Big Bear Lake, CA – Ice and Snow

Big Bear Lake, CA had a massive snow storm in January, 2010. Other cities in the region had major floods that caused terrible ruin. But Big Bear was drenched in foot after foot of snow. The Bear Valley definitely proved its character in this time of crisis by banding together and helping their neighbors.

In the beginning, I begrudged the conditions of my new home town of Big Bear, but soon I was reaffirmed in my decision to relocate here. Houses were buried in snow but plumes of smoke from cozy fires slowly melted the icing. In general, most of the structures were serving their inhabitants well. My husband and children were home with me and we were sitting by the fire bonding. In the morning, we would take walks in the winter wonderland.

I admit I was secretly terrified that we would all be stranded and trapped like the Donner Party but as we began to dig out of our driveway, I felt a ray of hope. And then I saw neighbors helping neighbors with their trapped vehicles. And as I walked to the end of my block to search for any evidence of plowed road, I passed smiling faces and welcoming waves. We asked each other if we needed anything and offered our open doors.

When I came home, I was happy to see my family again, all finding ways to busy themselves and get to know one another better. I am definitely thankful for all that we have and, in truth, I actually felt at peace in the storm of the decade.

I don\'t know what it is about our home in Big Bear or the homes down the street from mine, but I am brimming with a new nostalgia that I haven\'t felt since I was a kid. The snow falls. We dig out. The roads get plowed. The tourists roll in. The stores open. We go out for fresh air. And then we do it all over again.

I think the best part and the key part is that we don\'t drive down the hill at the end of the weekend, we just head back home on the side streets while traffic stalls on the main boulevard. It\'s nice to know the little tricks. It\'s nice to have a home in Big Bear.

Submitted by: Karen Richardson knows all about shopping Big Bear, CA foreclosure deals and Big Bear realty overall. Check out her other pieces on other websites.