Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore

This dunes area of Northwest Indiana is lucky to have its beaches protected by two different park systems.  This photo was taken in the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore in Beverly Shores, not far from Kemil Rd. (February 6th "Long Road Home" photo).  It was taken right after one of our heavier snows so the sand is mostly covered here.  The browner patches in the foreground are thin layers of blowing sand; there is always a lot of blowing and drifting along the shoreline.  When we lived in Michigan a few years ago, we had a Japanese exchange student staying with us during the month of February, and he really wanted to see Lake Michigan so we drove here.  I asked what he thought, and he said "Water, snow, sand, and wood, all in one place.  Very mysterious!"  I really loved that comment.  It's a beautiful place, even in the winter.