“Once every few decades, the coastal residents of Lake Ladoga experience a difficult time. As soon as the April sun drives the snow away from the forests, the lake suddenly overflows with water and floods the surrounding area for hundreds of miles. Green hillocks, fields, farmsteads and entire villages stand submerged in water all spring and summer. In shallow swamps, roaches splash merrily along the streets and roads. Predatory and voracious pikes greedily chase after her. The forests are flooded. In the mirror lakes among the trees, flocks of ducks and loons swim cackling..."