Aside from melting snow, what are the first signs of spring where you live?

Women dress lighter :)

When the crocuses pop their little heads up. Makes me smile every year.

Tiny little hardy cyclamens pop up here and there. I planted them in one spot about 15 years ago, and according to some garden guru or other in my life, the mice pick them up and move them around, so they’ve spread, often for long distances.

Little tufts of green on the barren branches of my curly willow. I love it!

The only signs of changing seasons in Phoenix, Arizona are the temperature changes.

The ski resorts close.

Tulips!

Truck Day.

I’ve seen two robins. And of course all the migrating geese.

Pecan trees budding

The buttercups pop up and smile on the world.

robins!... robins puttering about everywhere
@Blondesjon none yet here so far though… western MD

Japanese magnolias are in full bloom here right now. They are a breath taking clue that spring is coming, and I can not wait!

I ignore the robins since they have been here all winter, along with the Jays, Cedar Waxwings, crows, ravens, chickadees, titmice, and juncos. The usual signal is the voice of the redwinged blackbird (Conk a REE). But today, mild for the first time in months, I heard the mating three-beat warbleof the Carolina wren. There is still a lot of snow in the hills. (Snow belt; central eastern NYS.)

I work in the human services building and we all know it is spring when “Doris” (an elderly lady with dementia) parks herself on the front steps and breast feeds her “baby” doll.

Pathetic, I k ow, but you could set your calendar by her every year.

Sometimes we get faint rainbows.

The cacophony of bird noises and warm rain/thunderstorms, all of which I welcome wholeheartedly.

god all this season talk makes me so sad.
i wish we had actual seasons in south florida. my only hint is when the calendar says ‘march 20:spring begins’ ):

@Allie; It never occurred to me until now that I never do see rainbows in the late fall, winter and early spring. I wonder what the explanation is? Where are you?

@gail…I’m glad that puff of spring blew the wintered bangs from your January brow.

we just got an inch of rain and they’re calling for 2–3” of snow Friday into Saturday…and don’t they sing choo cha wee?

There’s an earthy smell I pick up when spring’s a-comin’. It’s not spring yet in these parts (NYC).

@Blondesjon; Yes, we too have had a thaw that has turned our little secondary road into a mud slide. Ruts about 6” deep that are as slippery as the ice. And then everything will freeze again next week. (The undercarriage of my Forester looks like a ceramics factory.)

Davis, California. About 90 minutes to two hours from SF.

@allie; Do you not see rainbows during your winters, which I know are mild?

Not many.

daffodils…and the faint smell of warm freshness

The fair weather cyclists are commuting with me.