There is a common myth in the rest of Canada, that British Columbia is a land of pleasant winters and early springs, where it never snows and is always wet and rainy. That is true for a very small part of the province, the part on the south coast, inland as far as the 1000 meter level. From there on, and from there up, winter is the long, bitter, frigid experience that it is in the rest of Canada.



Having grown up in southern Ontario, where proper winters can be delightfully experienced from December through March, I have to say that living in Canada's temperate zone has been a mixed experience. I love winter. I love snowy days, cold air and crisp blue skies. I love the feeling of warming up by a fire, and bringing life back to my extremities. I do. Really.



So today, Bowen Island's annual week long snowy season began. Early this morning, light snow started falling, and now at lunch time, there is probably 3 centimeters coating everything. As usual when it snows here, the air is just below freezing, there is not a breath of wind, and everything is silent. It is so still and gentle, that the snow has lightly capped my snapdragons that, being the hearty little flowers they are, are still in bloom in early January.



It's a delightful day.