Lake Erie is one of the Great Lakes and is named after a Native American tribe that lived on its southern shore. Most of the water flows into Lake Erie from the Detroit River. The outflow from the lake creates another wonder, the Niagara River. The western basin of Lake Erie is the home for about 26 islands, depending on current water levels. Lake Erie also provides for a regional phenomenon - lake effect snow that makes Buffalo, NY infamous for its winter storms. Do you see the mass of clouds moving in from the west?

Winter seems to turn Lake Erie into a land of wonder, a land out of this world, a land looking more like you could find at the two poles rather than in Buffalo, NY. The winds create waves and push the early ice onto the shore creating mounds of different sizes that get covered by snow. Their centers often collapse making them look like tiny volcanoes. Being on the ice very early in the morning during freezing temperatures and windy conditions makes for quite an experience! As you wander around and wait for the night to turn into a day, you can really get lost in thoughts and expect a dog sled to speed by. That never happened to me yet, only an ice fisherman or two on their ATVs. With the permeating chill, sunrise is a magical moment when everything starts to glow and makes you feel warm despite the temperatures not really changing much at all!