are windmills? I've never seen any like that before. Here we have ones that look like they're right out of The Wizard Of Oz.
ReplyDeleteCount yourself lucky!
DeleteThis comment cracks me up and got me confused, seeing as how Wizard of Oz is about a girl in Kansas, and Dyanne was just talking about how many of these monsters are in Kansas. I think it's past my bedtime.
Excellent post. These things are dangerous. They maim and kill birds and bats. They wiped out a colony of Burrowing Owls and Eagles in California. They are eyesores, taking up miles and miles of landscape. I could go on and on. I hate these things. If you Google "Wind Turbines" you will learn how horrific they are. Yes, Stephen King material. They are money makers for corporations. I am all for "green energy" but this is not the answer.
ReplyDeleteI have never done any research on them, but I have heard people say how bad they actually are. After reading your comment, I'm a bit scared to look up wind turbine. It will only make me mad.
DeleteYup, they creep me out as well. They are all over Oklahoma! Creepy, creepy, creepy.
ReplyDeleteGlad you agree! Not glad that they're all over Oklahoma.
DeleteI'm not as horrified by the windmills as I am by those clouds. HOLY COW I would be runnin' for cover!!!!!
ReplyDeleteHa! Those are just ordinary farmland clouds! :)
DeleteYou made me laugh. I never thought windmill can make someone feel like this. I have yet to see one live.
ReplyDeleteJust Two Shoes Tuesday-ing from the Philippines! ;o)
I'm glad they haven't spread to the Philippines. No need to make other countries so ugly.
DeleteThanks for stopping by!
Great use of the prompt. I thinkg tnhey could do more to ensure these wind power suppliershaave less an impact on the environment. Like everything else though it will take a real effort to change this and it will not be easy. Also found this great resource on the pros and con of wind power generated by these turbines.
ReplyDeleteI have no doubt it would be extremely difficult to get rid of these things any time soon. I haven't done any research on them, but my gut just says they're wrong.
DeleteTake your pick, Christine ~~ The wave of the future is Nukes and Wind Turbines. I'd rather have the turbines sitting near me. The do make an awful noise though, none should be in or near populated areas.
ReplyDelete..
Honestly, I wouldn't mind one so much. It's the fact that there are hundreds of them blanketing a huge chunk of land. No way they can keep them away from populated areas. Farmers live all over the flat land they need.
DeleteThanks for stopping by!
We have them ugly things here too. Miles and miles of them. They cost more to run than they produce too, but let's not go there.
ReplyDeleteI love your take on wind.
Have a fabulous day. ☺
Thank you!
DeleteThis was a great piece of writing on a serious subject! They are an optical illusion of sorts, much MUCH bigger than they appear from a distance! Have you ever seen one of those blades going down the road on the bed of a truck? At first I thought they were kind of pretty in their own way, but I've since learned how bad they are and how dangerous. Why is it that so many things seem like a good idea on the surface level has a more sinister reality beneath it? I'm with you on the Dutch windmills... love them! This was a powerful contribution to Two Shoes Tuesday and a great response to the prompt. Thank You!
ReplyDeleteI did see that once. It took me a minute to figure out what it was.
DeleteYay for Dutch windmills!
Thanks for hosting such a thought-provoking hop.
Still creepy.
ReplyDeleteWe actually followed a truck up the Pennsylvania Turnpike carrying one of the arms of those things. They are even bigger up close! Crazy big! But I like to see them slowly turning in the distance. I think they are actually kind of cool. Still, I'm glad that I don't have any in my back yard, lol!
ReplyDeleteI know! The one time I saw one being transported, it took me a minute to figure out what it was. From a distance (like a mile away) they look cool. Up close, creepy.
DeleteI can see your point if you look at one on its own. However, when there are hundreds of them as far as you can see, all spinning the same slow, methodical speed, they look like gigantic alien soldiers in perfect unison descending on our itty bitty defenseless planet.
ReplyDeleteBasically, I agree with Dyanne.
Here in California they come in farms...hundreds in one area. They are rather creepy but fascinating. I never hooked King to the power farms but I bet he could spin a pretty good story.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I'm like you...I wouldn't read it.
I don't think the windmills are as creepy looking as the picture of that kid. Ewwww.
ReplyDeleteHahaha that's funny you feel so strongly about them. I think they're kind of interesting (we have plenty in Illinois!) and my kids like to point them out on road trips. It IS strangely ironic,however, that they're responsible for killing birds. We just can't win.
ReplyDeleteWould it change our friendship to tell you I looked into getting one for our roof. A much smaller one but a windmill none the less. We don't qualify apparently large metal windmills are not aesthetically pleasing in a historic neighborhood. The pink house down the street is okay but the energy saving windmill is not. Now I am looking into solar panels, after all it is the sunshine state.
ReplyDeleteI think they would unnerve me too. They do look a bit like an alien invasion. As a child I was afraid of water towers...I still don't like them.
ReplyDeleteYes, I agree! I don't like wind mills either, besides being creepy they are a huge waste of space and don't provide much energy. I think solar power is the best way to go green. : )
ReplyDeleteACK how is it I happen to miss the posts that have me "tagged" damn it!
ReplyDeleteSee, windmills like those don't scare me, but I haven't seen hundreds of them turning at once. To be completely honest, the Old Dutch ones scare me about 500x more than those giant ones. I had a dream of being in one of those Dutch ones (likely due to thinking about Army of Darkness) and there were demons and all sorts of freaky shit I had to save people from. The inside was way larger than it appeared... being a dream and all.
Anyhow, cornfields... now you have something! Those scare the shit out of me lol Largely in part by the very movie you reference. I never quite got over that if alone. Not too bad if with another, but if alone, I may crawl up into the fetal position until a rescue party is sent out.
You love King! I know it. Just not his overly freaky deaky stuff lol
Jak at The Cryton Chronicles & Dreams in the Shade of Ink
When you come for a visit, I'll be sure to take you. :)
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