WE EXPERIENCE A PEI WINTER STORM

Taken on Monday afternoon

When we made it known we were moving to PEI, friends were concerned about us living through the harsh and cruel winters. We heard the warnings, we just didn't heed them. After all, it snows in Canada. There is winter in Canada. Canada is cold.

Hearing weather reports, friends have been getting in touch to know if we had managed to 'dig out' from storms.The Maritimes had been hit hard, how were we coping? We showed them pictures of our smatterings of snow with grass showing through and told them, thanks for the concern but they had been misinformed. Oh, yes, Nova Scotia had been hit hard and yes, New Brunswick experienced an ice storm that left thousands without electricity for days but here on little PEI, nothing. The big storms just passed us by. Oh my, oh my. Until..........

Taken on Monday.

What a difference a day makes. Taken on Tuesday afternoon. Same exact location.

And that was the beginning of the snow fall that was making headlines. Believing the news reports, we made sure we had everything in the house we would need in the way of food and, of course, beer and wine. We took precautions in case the electricity went out. We filled a bathtub with water so flushing would be possible and filled a couple of jugs with drinking water.  The flashlight was left within easy reach on the dining room table.

Tuesday came and went; the snow did not stop. Wednesday, the snow was still falling and the wind still blowing as tops of trees are bending in the gale force winds. Schools are cancelled, busses aren't running, social activities are rescheduled. Our electricity does not fail us. We are pleased with ourselves that we went to do shopping on Tuesday morning.

Tuesday. Still snowing.

Wednesday afternoon the wind had died down somewhat so we ventured out to take a walk but really couldn't get very far. The road we normally walk along was non-existent, and the fields around us were deep in snow drifts from the 80km winds that had been blowing non-stop. We stomped a bit through the snow drifts, me up to my thighs, Kaede nearly buried and headed back. It took us about 15 minutes to trudge 400 yards.

Sheltered by the trees, the wind did not bury the truck.

Snow drift that has all but covered up the sign.

Erik and Kaede contemplating the snow. That is the road we usually walk down.

Some great snow drifts.

Not terribly cold but snowy and still windy

No snow plows came along. We were, literally, stranded in the house for two days and would have been unable to get out had we wanted to. Truthfully? We didn't want to. It was kind of fun sitting inside watching the snow come down sideways and the drifts growing higher and higher. We were warm, we watched Turner Classic Movies, we had food and beer and wine and, more importantly, we had electricity. And, of course, we had each other.

As suddenly as it started it stopped. Early Friday morning we heard the sound of the snow plow going down the road. The roads were plowed, everything was back in working order and kids were returning to school.

The road was back.

The sun was streaming through the windows and the sky was a beautiful summer blue. And just like that, the storm was over. And, we survived.

Beautiful blue sky and beautiful day for x-country skiing.