does it snow on Vancouver Island?

As I am sure all writers experience, what you start out to write and what comes out of the pen (supply keyboard) are often two different things.  I have been working on a blog about my brothers and a long cold, snowy winter.  However, I have not yet located a photo to accompany that blog, so ……. One side benefit of blogging is that I have been forced to unearth all my old photos.  I am scanning what I use and hope to get all of my collection in order. A bonus is those photos have given me many more blog ideas.  

Now for this blog; my husband Ronald Brooker and I moved to Port Alberni on Vancouver Island, British Columbia in the summer of 1968.  As I was unpacking my belongings my relatives and new friends hooted with laughter to see that I had brought winter boots and coats for Ron and myself.  “You won’t need those here.”  “It does not snow in Port Alberni.”  Their comments went on and on.  And as the months progressed someone would ask, “Wearing your snow boots yet?”

I thought perhaps they were correct and the winter weather would continue on as it had for October, November and now into December; cold and rainy interspersed with cold and drizzle. It may not have been the sub minus temperatures we had in New Brunswick; however I found it just as bone chilling.  Christmas came and went, the ground stayed green.  Vavielle received a Christmas parcel in the mail from her Brooker Grandparents, a lovely pink pile snow suit.   “She won’t need that here”, remarked my neighbours.

 Then just before New Year’s it started to snow, and snow and snow.  Within twenty four hours I think we received almost four feet.  Since it was Christmas holiday’s schools were closed.  Good thing because nothing was moving.  Ronald received a call that his work in the woods was cancelled because of the snow.  He could not believe it; he had worked in accumulations of eight and ten feet of snow back in New Brunswick.  The men simply used the big machines to plow themselves out.  We lived on the outskirts of our small city; Ronald decided to take a walk into town to see what was happening. 

 When Ronald returned he could not contain his amusement as he told me about the snow clearing efforts, several graders were attempting to make a path through the streets.  By the second day Ron had called the City and convinced them to let him clear out the main thorough fare with a back hoe.  While he was plowing, his boss from the bush came along and the next dayRon was back to work getting their operation going.

 The snow lasted most of January and February. By March the warm breezes were wafting over the land, lawns were growing and the daffodils and crocuses blooming.  We were in Port Alberni three winters, it snowed every winter.  But no one asked me does it snow on Vancouver Island?