Signs of Spring

As I've been out walking in the long daylight, I've noticed some sure signs of spring. Here are my top 10 favorites, in no special order.

* You discover that the boy next door is actually a girl now that she is not wearing a complete parka and snowpants.
* The lane lines on the street become partially visible and you find out you've been turning left from the middle lane.
* You stop wearing snowpants because the temperatures are above 0, only to be splashed with an icy-cold snow/dirt slushy kicked up by passing cars.
* Sam's Club starts selling $27 swimsuits, even if none fit you after the long winter of comfort food.
* It is daylight when you wake up but you still feel like hibernating.
* Guys in the neighborhood put away snowmachines and take out 4 wheelers, but get them stuck in snowbanks.
* Asparagus drops to $1.98/lb in Safeway and Satsumas disappear off shelves..
* Trails in the woods become virtually unusable- not frozen enough or dry enough to walk. In villages, the river roads become unsafe and cheap transportation grinds to a halt.
* The ice carvings in the Ice Park start morphing into grotesques.
* Someone sinks their truck through the ice bridge across the Chena River. Demographic: male, between the ages of 17-23, between 7 pm- 2 am.

So, Spring is different here than the smaller states. The Easter egg hunt is done in snowsuits and the eggs "hide" in the snow- much easier to find unless they are undyed. Don't take off snow tires until mid-May- snow is still imminent. You can start your plants in the house now, but they go through several repotting sessions before you can put them outside. The daylight is gaining fast (about 6+ minutes a day) but just yesterday was the first day of above 0 in the morning. Kids wear shorts to school when the temps hit about 35, but they get cold on the playground equipment.

My spirits are lifted though, due to the longer light and more opportunities to get outside. We're having a BBQ on Wednesday and we might have to shovel a little snow off the deck, but Summer is looming. Next thing you know, we'll be on Pike's deck having overpriced burgers and iced tea.