Todd County cabin is nothing fancy, but that's OK

Sometimes a place is more than a location on the map. Sometimes a place is part of your heart — the part with memories and roots and the hopes for those who will come in future years. Our cabin does not have a fancy name and is not a fancy place. Located north of St. Cloud in Todd County, the dwelling is surrounded by rocky fields, swamps and the kind of small towns famous in the "Lake Wobegon" books. Nearly 60 years ago, our parents bought a rocky lakeshore lot in the middle of nowhere that they really could not afford. Gradually and project by project, they built not just a dwelling but a place that has become the constant feature in the lives of the extended family. Homes have changed, children have married, and grandkids (and great-grandkids) abound. The tiny one-room shelter now is a two-story structure that somehow (with a few tents!) fits the growing families of 10 siblings. Summers are filled with the laughter and sharing around many campfires. This cabin — this place — is the where we all can connect and a place to create new memories for all generations.

Terry Kimlinger, Rochester, minn.