Signs of Spring

I keep telling myself that I'll stop collecting compost during the Winter, but the habit is too strongly entrenched.  Lately, the weather has been quite wet, and it already dark after work, so the compost container on the kitchen counter is a mouldy mushy mess by the time I find a clear weekend day to dump it in the far back corner of the yard.  Today was finally that clear day.  On my way, I stopped to see signs of Spring.  In addition to the many green shoots pushing through the soil, there were some flowers, too.

Every year I seem to have this single yellow crocus emerging near the massive rotting leaves of my Gunnera.

Here is what seems to be the same crocus, back in March 2009.

I was surprised to see my mini irises, poking up underneath my granite bench, and also in a pot (I can't remember where it came from, but I guess it sat out all winter)!

I didn't have any of my new Hellebores bloom last Spring, but it looks like this year I have two : a near-black one, and what looks like a white one, both of which are in bud at the moment.

Here's to wishing for Spring!