7 signs of an Island spring

There are many signs to indicate spring has sprung — from blooming flowers to lighter jackets to ending the work day with the sun still up.

As Wednesday marked the first official day of the season, CBC spoke with Islanders on what spring on P.E.I. means to them.

1. Skunks

For some Islanders spring is synonymous with the pungent smell omitted by a small, furry animal.   

"I was driving by one night and thought, gee what is that smell? It's so strong. And it turned out to be a skunk and I ended up seeing one. It was a little surprising because it was a little colder about a week or two ago. But now it actually kind of feels like spring ..." said Alexander Matheson. 

2. Leaks

As the Island transitions from winter, melting snow can lead to wet roads and even flooding basements. 

"Our sign is a leaky basement and lots of water on the roads. We have a nice big crack in our foundation and it's deciding to flood our whole basement," said Islander Emilie Boucher.

3. Muddy dogs

For Islander Katie MacKinnon, trails being reopened and long walks with her dogs is a definite sign of spring. Unfortunately, wet and muddy pups are also signs of the changing seasons. 

"We have two golden retrievers and a Burmese mountain dog, so they track in a lot of mud in the run of the day," she said.

4. Car karaoke

Just like the birds of spring, some Islanders find themselves in a better mood and find it difficult to keep from singing a tune.  

"I just got out of my car and I was lip-synching really happily because it is spring and I'm just feeling that amazing sunny energy," said Julia Campbell. 

"I do sing in the car a lot but singing in the car with a little more amped-up volume, amped-up theatrics, is definitely springtime for me," she said.

5. Ice breakup

As temperatures rise, ice begins to break into smaller pieces along the shores of P.E.I. 

6. Roads thawing

"I'm from Mount Stewart so there are massive divots and bumps in the road, and spring for me is when those bumps flatten out and it's a smooth ride down Main Street, " said Benjamin MacDonald.

7. Patio beers

As the weather warms up, a nice cold beer in the sun, for some Islanders, is the definition of spring. 

"The first sign to me would be going out on Victoria Row and having the first patio beer of the season," said Josh Langille.

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