That In-Between Moment of the Season
Here on Prince Edward Island, March break always arrives at that strange in-between moment of the seasons.
Winter is still hanging on, but the Island is beginning to soften. Snowbanks slowly shrink, the air feels a little lighter, and the roads begin their annual transformation into what can only be described as a pothole obstacle course. The kind where you hit a bump and briefly wonder if you might lose the entire car in it.
Some days bring fresh snow, while others feel muddy enough to question if the ground will ever fully dry out again. It is messy and unpredictable, but it also carries the quiet promise that spring is on its way.
Every year when this week rolls around, I find myself thinking about March breaks past.
March Breaks Growing Up
As kids, we didn’t travel much, and honestly back then not many families did. March break felt simple. Mom would bundle us up to go cross-country skiing, or we would spend long afternoons outside with friends while winter slowly loosened its grip.
One memory that always comes back is a day trip to Summerside with Mom, my siblings, and one of her friends who brought her kids along too. At the time it felt like the biggest adventure. We wandered through shops picking out new spring outfits and laughed the entire drive there and back.
Looking back now, those small outings felt just as exciting as any trip.
What March Break Looks Like for Our Family Now
These days March break looks a little different for our family.
Sometimes it means a week somewhere warm where the days move slowly, we float in the ocean for hours, linger over long happy hours, and share our nightly “peaks and pits” from the day. Those conversations can get pretty lively with everyone chiming in, but they’ve quietly become one of my favourite parts of the trip.
The destination itself almost matters less than the feeling of the place. Warm weather after a PEI winter is always welcome, but what we really look for are beautiful beaches, great food, friendly service, and days that feel relaxed and unhurried.
Slowing Down at Home on PEI
Back home on the Island, March break can still be just as lovely in its own way.
I love wandering through the Charlottetown Library, especially with a coffee and a treat from 5th Wave in hand. It is one of those places where you can sit for a while, people watch, and slow the day down a little.
The trails in Prince Edward Island National Park are beautiful this time of year too. Bubbling Spring Trail and Homestead Trail are two of my favourites when the air feels crisp and the Island is quiet before summer visitors arrive.
It is also the perfect excuse to try something new in the kitchen. March still calls for cozy recipes, brunch boards, and comfort food that brings everyone around the table.
This week on Mondays with Marsha, I lean into that idea with a simple baking and brunch morning in the kitchen. Pancakes, waffles, fresh fruit, and a few favourite preserves spread across the table. Nothing complicated, just the kind of morning where the kitchen gets a little messy and nobody is rushing out the door.
A visit to The Gallery Café is another lovely way to spend an afternoon. Their artist curations are always changing and it is a beautiful way to support local creativity.
And one of my favourite little March rituals is sitting down with my Vesey’s Seeds catalogue and dreaming about what might grow in the gardens this year. It is a quiet reminder that spring really is coming.
The Small Moments That Stay With Us
When I think about the March breaks of my childhood, it is never the big things that come back first. What I remember most clearly are the small moments. A car ride with my mom and siblings. A day trip to Summerside that felt like a grand adventure. The excitement of something just a little different from the ordinary days.
The details of March break may look different now, but the feeling of the week has stayed surprisingly consistent. It remains a small pause in the rhythm of the year, a chance to slow down, spend time together, and enjoy the simple moments that often become the memories we carry forward.
And if Island tradition holds true and a snowstorm shows up around St. Patrick’s Day, well, that simply gives us one more excuse to stay cozy and linger a little longer around the kitchen table.
P.S.
Last week I had the opportunity to share a bit more about my own journey on the Heal So Hard Podcast as part of their Renovation Series. We talked about burnout, rebuilding, and what it really means to learn how to slow down when life has you running at full speed.
If you’d like to listen to the conversation, you can find it here on Spotify, and here on Apple Podcasts.
Lots of love,
Marsha
