Tomorrow is the first official day of spring, but we do everything a little different here in Alaska, including Spring. When you live near the Arctic Circle spring doesn’t include pretty little green sprouts popping up after misty rain showers. Here, spring brings a continued chance of snow, slushy roads edged with puddles and grey everything – not the 50 shades kind either.

Spring is known as “break-up” season in Alaska, because that’s when the ice on the rivers starts to break apart and move downstream. In fact, traditions are based on it. Many native villages hold contests for residents to guess when a wooden tripod placed on the thawing river will fall as the ice below it gives in to rising temps. It’s usually the talk of the town and you’ll find everyone available on the river bank watching, because it’s what you do in rural Alaska.

One of the things I love most about Alaska is the change of seasons, but now that the beautiful snow of winter is melting and we’re left with wet, slick ice splotches I’m ready to fast forward to summer’s greenery. Maybe it’s spring fever because I didn’t get a “spring break” like the school kids did. Or maybe I’m just eager to get my garden set up and my landscaping installed.

I have big plans for the yard, including hydroseeding a lawn for the dogs, flower beds near the front door and several birdhouses with feeders nearby so our feathered friends stay. Watch for a post on the full plan soon. But none of that can happen until the ground thaws and the warm temps are consistent. Until then my ‘yard pretties’ will remain stashed away in their cabinet in the garage and I’ll continue to day dream about the pretty flowers I’ll be planting.