Alaskan Signs of Spring

Spring in Alaska is...

• The day of the vernal equinox.    
• The day the first rock sandpiper arrives in town.     
• The day that your favorite restaurant opens for the season.     
• The day the sun rises in the east and sets in the west, instead of whatever weird alternate schedule it’s been following since November.    
• The first day when you can actually see grass in your yard.    
• The first day that the grass actually looks green. 
• The day you drain the antifreeze out of the water system on your boat/RV/vacation home.   
•  The day the humpback whales return from Hawaii.    
• The day your neighbor returns from Hawaii.    
• The day you can smell the dog poop melting out of snow on the waterfront.   
•  The day you take the studded tires off of the car.    
• The day when ice is no longer filling in all the potholes on the road to the dump.    
• The day you can see the yellow parking lines in the Safeway parking lot.   
•  The day a motorhome camps at the campground.    
• The day a tent camper camps at the campground.    
• The first day that the bears raid trash cans on Dora Way.     
• The day the first cruise ship arrives in port. 
• The first day of salmon-fishing season.  
•  The day you realize its been a week since you had to scrape ice off of your car.   
•  The day you walk outside without a coat and don’t regret the decision.   
• The day you want to eat ice cream.    
• The day you run into a seasonal worker who’s gotten back into town.    
• The day you spot your first group of tourists.    
• The day you see a leaf sprouting on a cottonwood tree.    
• The day you decide that the skis should probably go back in the garage.    
• The day you grill outside.