Have you been noticing some signs of spring lately? If so, what?

I'm always excited to start seeing sprouts, growth, shoots of flowers at this time of year. With some planning our gardens' true "down time" really is so limited. What are you noticing?

While really signs of winter as much as of spring, I'm noticing several hellebore blooms in my little garden, plus pansies and violas going strong, and the wonderful scent of winter box (Sarcococca), plus the stems of evergreen euphorbias curling in on themselves as they build buds for spring (they look like snakes preparing to strike). Below are a few pics from my small garden. I hope you'll share in words and/or pics what signs of spring (or just nice mid-winter activity) you're noticing too.

Below are pics from this last week in January:

Double flowering hellebore:

El-cheapo pansy going strong:

Variegated euphorbia 'Tasmanian Tiger' forming buds:

Another hellebore starting to bloom:

There are also tons of spring bulbs poking up, and lengthening leaves on irises, plus all manner of swelling buds. The block west of my house has a terrific almost-red flowering winter cherry, perfectly pruned, in full bloom. I know they can be boring in summer but this one is many decades old and certainly earning its keep this week!

I've got plenty of things that look like compost at this time of year of course, but it's nice to have some new growth or blooms in the garden already.

Happy gardening!

Grant